• 14 March 2024

    IFC Response to Child Sexual Abuse Investigation Fails Survivors; Evades Responsibility

    By Accountability Counsel, Inclusive Development International, urgewald e.V., EACH Rights, Education International, Gender Action, and GI-ESCR
    Today, the World Bank released a scandalous internal investigation of child sexual abuse allegations at private schools funded by its private sector arm, the IFC. Although World Bank President Ajay Banga has expressed contrition, the IFC’s official management response fails to offer meaningful remedy to the survivors of abuse that it turned a blind eye to for almost a decade.
  • 11 March 2024

    Comparing the Independent Accountability Mechanism Policy Review Process Across MDBs

    By Radhika Goyal, Accountability Counsel
    Policy reviews at the World Bank, ADB, EBRD, and AIIB come at a time when MDBs have been entrusted with greater mandates to combat the urgent climate crisis. It is imperative that the policy reviews result in strong improvements to protect and guarantee the rights of project-affected communities around the world.
  • 8 March 2024

    IFC’s Response to Sexual Abuse Does Not Provide Remedy to Bridge Survivors; Executive Directors Should Reject It

    By Accountability Counsel, Inclusive Development International, and Gender Action
    On this International Women’s Day, the International Finance Corporation is asking its Executive Directors to endorse an inadequate and flawed plan in response to the investigation of child sexual abuse at Bridge International schools in Kenya. Executive Directors should reject the proposed MAP.
  • 5 March 2024

    Harm in the Extractive Sector: The Case of Energy Transition Minerals (ETMs)

    By Leila Yow, Accountability Counsel
    Analyzing complaints that are connected to energy transition minerals (ETM) projects, which are considered crucial for the transition to renewable energy, and posit three theories as to why there are not more complaints given the high volume of ETM projects and the harm associated with them.
  • 27 February 2024

    World Bank Response to Sex Abuse Scandal is a Test of its Credibility

    By Accountability Counsel
    If the World Bank wants to be taken seriously as a development institution, then its response to the Bridge Academies case is a test that it cannot afford to fail.
  • 26 February 2024

    Reflections On My First Day as Executive Director

    By Margaux Day, Accountability Counsel
    Today is my first day as Accountability Counsel’s Executive Director, and I am reflecting on community and accountability. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the community of advocates, supporters, movements, and organizations that have made Accountability Counsel what it is today. This is Accountability Counsel’s 15th year, which is an…
  • 13 February 2024

    Welcoming Accountability Counsel’s new Executive Director

    By Accountability Counsel
    It is with great pleasure and excitement that we share with you that, after an exhaustive search, Margaux Day has been appointed Accountability Counsel’s next Executive Director.
  • 5 February 2024

    Charting the path of every single complaint

    By Megumi Tsutsui, Accountability Counsel
    To understand how the system of independent accountability mechanisms is working for those who engage their services, we mapped out the path of every single complaint. Our analysis reveals huge barriers to entry, but also high likelihood of affirmation of the complaint if it reaches the compliance investigation or dispute resolution phase.
  • 25 January 2024

    Why IFC’s Practice Of Irresponsibly Exiting Projects Must Stop

    By Lama Almoayed, Accountability Counsel
    Data in a new report showing how frequently the International Finance Corporation and its clients abandon investments when communities harmed by those investments demand accountability is especially alarming.
  • 21 December 2023

    A New Year’s Resolution for the World Bank Evolution: The Work Ahead for Remedy in 2024

    By Gregory Berry, Accountability Counsel
    It is near the end of the year (for those following the Gregorian calendar), so now seems as good a time as any to reflect on our continued push for the world’s largest development bank, turned aspiring champion of climate finance and now host of the Loss and Damage climate reparations fund, to finally, finally, finally deliver effective remedy when its projects cause real harm to people. This is also the time to rest up for the road ahead in 2024.
  • 19 December 2023

    The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive – One More Step Towards Fully Accountable Finance

    By Gregory Berry, Accountability Counsel
    While many are rightly disappointed about the favoritism afforded to the financial sector under the European Union’s forthcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, all is not lost. Exemption under the law does not absolve the financial sector’s responsibility for environmental and human rights impacts directly caused or enabled by their activities. Even if financial institutions are not yet subject to full liability, they can still be held accountable.
  • 18 December 2023

    Congress Calls out DFC on Employee Mistreatment

    By Accountability Counsel
    Last week, Congressional Labor Caucus co-chairs, Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Steven Horsford (D-NV), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) called on U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Scott Nathan to address allegations of retaliation against DFC employees for whistleblowing and labor organizing. Retaliation against whistleblowers at the DFC is…
  • 6 December 2023

    The World Bank’s response to sexual abuse should shake donors’ confidence

    By Margaux Day, Accountability Counsel
    The IFC’s inability to take responsibility for a crisis of its own making comes at a time when the World Bank is asking shareholder governments to trust it more.
  • 5 December 2023

    Climate Finance: Is it doing more harm than good?

    By Lama Almoayed, Accountability Counsel
    With COP28 underway this week, our attention turns to financial institutions and their role in the climate crisis, prompting questions about the effectiveness of climate finance and emphasizing the pressing need for strengthened accountability and meaningful remedy.
  • 8 November 2023

    Accountability Counsel: Ceasefire in Gaza

    By Accountability Counsel
    Accountability Counsel joins hundreds of organizations calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
  • 7 November 2023

    How Lessons from MICI Cases Can Inform IDB’s Strategy Review

    By Brooke Behrmann, Accountability Counsel
    As the IDB Group embarks upon adopting a new Institutional Strategy, the IDB should learn lessons from its independent accountability mechanism to ensure that its new seven-year strategy prioritizes improving community impact in addition to focusing on growth.
  • 19 October 2023

    Demanding Accountability: Joint Statement in Response to Reports of a Child Sexual Abuse Cover Up at the World Bank

    By 32 Civil Society Organizations
    Responding to disturbing and devastating reports of efforts to cover up child sexual abuse tied to a World Bank Group investment in Kenya, 32 civil society organizations are demanding transparency and justice.
  • 3 October 2023

    The True Role of Project Contractors: The influence of corporations in World Bank lending and complaints

    By Irmak Ersoz, Accountability Counsel
    Private sector involvement in multilateral development bank (MDB) projects, both in terms of investment and implementation, undeniably affects the implementation of a project, influencing banks’ adherence to their own policies.
  • 2 October 2023

    CSOs Call for the Defense of the Independence of IFI Accountability Mechanisms

    By Accountability Counsel
    Independence is crucial to the effectiveness of accountability mechanisms at international financial institutions, development agencies, and other institutions. In light of recent threats, 26 civil society organizations sent a letter to the Independent Accountability Mechanisms network (IAMnet) with a call to protect the independence of IAMnet’s members.
  • 26 September 2023

    World’s newest multilateral development bank lagging on accountability

    By Radhika Goyal, Accountability Counsel, Kate Geary, Recourse, and Natalie Bugalski, Inclusive Development International
    As the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) meets today for its first in-person annual meeting in four years, civil society groups are questioning the bank’s track record on accountability.