Good governance should start with consulting and respecting people s will. Bank rhetoric and claims for setting poverty alleviation as a priority is not enough. The results speak for themselves, poverty is growing at an unprecedented speed and the Bank and Fund must be held accountable for their failing policies and false promises. They must first correct the devastating consequences of adjustment policies on women and children. My answer to these two questions is no.
Any power when left unchecked loses accountability.
However, it is within the power of governments and NGOs to abide by clear and simple rules, equity and governance. Transparent negotiations and agreements may determine the content of such rules. We must understand the necessary and important contributions NGOs can make to keeping governments, development agencies and financial institutions under permanent check. Despite their contradictions, NGOs have demonstrated their critical role in sustaining the growth of democratic values and shaping an alternative vision of a world different from what powerful market forces are trying to impose upon people i.e., a vision of economic, political and social rights. In recent times, they have become synonymous with balance of powers whether nationally or internationally in spheres as diverse as human rights, economic and international trade policies, environmental health, gender equality, peace and knowledge sharing.