In a new approach announced by the World Bank and IMF, civil society is being offered a part in shaping and implementing national anti-poverty strategies. In order to trigger debt relief, countries are being asked to produce a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper drawing on inputs from all sections of society. While previous experience shows that a lot can be done to make policy processes more responsive to the needs of poor people, it also reveals the many challenges and pitfalls involved. Heeding these lessons will be vital if this new approach is to live up to its ambitious rhetoric.
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