Questions hang over World Bank safeguard review (Bretton Woods Project)

Questions hang over World Bank safeguard review

The World Bank has revealed that the planned period for updating its environment and social safeguard policies, which it aims to consolidate into one single policy, has been extended to December 2013 (see Update 77). However, 130 organisations, including Asia Indigenous People's Pact wrote a letter to the Bank in October calling for the indigenous peoples' policy to remain a stand-alone policy that respects the concept of "free, prior, informed consent". NGOs are also concerned that a new lending instrument, Program-for-Results, is to be exempt from safeguards (see Update 79). Consultations on the safeguards review are anticipated at the end of 2012.

Related resources

Concerns and recommendations of indigenous peoples on the Safeguard Policy review of the World Bank Letter|Indigenous Portal|17 October 2011|Web page|URL

Indigenous peoples call on World Bank to respect their rights News|Bretton Woods Project|3 July 2012|update 81|url
A June letter to the incoming World Bank president Jim Yong Kim from 141 indigenous groups and civil society organisations called on the Bank for "positive engagement" to "put indigenous peoples at the centre of its development interventions ... respecting the[ir] rights ... and ensuring their full and effective participation". read article...
World Bank safeguards under scrutiny News|Bretton Woods Project|2 October 2012|update 82|url
With the World Bank's safeguards review due to be launched, indigenous groups and civil society organisations (CSOs) called for it to be rigorous and extensive. Meanwhile, the environmental and social track record of the Bank and its private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has come under scrutiny in India, Colombia and Brazil. read article...
Green light for revised PforR, but concerns remain News|Bretton Woods Project|7 February 2012|update 79|url
The World Bank board has approved the controversial new Program-for-Results (PforR) lending instrument, with some concessions to criticism. read article...
IFC updated performance standards weak on human rights, other shortcomings News|Bretton Woods Project|14 September 2011|update 77|url
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Bank's private sector arm, has concluded a two-year review of its performance standards on environmental and social sustainability, but its weak human rights approach has angered rights organisations. read article...