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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.

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.

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.

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.

The ADB’s Accountability Mechanism promises justice for communities impacted by its projects — but is it accessible? Restrictive eligibility requirements, coupled with legal rigors and opaque processes, leave many complaints unresolved.

Survivors and civil society organizations have raised serious concerns regarding the management action plan’s implementation and its potential to fall short of delivering meaningful support to survivors, specifically to Bridge survivors.

We strongly urge the Board to request that IFC Management revise its Action Plan to prioritize consultation with the maximum number of Bridge survivors as is possible, and ensure that the remediation program is fit for purpose to deliver meaningful remedy.

Over a year into its new climate mission, the World Bank faces questions about human rights and accountability, as recent complaints reveal vulnerabilities linked to its climate-focused projects.

The Bank Information Center (BIC) and Accountability Counsel (AC) welcome the introduction of Chairwoman Maxine Waters and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty’s International Financial Institution Improvements Act of 2024. This comprehensive legislation directs the U.S. to advocate for improved environmental, social, accountability, and transparency standards at the IFIs in which it is a member. This bill also reflects the priorities of our organizations and broader civil society around the need for the IFIs to improve their due diligence before project approval and provide remedy when their projects cause harm. 

For increased climate finance to meet its ambitions, it has to be good. And right now, the prevailing model is far from it.

While it would be ideal if directly impacted people were able to file cases and demand justice whenever harm occurs, significant barriers to access can make it nearly impossible for that to happen. There is an obvious solution: equipping IAMs with the ability to self-initiate compliance investigations.

A version of this blog was also published in the AIIB Observer Vol. 2 As the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank gather for their annual meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, we call on the Bank to strengthen its Project-Affected People’s Mechanism (PPM) and reaffirm the importance of…

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Explore the EIB’s controversial investments in Israel, the implications of its new defense financing policy, and the urgent need for alignment with international law to prevent complicity in human rights violations, especially in light of the recent ICJ ruling.

Dispute resolution facilitated by Independent Accountability Mechanisms (IAMs) is an important tool for giving communities harmed by development or infrastructure projects an opportunity to express their concerns about project impacts, directly engage with the actors responsible for ensuring proper project implementation, and reach an agreement on how those project impacts…

Last month, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee passed legislation to reauthorize the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The legislation, which received bipartisan support, would give DFC seven more years to operate, increase its lending cap to 120 billion USD, and extend its geographical reach. For DFC to meet…

Tomorrow, the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) of the World Bank Board of Executive Directors will discuss the IFC’s draft Remedy and Responsible Exit Framework, which is intended to outline how the institution will deliver remedy to communities harmed by projects it finances. This would be the first policy to…

While accountability mechanisms are meant to provide impartiality and justice, strict adherence to impartiality can sometimes render them ineffective in addressing the unique needs and vulnerabilities of the very communities they were established to assist.

We are saddened by the news of killings, abductions, arbitrary detentions, and violence meted out by the police in Kenya against its citizens. As an international organization that amplifies the voices of communities around the world seeking protection of their human rights and environment, we are alarmed at the retaliation…

Discover how development financial institutions’ risk categorizations impact local communities and the environment, and why current safeguard measures may be falling short in protecting those most affected by investment projects.