Accountability Counsel amplifies the voices of communities around the world to protect their human rights and environment. As advocates for people harmed by internationally financed projects, we employ community driven and policy level strategies to access justice.
Impact
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Communities Supported132
Our impact includes redesigned projects that now reflect community needs, harm stopped and prevented to defend water resources, and agreements resulting in compensation.
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Institutions Influenced95
We advocate for investors to create accountability offices that are independent, transparent, fair, and effective. We have improved policy and practice at development institutions, commercial banks, UN agencies, and within the OECD.
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Complaints Tracked1,801
We created and maintain the Accountability Console, a comprehensive database of community complaints filed with independent accountability mechanisms about the impacts of internationally financed projects.
News
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18 December, 2024Grievance Redress and Remedy Featured Among Newly Released Core Human Rights Principles for Private Conservation Organizations and Funders
As recognized under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a human rights-based approach is integral to halting and reversing nature loss in a sustainable manner. Those seeking to deliver on nature-positive impacts now have access to instruction on how to protect the rights of local communities and Indigenous Peoples in the endeavor–the Core Human Rights Principles for Private Conservation Organizations and Funders. The set of ten principles reflect and clarify existing international human rights norms and standards applicable to private conservation efforts, including the responsibility of taking action to prevent and remediate adverse human rights impacts. -
17 December, 2024New DFC Accountability Mechanism Procedures Include Stronger Provisions on Remedy, But Accessibility and Independence Challenges Remain
Nearly five years after the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation became operational, its independent accountability mechanism finally has terms of reference, or procedures, to guide its work addressing complaints from communities harmed by DFC’s financing. Although the TOR include many strong provisions that align with international good practice for IAMs, the TOR fail to address crucial accessibility and independence challenges. -
16 December, 2024As Reprisals Rise in Asia and the Caucasus, Development Banks Must Uphold Human Rights
Multilateral development banks have mechanisms to address and resolve community complaints. But stories from residents and civil society groups across Asia and the Caucasus show that even when such mechanisms are in place, accessing remedy is extremely challenging — if not impossible. -
16 December, 2024Urgent Call for Conditionalities on New IFC and EBRD Loan to Oyu Tolgoi Mine
We, the undersigned CSOs and representatives of herders from Mongolia, strongly condemn the IFC and EBRD in providing a $100 million loan each, to Oyu Tolgoi. This decision blatantly disregards years of unresolved grievances, environmental harm, and OT’s failure to comply with lenders’ safeguard standards, and widespread rejection from local herders, CSOs, and even the Mongolian government. -
12 December, 2024Missing in action: accountability is noticeably absent from the World Bank Group’s new Corporate Scorecard
The World Bank Group’s new Corporate Scorecard fails to include indicators on accountability, a gap which is symptomatic of a broader failure by the WBG to internalise learning from its independent accountability mechanisms. Civil society remains concerned that Multilateral Development Banks’ ‘evolution’ processes risk deprioritising accountability in order to get money out the door more quickly. -
10 December, 2024Guardians of Lamu: A Community’s Journey to Protect Land and Heritage / Walinzi wa Lamu: Safari ya Jamii Kulinda Ardhi na Urithi wao
Today, on Human Rights Day, we proudly launch the Guardians of Lamu case study, which captures an extraordinary journey and highlights six complementary strategies communities used to demand justice.
