World Bank Accountability Mechanism

The World Bank Accountability Mechanism is young—it has existed for just three years. But in the blink of an eye, in institutional terms, we have set up, staffed, and operationalized the AM Secretariat and the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS). We have also facilitated milestone mediation agreements between parties in Nepal, Uganda, and Cameroon, the first of their kind for The World Bank—all the while continuing the excellent compliance work of the Inspection Panel.

Rome wasn’t built in a day—but mindful of the scope, complexity, and urgency of the task of establishing a brand-new accountability mechanism, we were laying bricks every hour! What’s more, we are continuously evaluating our work to improve the performance of the AM Secretariat and the DRS so we can adequately address harm potentially caused by World Bank projects.

We can look back with satisfaction at how we have managed, in a relatively short period of time, to enable the World Bank to offer the options of both compliance and dispute resolution to communities. The AM Secretariat, the Panel, and the DRS have also been engaging on a continuous basis with accountability stakeholders across the world. We look forward to working with you all into the future, particularly as we support the World Bank’s mission to eradicate poverty on a liveable planet, along with the goal of building a bigger, better Bank.

World Bank Accountability Mechanism marks three years of supporting project-affected people Chairperson of the Inspection Panel Ramanie Kunanayagam (far left) and Accountability Mechanism Secretary Orsolya Székely (fourth from left) at the IAMnet Annual Meetings in 2023 in London. Photo credit: Esteve Sala.This month marks the third anniversary of the World Bank Accountability Mechanis...

🌿We say youth is the future. But do young people have a say in how their future develops?

Hear about youth from youth!

https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Making-development-accountable-to-youth


World Bank Group Youth Summit 2024

Making development accountable to youth By Rabi Thapa“Educate yourself, train others, teach us,” urged Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations, at the World Bank Group’s Youth Summit 2024 in May this year. Her keynote speech was on artificial intelligence and its role in development, but the message was clear: youth are our fut...

☀️The July 2024 issue of Accountability Matters is now out! https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/newsletter/July-2024

This issue explores the key role that can play in incorporating a culture of into . We feature a set of interviews on best practices for independent accountability mechanisms, and look back to a colorful at the World Bank. We also have a round-up of knowledge products from the accountability community of practice.

Sign up to get news and stories from the Accountability Mechanism along with event notifications and job opportunities sent straight to your inbox📧https://lnkd.in/eHgKSP3x

July 2024 issue Accountability Matter is the quarterly newsletter published by the World Bank Accountability Mechanism

Strong relationships between independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) are crucial for increasing accountability.

We recently joined 8 other IAMs and 30+ representatives from CSOs from 7 countries in the Eastern Africa region for dynamic discussions on how to strengthen accountability and help project-affected communities access remedy.

We were pleased to organize this workshop with other members of the Independent Accountability Mechanisms network (IAMnet), in close partnership with the International Accountability Project (IAP). Special thanks to the Complaints Mechanism of the EIB, who served as the lead IAM organizer and sponsor, with additional support from the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) of IFC/MIGA.

There is nothing like meeting in person to discuss important issues. We hope to see you all again soon.

https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Strengthening-accountability-in-east-africa

Strengthening accountability in East Africa Independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) play a critical role in helping people and communities who believe they have been affected by projects funded by international finance institutions. Civil society organizations (CSOs) facilitate access to IAMs, providing communities with information about...

Last month, the World Bank Accountability Mechanism’s Dispute Resolution Service (AM-DRS), in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank’s Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI), hosted two capacity-building workshops in South America for civil society organizations (CSOs).

Key questions about how complaints can be filed with IAMs, what tools are available to resolve conflict, and how affected communities can be remedied were explored. The sessions were facilitated by Gastón Aín, Dispute Resolution Coordinator at MICI and Marcos Favero, Dispute Resolution Officer at the AM-DRS.

Marcos Favero explained, “They contribute to CSOs’ understanding and reflection about their possible roles while supporting communities in the IAM setting.” There is also a need for tools for conflict resolution. “CSOs have not necessarily mastered alternative dispute resolution tools and how effective they can be to create successful solutions to their communities,” Gastón Aín (MICI) added. “These trainings provide hands-on experience, aimed at leveling the playing field for communities and impacted persons supported by CSOs.”

Capacity-building workshops on dispute resolution in South America Independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) have a critical role in helping people resolve environmental and social conflicts that may have arisen in connection to development projects. In mid-May, the World Bank Accountability Mechanism’s Dispute Resolution Service (AM-DRS), in partnership with ...

As the UN’s AI For Good Global Summit kicks off next week (May 30-31), do read our story on and from the most recent issue of Accountability Matters.

In exploring the use of AI in development work, we need to think about whether it helps or hinders accountability for communities. Independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) can improve efficiency and outreach to project-affected communities, but it’s key to ensure that AI tools are used responsibly and do not replace the need for human judgment in complex cases.

🌐Leer en español 🔗https://accountability.worldbank.org/es/news/2024/Developing-AI-for-development
🌐Lire en français 🔗https://accountability.worldbank.org/fr/news/2024/Developing-AI-for-development

https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Developing-AI-for-development

Developing AI for development Sophia, Hanson Robotics Ltd., speaking at the AI for Good Global Summit, ITU, Geneva, Switzerland, June 7-9, 2017. © ITU/R.Farrell

Earlier today, World Bank Accountability Mechanism Secretary Orsolya Szekely highlighted the important connection between accountability and the World Bank’s vision for the future.

The World Bank aims to “deliver good for the people and to deliver good for the environment. Development does not happen without accountability. A ‘bigger and better’ Bank must mean accountability is a central part of it,” she told parliamentarians at the 2024 Global Parliamentary Forum at the World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings.

Ms. Székely joined several other speakers as part of the session, “Enhancing Accountability and Governance for Better Development Results: The Role of Parliamentarians,” including Camara Kandia, senator and speaker of the Senate in Côte d’Ivoire; Rhoda Weeks-Brown, general counsel and director of the IMF Legal Department; Nadishani Perera, executive director of Transparency International Sri Lanka; Corina Rebegea, an advisor on anti-corruption at the National Democratic Institute; Jeta Statovci, a member of parliament in Kosovo and; and Iaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of parliament in Ukraine. Fadil Aliyoum, a member of parliament in Cameroon, moderated the session.

The World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF organized this dynamic session. Thank you to everyone who attended online and in person.

🔗Read more about the session here: https://lnkd.in/ePt-Ypg5

The flowers are blossoming here in Washington, DC, and we are ready for The World Bank-International Monetary Fund Spring meetings!

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to the 2024 Global Parliamentary Forum, where Orsolya Szekely, Secretary of the Accountability Mechanism, will speak at a session called, “Enhancing Accountability and Governance for Better Development Results: The Role of Parliamentarians.” The event starts at 9:00 AM EST (DC-time).

If you can’t make it to the event, we hope you can join us online. Strong partnerships with parliamentarians are key to ensuring accountability—and achieving better development results. 🔗https://www.parlnet.org/events/2024-global-parliamentary-forum/

We are grateful to the Forum’s organizers—the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMFthe World Bank & IMF—for putting together another dynamic agenda for this year’s Forum.

Margaux Day, the new executive director of Accountability Counsel, talked with Accountability Matters about her vision and the challenges ahead for accountability mechanisms. Having served as the organization’s policy director for four years, she is now charting an ambitious course to fulfill Accountability Counsel’s aim to advocate for people harmed by internationally financed projects as they seek .

Read the full interview here:🔗 https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Margaux-Day-interview-march-2024

"We are seeking community-led accountability." The new executive director of Accountability Counsel reflects on what accountability mechanisms and civil society organizations must do to serve communities.Español | Français

Is AI intelligent enough to serve vulnerable communities? In exploring the use of AI in independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) to improve efficiency and outreach to project-affected communities, it’s key to ensure AI tools are used responsibly and do not replace the need for human judgment in complex cases.

Read the full article here🔗 https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Developing-AI-for-development

Developing AI for development Sophia, Hanson Robotics Ltd., speaking at the AI for Good Global Summit, ITU, Geneva, Switzerland, June 7-9, 2017. © ITU/R.Farrell

The April 2024 issue of Accountability Matters is now out!🌸

This issue features a story on how could provide effective tools to serve vulnerable communities, along with an interview with the new executive director of Accountability Counsel, Margaux Day. We have also prepared a round-up of knowledge products from the accountability community of practice.

1️⃣ Developing AI for development
2️⃣ “We are seeking community-led accountability.”
3️⃣ Reporting accountability

Sign up to get news and stories from the Accountability Mechanism along with event notifications and job opportunities sent straight to your inbox📧 🔗https://lnkd.in/eHgKSP3x

https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/newsletter/April-2024

April 2024 issue Accountability Matter is the quarterly newsletter published by the World Bank Accountability Mechanism

Case Update📢

The Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) of the World Bank Accountability Mechanism is committed to facilitating discussion on solutions that work for everyone. Recently, parties involved in or impacted by the Vietnam Coastal Cities Sustainable Environmental Project have taken a collaborative step forward.

Both Parties accepted an offer to join a voluntary, facilitated dispute resolution process, extended by World Bank Accountability Mechanism Secretary, Orsolya Székely. By doing so, they aim to address concerns raised by local community members in Nha Trang, Vietnam. We believe in dialogue and fair practices, ensuring that all voices are heard and respected.

🔗Read more: https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Vietnam-Agreement-to-Pursue-Dispute-Resolution

Parties in Vietnam Coastal Cities Project Agree to Pursue Dispute Resolution On March 12, 2024, Orsolya Székely, the Accountability Mechanism Secretary, informed the World Bank Executive Directors that parties involved in the Vietnam Coastal Cities Sustainable Environmental Project had voluntarily agreed to engage in a dispute resolution process to try to find a mutually ac...

Orsolya Szekely, AM Secretary, joined the keynote panel showcasing trajectories of women leaders from the World Bank accountability functions. They have applied innovative and creative strategies to advance their careers and their contributions to the global development agenda.

“It’s a challenge to step into a meeting where 99% of them [participants] are men in more senior roles and to make your point as an equal professional. However, it taught me a lot of lessons to empower others. For me, empowerment means helping others to see the best in themselves even when they cannot see it. It’s a learning process and something that I can hopefully project to others and younger generations in my mentoring. I tell my younger staff not to think of these as barriers but to think of them as how you would overcome them and not to let them block you from moving forward.”

Happy International Women’s Day!

Today, we honor the incredible women who have bravely charted a new path forward. We celebrate your achievements and admire your strength and conviction.

Let’s continue to push for progress—and hold ourselves accountable to the commitments we have made to improving women’s lives. Working together, we can find creative ways to include women and overcome the prejudices they face.

On the occasion of , we invite you to revisit an interview with Orsolya Szekely on and accountability.

"I have met only strong women" By Rabi ThapaEditor’s note: This story first appeared on the World Bank intranet site as part of a series of stories on International Women’s Day. In July 2021, Orsolya Székely began her work as the first Accountability Mechanism Secretary at the World Bank. The Accountability Mechanism, wh...

We had the opportunity to engage with 64 civil society organizations (CSOs) in a call organized by the World Bank. It is unusual to have the opportunity to talk with so many different types of CSOs at the same time. It was a pleasure to see familiar faces—and meet new ones. These kinds of conversations give us important insights into how we can do our work better—and move ahead to achieve our joint agenda of .

Please take a moment to read our short summary of the event, including comments made by Orsolya Szekely, Secretary of the Accountability Mechanism.

We are grateful to Rose Craigue's team at the World Bank for organizing this event and to Sanjeeta Pant, program manager for Accountability Lab for participating as a featured speaker.

Partnering with civil society for accountability This January, the Accountability Mechanism (AM) was pleased to engage in a lively discussion with 64 local, regional, and international representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), as part of the year’s first World Bank CSO monthly call.Each month, the CSO call focuses on a different t...

🔔Reporting accountability: A round-up of the latest knowledge products from the world of

Read summaries here🔗: https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Reporting-Accountability

🕊 Scott Adams, Senior Dispute Resolution Officer at the World Bank Accountability Mechanism, explains how “dispute resolution is an art and a science.”

Accountability Matters delved into Scott’s experience of working in dispute resolution across private and public sectors, as well as the importance of independence in his work.

Read the full interview here: https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Dispute-resolution-is-an-art-and-a-science

🌿Do international financial institutions have adequate safeguards in place for projects with impacts? Are independent accountability mechanisms ready for an anticipated increase in climate-related complaints?

Hear from the experts here🔗: https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2024/Climate-accountability-for-communities

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, David Hunter, Sonja Derkum, Kate Geary, Dustin Schäfer, Wolf von Kumberg, and Scott Adams.

📢The January 2024 issue of Accountability Matters is now out!

This issue features a story on how can be achieved for communities affected by projects with impacts, along with a practitioner interview about the process of . We have also prepared a round-up of knowledge products from the accountability community of practice.

Featured Stories:
1️⃣ Climate accountability for communities🌿
2️⃣ “Dispute resolution is an art and a science”🕊
3️⃣ Reporting accountability 📝

Sign up to get news and stories from the Accountability Mechanism along with event notifications and job opportunities sent straight to your inbox📧 https://lnkd.in/eHgKSP3x



https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/newsletter/Jan-2024

January 2024 issue Accountability Matter is the quarterly newsletter published by the World Bank Accountability Mechanism

William Romans, Head of Operations of the Dispute Resolution Service spoke about the work of Dispute Resolution Service to the participants of the World Bank Group Voice Secondment Program (VSP) at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. today.

We are very grateful for this opportunity to engage in dialogue with talented group of professionals, many of whom work in the Finance Ministries of their home countries. The VSP participants actively asked questions and participated in a discussion about the benefits of a facilitated independent dispute resolution process, as one of the options established by the The World Bank Executive Directors.

is key to making development work for community.

🔗Learn more about the Dispute Resolution Service: https://lnkd.in/eG6mc_Fz
🔗Learn more about the Voice Secondment Program: https://lnkd.in/gfNMYPUF

🎆Year in Review 🎆

A big thank you from the editorial team of for reading our .

In case you missed them, here are the three most popular articles in 2023.

🥇Mediating disputes between communities and governments 🔗https://lnkd.in/eME8NtmE

2️⃣ Data-driven accountability 🔗https://lnkd.in/eZRPNU2N

3️⃣ Realizing zero tolerance against reprisals 🔗https://lnkd.in/eEMrAEWu

If you are interested in being featured in our future issues, please contact us at [email protected].

You can sign up to receive our January 2024 issue here: 🔗https://lnkd.in/eG6mc_Fz

Holiday greetings from the World Bank Accountability Mechanism team ✨

🌱 Apply for our fully-funded internship program today!

Are you a young professional from the global south? Are you interested in community-level development and social and environmental issues?

📣Dispute Resolution Service Interns
✅Closing date: December 25, 2023 at 11:59pm UTC
🔗https://lnkd.in/eDH87QGi

It’s now out! 🔉

I hope you enjoy listening to the candid conversation between Orsolya Szekely and Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, exploring how a community-driven approach to can bring better policy and outcomes.

We would love to hear your feedback! Add your comment below to continue our discussion on social and environmental accountability in development projects.

Thank you, Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF for your kind invitation.



Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e2pKnJVG

Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/eBtEJqA7

Amazon: https://lnkd.in/evHGePnE

Deezer: https://lnkd.in/e3yJ3baE

Castbox: https://lnkd.in/eRH2Pjy3

Promoting Accountability in Development Listen to this episode from Parliamentary Podcast Series: Partnering for Global Impact on Spotify. Welcome to the Second Episode of the Parliamentary Dialogue Series on Partnering for Global Impact, presented by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Join us...

We were pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the 5th Annual Symposium on Business and Human Rights in Uganda on November 9th, 2023. Carissa Western, PhD, Dispute Resolution Expert of the World Bank Accountability Mechanism Dispute Resolution Service participated as one of the panelists.

We would like to extend our thanks to the organizers, Kankya Gerald and Andrew Byaruhanga of the Twerwaneho Listeners club for convening this forum, and to the participants and fellow panelists for the important discussions on the role of independent accountability mechanisms in enhancing access to for project affected communities.

📚Knowledge sharing💡

In the September issue of our newsletter, Accountability Matters, we rounded up the latest publications on from independent accountability mechanisms, development financial banks and institutions, and civil society organizations.

https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2023/reporting-accountability

Join us in !

The World Bank Accountability Mechanism invites you for drinks and pizza to discuss our shared agenda to promote . Whether you are new to the Accountability Mechanism or a familiar face, we look forward to meeting you in .

🗓 Thursday, October 12, 2023
⌚ 7:00 – 8:30 PM
📍 Kenzi Rose Garden Hotel in Marrakech

All are welcome! Please feel free to share our invitation with others who are registered participants of WB Annual Meetings and may wish to attend.

Kindly RSVP to Oriana Bolvaran at: [email protected].

Less than a week to go!

As the current host of the Independent Accountability Mechanisms network (IAMnet) Secretariat, we’re delighted to have played a part in organizing the 20th IAMnet Annual Meetings, which will be hosted by the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) HQ in Canary Wharf, from October 4-6.

Independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) from across the world will be discussing the challenges and good practices around delivering in projects.

We look forward to taking active part in these sessions, particularly the CSO day on Oct 5, which provides a forum for civil society organizations to discuss what matters most to them.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

💡How many does it take to change development for the better?

Hear from The World Bank AM Secretary and .
🔗https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2023/IAMnet2023

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us Margaux Day and Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath.