Women and Children in Post­Conflict Situations: Comparison of Multilateral Development Banks' Responses to The World Bank

"Numerous issues affect women and children in post­conflict and emergency situations. These include sexual violence and rape, coping with the deaths of family members, domestic violence, and economic hardships, among others. In February 2007, the World Bank introduced a new Rapid Response Policy which laid out a framework for a more rapid and effective response to crises and emergencies. The Capstone team compared this policy to similar policies of other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), namely the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The Capstone team conducted extensive research, interviewed key Bank staff, and produced a written report on its findings. The report included specific observations on the Bank's work in comparison with other MDBs, and gave recommendations on how the Bank might better meet the needs of this vulnerable subset of the population. "