April 17, 2015
When government officials from around the world meet in Washington DC to direct a new wave of investments, civil society groups are demanding a different type of development – one that responds to the needs and priorities of local communities and respects their human rights.
The World Bank is revising its safeguard policies meant to protect communities and the environment from harm. Unfortunately, rather than strengthening the safeguards, the Bank is looking to water them down. At the same time, the Bank is ramping up lending for more risky projects, such as big dams and highways, and investments in areas plagued by conflict.
Real development requires strong safeguards that ensure that people are heard and their rights are respected.
On Friday, April 17th, we circled the Bank and its Member States in “Caution” tape and urged them to strengthen safeguards and respect human rights.