New World Bank Support to Jobs and Labor Market Reforms through International Development Association Financing - A First Stage Evaluation - Report to the Board from the Committee on Development Effectiveness

Jul 19, 2026

Committee on Development Effectiveness meeting materials evaluate an Independent Evaluation Group first-stage assessment of World Bank support to jobs and labor market reforms under International Development Association financing. The limited-scope review is considered timely for the IDA20 Mid-Term Review and highlights useful narrative inputs, relevant job interventions, and adaptations to jobs diagnostics. Key concerns include measurement weaknesses, limited data availability, and limited evidence on jobs outcomes, alongside recommendations to strengthen results frameworks, statistical capacity, and outcome-oriented incentives.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Meeting Summary

Timeliness for IDA20 Mid-Term Review

Key Findings and Challenges

Recommendations and Management Commitments

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized New World Bank Support to Jobs and Labor Market Reforms through International Development Association Financing: A First Stage Evaluation Report to the Board from the Committee on Development Effectiveness 􀀍 Meeting of November 29, 2023 The Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) (“the Committee”) met to consider the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) evaluation entitled New World Bank Support to Jobs and Labor Market Reforms through International Development Association Financing: A First Stage Evaluation (CODE2023-0053) and the Draft Management Response (CODE2023-0055) . The Committee welcomed the Report and noted that while limited in scope, IEG’s first-stage early assessment of World Bank support to jobs and labor market through IDA financing provided a timely narrative and helpful inputs to inform the upcoming IDA20 Mid-Term Review slated for December 6-8, 2023. Members welcomed IEG’S findings noting that IDA support has helped address significant knowledge gaps, jobs interventions were also well-designed and relevant to the jobs objectives, and IDA policy commitments adapted well to reflect learning from jobs diagnostics which have contributed to a better articulation of jobs-related objectives in Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs) and operational work. From IEG’s findings, members also noted that performance ratings of closed projects were slightly better than those of the rest ofthe IDA portfolio; that integrating supply-and demand-side interventions -as recommended by jobs diagnostics and IDA Strategy – has proven challenging; that the IDA jobs Strategy’s promise of improved results measurement has yet to be fulfilled; and that IEG can say little about jobs outcomes of IDA-financed interventions. Members commended Management’s preparedness to address the challenges identified by the evaluation and the commitment to enhance support for job creation in IDA countries. They noted their agreement with IEG’s recommendations aimed at strengthening measurement of IDA’s contribution to the jobs agenda given the identified weaknesses in the results framework, which largely track outputs rather than outcomes. They expressed concerns regarding the inadequate measurement of results and limitations in data availability, and welcomed the WB’s response to this including efforts to enhance support for countries’ statistical systems in building capacity to strengthen data coverage and quality in order to effectively measure jobs and labor market outcomes. They also encouraged Management to work closely with development partners in this regard. Given that the adoption of jobs-related objectives in IDA17 was largely motivated by the view that rising inequality was undermining progress in poverty reduction and other SDGs, and considering that extreme poverty and inequality remain widespread, members highlighted the importance of systematically leveraging job diagnostics to inform IDA’s interventions on job creation, and appreciated Management's response to addressing this issue including through efforts to capture direct job creation in the new corporate scorecard. In addition, they urged Management to enhance incentives underlying the results frameworks, as part of the ongoing work on outcome orientation and on the corporate scorecard and to give greater attention to country statistical capacity to improve the quality of data needed to estimate labor market developments and inform related policy. They expressed support for Management’s plan torename the WB’s detailed analysis of a country's economic developments, prospects, and policy agenda from Country Economic Memorandum (CEM) to “Country Growth and Jobs Report”, in order to strengthen the link between job diagnostics and country-level operations. 􀀍 This report is not an approved record.

FAQs

What is the document’s main purpose?

It reports the Committee on Development Effectiveness’ consideration of an IEG first-stage evaluation on World Bank support to jobs and labor market reforms under IDA financing, plus the draft management response.

Which aspects of IDA support are viewed positively by committee members?

Members note that IDA support helped address knowledge gaps, that jobs interventions were well-designed and relevant, and that policy commitments adapted well to learning from jobs diagnostics.

What concerns and recommendations are emphasized?

The committee highlights inadequate results measurement and limited data availability, recommends strengthening measurement of IDA’s contribution, and encourages efforts to enhance country statistical systems and improve outcome orientation.

Jul 19, 2026

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