Remember the World Bank study that cut water from poor households in Nairobi, just to see if they'd pay?
I requested its ethical approval (IRB). The Bank carefully avoided giving me a straight answer so that I couldn't appeal (Kafka was employee of the month in Oct).
1/4
I requested its ethical approval (IRB). The Bank carefully avoided giving me a straight answer so that I couldn't appeal (Kafka was employee of the month in Oct).
1/4
I appealed & appealed. The Committee ignored my complaint, so I skipped them and went to the Appeal Board.
Yesterday, the Board stated "Bank and the AIC fell far short of what is required by their own policies and procedures in handling the request."
Sounds good? Not quite.
2/4
Yesterday, the Board stated "Bank and the AIC fell far short of what is required by their own policies and procedures in handling the request."
Sounds good? Not quite.
2/4
The Appeal Board is now sending me back to the previous step (the AI Committee), who had ignored my complaints.
This Committee often uses a loophole in the Bank's policy: the "prerogative".
They can refuse to disclose any document if it doesn't vibe with them. Handy!
3/4
This Committee often uses a loophole in the Bank's policy: the "prerogative".
They can refuse to disclose any document if it doesn't vibe with them. Handy!
3/4
Will the committee refuse my request? Will they give me the IRB I've asked for nearly a year ago?
Either way, the Bank's transparency process is badly flawed.
Read the Appeal Board decision here:
emmanuel-freudenthal.com/wp-content/upl…
More on the "prerogative":
4/4
Either way, the Bank's transparency process is badly flawed.
Read the Appeal Board decision here:
emmanuel-freudenthal.com/wp-content/upl…
More on the "prerogative":
https://twitter.com/EmmanFre/status/1337041459724378113
4/4
PS: ICYMI here's some extract from the study that led to water being cut for 97 very poor households:
The paper has since been "temporarily withdrawn" for a year, after #KOT heat. nber.org/papers/w27569
https://twitter.com/EmmanFre/status/1292344209735811072
The paper has since been "temporarily withdrawn" for a year, after #KOT heat. nber.org/papers/w27569
PPS: Just found this interesting ethics discussion by the authors.
They say Nairobi water disconnected some areas but "more ad hoc" in slums; "In our data, 24 of the 326 households in our study had been recently disconnected for not paying their bills."
drive.google.com/file/d/1nVGR4q…
They say Nairobi water disconnected some areas but "more ad hoc" in slums; "In our data, 24 of the 326 households in our study had been recently disconnected for not paying their bills."
drive.google.com/file/d/1nVGR4q…
PPPS: Also found an illuminating podcast here with one of the authors: voxdev.org/topic/infrastr…
Their concerns are quite interesting, especially the "political consequences" which appear to be the main one. It's around 6:30.
Their concerns are quite interesting, especially the "political consequences" which appear to be the main one. It's around 6:30.
Their assumption that increased payments to the NWSC will lead to better water services overall is also quite... interesting.
(full disclosure: my water has been cut since Monday although I've paid my bills. I'm a bit salty).
(full disclosure: my water has been cut since Monday although I've paid my bills. I'm a bit salty).
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