Poverty reduction Strategy papers are the documents that heavily indebted countries must produce in order to begin the World Bank HIPC process. It lays out how the country intends to implement the conditions asked of the country by the World Bank and IMF. Its focus is supposed to be concerned with poverty reduction but its main function is to legitimise economic reforms agreed on by both the government and the World Bank and IMF. The biggest criticism of the paper is over how it is negotiated as the World Bank and IMF have veto over its contents. Critics argue that PRSPs are little more than thinly disguised attempts at policy coercion by the financial institutions.

Reports on Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers

PRSP: Lessons learnt: Recommendations to the World Bank, IMF and donors for the second generation of PRSPs.
by Trocaire

Poverty Reduction or Public Relations Strategies?

World Bank PRSC continuity or change?

Poverty Reduction Strategies: A survey of the literature 08/08/2005

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