Participation and institutional transparency
Organizations call for more public participation in international financial institutions
Given the situation of environmental and human rights violations by corporations and States around the world, 155 civil organizations including Conectas reiterated the importance of social participation and transparency in projects supported by international financial institutions (IFIs). In a statement, the group pointed out that human rights are under threat in many countries where IFIs invest, from violent repression of protests and criminalization of freedom of expression to the arbitrary arrest and detention of activists.
“This environment of violence, intimidation and closing civil society space renders meaningful public participation in development virtually impossible,” they said.
One of the measures proposed by the organizations is the development of creative methods to enable people, including marginalized and discriminated groups, to participate freely in development initiatives financed by IFIs that could affect them or that should benefit them, without risk of reprisals.
According to the organizations, financial institutions such as the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other regional development and investment banks “should do everything within their powers to support an enabling environment for public participation, in which people are empowered to engage in crafting their own development agendas and in holding their governments, donors, businesses and other actors to account”.
- Click here to read the statement in full.
