Partnering to Increase Access to Remedy and Accountability in Africa

Photo Credit: EIB, 2024

Project-affected communities cannot seek access to remedy if they do not know about Independent Accountability Mechanism (IAMs) like CAO or how to engage with us. A critical priority for CAO is to regularly conduct outreach to communities and civil society – often done in partnership with other IAMs and civil society organizations (CSOs).

This June, in collaboration with the Independent Accountability Project and eight* other IAMs, CAO helped organize an outreach workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. The Workshop – attended by over 30 civil society participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia – aimed to raise awareness among regional CSOs about the role of IAMs and their processes.

Held over a two-day period, the Workshop offered a mix of information-sharing sessions and small group discussions about key functions of the IAMs, including filing a complaint, dispute resolution processes and compliance investigations. Case examples were shared from the perspectives of both the IAMs and the CSOs, providing context on the complexity of case handling and outcomes for project-affected communities.

Outreach workshops such as the event in Nairobi are important to not only explore the challenges with access to remedy, such as lack of information and understanding about processes, but they also provide the space to discuss specific barriers faced by communities. Discussions during the Workshop centered on key areas of concern, particularly around threats and reprisals, and special considerations that need to be given to women and vulnerable communities. Moreover, as the Workshop is attended by civil society participants with a range of knowledge about IAMs, it was a key place to share various resources and tools that could be leveraged across the CSOs and the IAMs to address such challenges.

____

Organization of the Workshop in Nairobi was led by the Complaints Mechanism of the European Investment Bank, with support from CAO. Supporting and participating IAMs also included: African Development Bank (AfDB): Independent Recourse Mechanism (IRM); Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): Project-Affected People’s Mechanism (PPM); Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique (PROPARCO): Indepedent Complaints Mechanism; Independent Climate Initiative (IKI): Independent Complaint Mechanism (ICM); U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC): Office of Accountability (OA); World Bank: Accountability Mechanism (AM); Office of Accountability (OA), U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (Office of Accountability / OA); and Project-affected People’s Mechanism (PPM), IAM of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).