Do IMF-supported programs harm economic, social, and cultural rights?
The role of the IMF is to provide support to countries that are facing balance of payments problems, often caused by large fiscal deficits. Usually, it is simply not feasible for the countries to maintain a high deficit by securing additional foreign assistance. To correct such problems, governments must make difficult choices, for example, raising taxes, cutting expenditures, or both. In such circumstances, the IMF encourages governments to do everything within their power to protect social expenditures. Available evidence indicates that this advice is generally being followed. Data from countries with IMF-supported programs during 1985-99 show, on average, a small rise in social expenditures despite the difficult economic conditions these countries faced. Moreover, according to the World Bank’s World Development Indicators database, these countries, on average, registered some improvement during the period in overall primary school enrollment (0.8 percent a year), female primary and
