Transnational civil society coalitions and the World Bank : Lessons from project and policy influence campaigns

This paper draws on case studies of efforts by transnational civil society coalitions to influence projects and policies of the World Bank to develop lessons about policy influence campaigns. The paper argues that transnational coalitions that succeed in influencing multilateral institutions (1) fit campaigns to their targets, (2) open up the cracks in the system, (3) recognize various forms of impact, and (4) create footholds that give a leg up to those who follow. Accountability within coalitions depends on (5) building local bases, (6) building interorganizational chains to bridge gaps among coalition members, (7) using face-to-face negotiations to build trust and shared expectations, and (8) recognizing the power of small actors in the right chains.