Analyzing The Effects of Policy Reform on the Poor: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of World Bank Support for Poverty and Social Impact Analyses (PSIA) The World Bank introduced the PSIA approach in fiscal 2002 to help governments and the Bank anticipate and address the possible consequences of proposed policy reforms, especially on the poor and vulnerable, and to contribute to country capacity for policy analysis. By fiscal 2007, the World Bank had supported 156 pieces of analytical work using one or more elements of the PSIA approach in 75 countries and 14 sectors. Total Bank and other donor support to PSIAs over fiscal 2004-06 amounted to US $15 million. IEG's evaluation finds that although there have been some highly effective individual PSIAs, overall implementation of the approach has had considerable limitations. For more information, and to download the report, click here. World Bank Engagement at the State Level: The Cases of Brazil, India, Nigeria and Russia Beginning in the late 1990s, the World Bank significantly expanded its engagement at the state level in Brazil, India, Nigeria, and Russia. World Bank Engagement at the State Level is a pilot cross-country study that reviews selected cases of Bank lending and analytic work in these large, federated countries between 1998 and 2008. The study looks at several strategic and operational questions posed by state-level engagement, among them the selection of states, the scope of involvement, and the modalities of engagement.   For more information, and to download the report, click here. Gender and Development: An Evaluation of World Bank Support, 2002-08 In 2001 the World Bank adopted a gender equality policy as a means to help reduce poverty. This policy was outlined in Integrating Gender into the World Bank's Work: A Strategy for Action (referred as the 2001 Gender Strategy). Through this evaluation IEG finds that the World Bank made progress in gender integration between 2002 and 2008 integrating gender concerns in more than half of the relevant projects. These signs of progress are qualified by findings that implementation of this policy weakened in the latter half of the review period and that there was no built-in results framework in the strategy.   For more information, and to download the report, click here. IEG is now on Facebook! Become a fan of IEG on Facebook. Connect with IEG staff, network with colleagues, share your thoughts and experiences, and keep updated on the latest IEG events and resources. Become a fan today! About The Independent Evaluation Group The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is an independent unit within the World Bank Group; it reports directly to the World Bank Group's Board of Executive Directors. IEG assesses what works, and what does not; how a client plans to run and maintain a project; and the lasting contribution of the World Bank Group to a country's overall development. The goals of evaluation are to learn from experience, to provide an objective basis for assessing the results of the World Bank Group's work, and to provide accountability in the achievement of its objectives. It also improves World Bank Group's work by identifying and disseminating the lessons learned from experience and by framing recommendations drawn from evaluation findings.   http://www.worldbank.org/ieg © 2010 The World Bank Group, All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions