The Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) has, without question, cemented its place as an indispensable pillar of the World Bank Group (WBG) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring and Annual Meetings. True to tradition, the 2025 edition of the CSPF provided an energetic and open platform for civil society organizations (CSOs) from across the globe to engage meaningfully with WBG and IMF staff, country delegations, and a wider ecosystem of development stakeholders. Convened in Washington, D.C. from April 22 to 25, the Forum once again demonstrated why civil society remains the conscience and catalyst of global development dialogues.
Across a packed schedule of sessions, the CSPF surfaced some of the most urgent conversations shaping today’s policy landscape — from climate finance and water security to youth-centered social protection and sustainable food systems. Through it all, one clear thread emerged: the need to rethink existing models, shift power closer to communities, and move from talk to tangible action.
Mobilizing Private Finance for Water Security
Kicking off with WaterAid’s timely session on “Mobilizing Private Finance for Water Security,” participants wrestled with a reality that development finance experts have long acknowledged but not yet fully solved. The funding gap for water security is vast and growing. With concessional and public financing increasingly stretched thin, the private sector is being called upon to step in. But as the discussions emphasized, this is no simple tap to turn on.
The conversation homed in on the delicate balancing act: scaling private investment without compromising equitable access, public goods, or environmental integrity. Critical questions surfaced about pricing mechanisms, structuring fair public-private partnerships, and safeguarding vulnerable communities. Participants challenged the WBG and other international financial institutions (IFIs) to lead the charge not just in mobilizing capital, but in setting norms that priorities inclusion and sustainability. The resounding message: private finance must serve people and planet, not just portfolios.
School Meals Programs
From the taps to the tables, the session on “School Meals Programs” organised by a coalition of partners, including the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, World Vision International, and the Rockefeller Foundation, cast a much-needed spotlight on one of the world’s most robust yet often overlooked safety nets. School meals are more than nutrition programs; they are critical investments in education, health, and economic resilience.
Drawing on compelling case studies, the discussion emphasized how governments around the world are expanding and modernizing these programs to meet today’s challenges, from post-pandemic recovery to rising food insecurity. The role of multilateral development banks in scaling these efforts was underscored, with a call for greater, more coordinated investment. Participants left with a renewed sense that school meals are not a “nice-to-have” but a frontline defense against systemic inequality — a potent reminder that sometimes the most powerful development tools are also the simplest.
Catalyzing Climate Finance in Fragile Contexts.
No CSPF would be complete without grappling with the climate crisis, and the International Rescue Committee’s session, “Catalyzing Climate Finance in Fragile Contexts,” did not disappoint. Through an engaging mix of lightning talks and open dialogue, front-line implementers and climate finance experts mapped out the yawning gap between where climate finance is needed most — fragile and conflict-affected settings — and where it is currently flowing.
Participants didn’t mince words: traditional models are falling short. Risk aversion among financiers, bureaucratic inertia, and outdated operating assumptions are leaving the most vulnerable behind. Yet amid the frustrations, there were glimmers of hope. Creative financing models, community-led adaptation strategies, and bolder commitments from some actors are beginning to break through. The session’s closing interactive exchange challenged everyone in the room to push beyond business as usual, because when it comes to climate resilience, leaving fragile communities behind is simply not an option.
Rethinking Social Protection for Youth.
One of the most forward-looking conversations of the Forum came from the RAHA Foundation and the Office of the Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria, with their session on “Social Protection for the Next Generation.” Against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming global economy — marked by digital disruption, rising inequality, and climate uncertainty — the session focused on a critical, often overlooked demographic: young people.
The dialogue was refreshingly solutions-oriented, examining how social protection frameworks must evolve to meet youth needs. Discussions ranged from universal basic income and targeted skills development funds to climate resilience programs tailored for youth. Financing models, including blended finance and public-private partnerships, were unpacked with an eye towards scalability and sustainability. Above all, participants emphasised the urgency of designing social safety nets not as afterthoughts, but as launchpads for the next generation’s economic security, inclusion, and agency.
Sustainable Food Systems and the IFC’s Role
Agriculture’s future and the health of our planet was the topic in the session organized by Compassion in World Farming, Friends of the Earth-US, Bank Information Centre, and World Animal Protection. Focused on the IFC’s agribusiness portfolio, the session raised fundamental questions about the institution’s role in either perpetuating or helping to dismantle unsustainable food systems.
Panelists laid bare the environmental and social costs of industrial livestock operations, from deforestation to greenhouse gas emissions. They also explored promising alternatives, including plant-based and cultivated proteins. The clear takeaway: if the IFC is serious about aligning its investments with global sustainability goals, a pivot towards more regenerative, resilient food systems is non-negotiable. Participants challenged the IFC to take bold steps — not incremental tweaks — in charting a new course for agribusiness finance.
Shifting Power through Localization
Finally, the session on “Localizing Impact,” led by ACDPN and Foundation Enfant Jeunesse (Haiti), brought a critical, grounding reminder: for development to be effective, it must be locally led. Drawing on powerful examples from Haiti and Nigeria, the discussion made a compelling case for why localization is not just the right thing to do — it’s an operational imperative.
Community-led approaches are consistently proving more adaptable, accountable, and sustainable than top-down models. Yet, as participants noted, systemic barriers persist, from rigid donor frameworks to entrenched power dynamics. The session called for a fundamental realignment: shifting not just project design but decision-making authority, financial resources, and accountability structures closer to the communities that development efforts are meant to serve.
Final Reflections
Across the four days of dialogue, debate, and exchange, the 2025 Civil Society Policy Forum once again lived up to its reputation as the beating heart of the Spring Meetings. The CSPF was not merely a sidebar it was a vibrant arena where the future of development was interrogated, challenged, and reimagined.
In an era of complex, cascading crises, civil society’s role as advocate, innovator, and watchdog has never been more critical. As the curtains fell on another Spring Meetings, one truth was unmistakable: if the World Bank Group, IMF, and broader international community are serious about building a more inclusive, resilient, and just world, they must not only listen to civil society they must act on what they hear.
Written by Dr. Florence Omisakin
