In recent years, the world has seen formidable manifestations of citizens' engagement. By taking to the streets to condemn corruption scandals, by rallying on social media to address growing inequalities, or by participating in global consultations to develop the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ordinary citizens are increasingly eager and able to make their voices heard.
In recent years we have observed an intensification of aid agencies’ efforts to put citizens front and center in defining their development agenda. The massive participatory process deployed in setting up the Sustainable Development Goals is probably the best example. The notion that citizens are change agents and can improve development outcomes has existed for quite some time. In principle, they can do so by participating in the design and monitoring of projects, and by voicing their grievances.
This evaluation assesses how effectively the World Bank Group has mainstreamed citizen engagement at the project, country, and corporate levels, and demonstrates how this process contributes to the achievement of development outcomes.
