Maartje Van Putten

Dr. Van Putten, a Dutch citizen, is a former member of the World Bank Inspection Panel (1999-2004), a former member of the European Parliament (1989-1999) and was a journalist and social worker. Access of people to decision making processes and accountability of the ruling powers has always been the subject of her career and interest.

In the 70s, Van Putten was the founder of a Dutch organization focusing on living conditions of children in cities. In the 80s, she finished a master’s on management in community work. Then she became a staff member of the Evert Vermeer Foundation, an institution that focuses on international solidarity, and was one of the first that published a book on the phenomena Globalization. As a member of the European Parliament, Van Putten was Rapporteur of Parliament on various crucial (legislative) reports.

During her appointment as member of the WB Inspection Panel, she was involved in investigations in World Bank projects iall over the world. She begun to write her PhD thesis ‘Policing the World: Accountability Mechanisms for Multilateral Financial Institutions and Private Financial Institutions’ and got her Doctorate in 2006 (Tilburg University Netherlands in cooperation with McGill University Canada).

At present she is the vice-chair of the European Center for Development Policy Management, a member of the supervisory board of the Dutch Royal Tropical Institute and an advisor on Accountability Mechanisms for private financial institutions. She is also a member of the African Development Bank Inspection Panel.