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Civil Society Policy Forum: Spring Meetings 2025

April 22-25, 2025
Washington, DC
Civil society representative speaks at President's Townhall

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Find out all about the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF), the call for session proposals, and our CSPF Working Group members below. 

Mobilizing Private Finance for Water Security: How to Get it Right 

Organizer: WaterAid

Session Abstract: The funding gaps for water security are significant, and private finance is widely seen as a way to help fill these critical gaps where concessional and public sector financing are unlikely to meet those needs in the near-term. However, there are several challenges to this, including concerns around pricing water and serving public policy objectives. What will it take to scale this approach while serving vulnerable communities and ecosystems and fairly structuring public-private partnerships? What should be the role of the WBG and other IFIs?    

School Meals Programs: A Proven, Efficient, and Resilient Safety Net

Organizers: SDG2 Advocacy Hub, Global Child Nutrition Forum, World Vision International, Rockefeller Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation

Session Abstract: School meal programs are one of the world’s largest and most resilient social safety nets. Many governments recognize their catalytic role and seek to expand and improve their national programs. This event will take stock of global efforts and identify urgent actions, including the role of multilateral development banks.

Catalyzing Climate Finance in Fragile Contexts—What’s Being Done and What Still Needs Doing?

Organizer: International Rescue Committee  

Session Abstract: Hear and engage with front-line implementers, climate financers, and subject matter experts in this exciting session about climate financing reaching the most fragile settings. Participants will first hear the latest developments on climate financing as well as the operating environment from persevering front-liners in lightening talks before going into a more traditional format, during which participants will have the opportunity to ask bold questions and provide unfiltered feedback. A final interactive component will further encourage participants to engage panelists and each other in discussing catalytic climate financing solutions for some of the hardest to reach communities.

Social Protection for the Next Generation: Rethinking Safety Nets for Youth

Organizers: RAHA Foundation and Office of the Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria

Session Abstract: Young people today face increasing economic uncertainty, exacerbated by rising unemployment, digital transformation, and climate change. However, traditional social protection systems often exclude youth, leaving them vulnerable during critical life transitions. This session will explore innovative and sustainable safety nets that empower youth, focusing on universal basic income, social insurance, skills development funds, and climate resilience programs. Bringing together policymakers, development finance institutions, private sector leaders, and youth advocates, the discussion will highlight financing solutions, policy reforms, and public-private partnerships needed to create inclusive social protection frameworks. Participants will examine successful case studies, explore blended finance models, and identify strategies to ensure economic security, digital inclusion, and resilience for young people worldwide. This session aims to foster actionable policy recommendations and strengthen global commitments toward adaptive, youth-centered social protection systems that drive long-term economic growth and social stability.

How Can IFC Support the Shift to Sustainable Food Systems (Including Sustainable, Affordable Protein Alternatives)?

Organizers: Compassion in World Farming, Friends of the Earth-US, Bank Information Center, World Animal Protection

Session Abstract: IFC is considering how to better align its agribusiness portfolio with requirements for environmental, social, and economic sustainability, especially considering the role industrial livestock systems play in deforestation and climate change. This panel will examine IFC’s current agribusiness portfolio, its impacts, and the most promising alternatives to industrial livestock.

Localizing Impact: How Community-led Approaches are Shifting Power and Enhancing the Effectiveness of International Development

Organizer: ACDPN, Fondation Enfant Jeunesse (Haiti)

Session Abstract: Localization is now an operational necessity. This session examines how community-led models in Haiti and Nigeria enhance aid effectiveness by shifting power to local actors. Through case studies and solution-driven dialogue, we will explore strategies for overcoming systemic barriers and institutionalizing direct funding to local organizations.