May 23, 2023 by CHRD
Over 45 African and international organizations call on the AfDB to open spaces for civil society and communities during the Annual Meetings and beyond.
May 22, 2023 by CHRD
On May 22, a group of 70 different organisations and networks from around the world addressed a letter to Professor Surya Deva to congratulate him on his new role as the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development, and expressing an interest to work with him to leverage public development banks
Feb 20, 2023 by CHRD
More than twenty organizations from Latin America and the United States addressed a letter to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Ilan Goldfajn. They ask that the Bank strengthens its work by ensuring respect for human rights and the protection of the environment and by cre
A group of civil society organizations from Latin America and the United States, members and allies of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, sent a letter to the Inter-American Development Bank regarding the current process of revising its Access to Information Policy (AIP). The group m
Dec 20, 2022 by CHRD
Welcome to the second edition of the Coalition’s quarterly newsletter, “The power of collective struggles”!
As 2022 draws to an end, we would like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the powerful work that members and partners of the Coalition have been doing to advance community-l
Nov 16, 2022 by CHRD
In a joint open letter, a group of over 25 international organizations has expressed serious concerns for the threats faced by the human rights defenders who are part of Movimiento Rios Vivos and who are leading a powerful struggle against the Hidroituango dam.
Nov 07, 2022 by CHRD
A group of civil society organizations from several countries in the region, partners and allies of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, addressed an open letter to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) regarding the current selection process for the Bank’s presidency.
Th
Oct 26, 2022 by CHRD
On October 22, in Dakar, the police arrested Babacar Diouf, programme officer of Lumière Synergie pour Développement (LSD), and 25 members of the Collective of community members impacted by the Regional Express Train project (TER), including five women.
Oct 14, 2022 by CHRD
On October 19-20, the leaders of the world's public development banks will gather for the "Finance in Common" Summit.
Sep 16, 2022 by CHRD
Over 30 civil society groups signed a joint letter with a series of recommendations for the ADB on how to prevent and address reprisals.
Sep 09, 2022 by CHRD
Welcome to the first edition of the Coalition's quarterly newsletter!
Aug 17, 2022 by CHRD
Over 130 civil society organizations have signed a joint letter to urge the authorities in Mongolia to stop reprisals against human rights defender Sukhgerel Dugersuren
Jun 08, 2022 by CHRD
Thirty-three organisations from around the world have signed a statement arguing that the World Bank has not learnt crucial lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and broader health financing evidence.
Download the statement here
In May, the World Bank (WB), in collaboration with the World Health O
Jan 31, 2022 by CHRD
We are beginning 2022 with the world reeling under rising Omicron cases. It has been two years since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern. And we still have pressing questions around how we shepherd ourselves out of the pande
Jan 30, 2022 by CHRD
PRESS RELEASE
31 January, 2022 – International Financial Institutions (IFIs) have designated billions of dollars to respond to the pandemic and related social and economic crises. Yet, there is a concerning lack of transparency on how these funds were spent and serious doubts on whether t
Jan 25, 2022 by CHRD
#Dev4Africa is a campaign launched by grassroots groups, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, communities, workers, women, and other right-holders and allies who share the common belief that fair and sustainable development in Africa is possible. The campaign supporters want t
Jan 25, 2022 by CHRD
In 2017, the people of Zagora, Morocco, took to the streets in what became known as the ‘thirst revolution’. They were demanding safe drinking water and an end to the excessive use of water by big agricultural companies. In an already arid area, experiencing frequent droughts and heatwaves due to cl
In June 2021, the Coalition held an online strategic conversation with its members and partners in Latin America, to learn more about the work in progress, reflect on challenges and achievements, and outline collective strategies. This infographic below summarizes the main results and the area
Nov 09, 2021 by members
On November 8, 2021, 30 civil society organizations - including many Coalition members - addressed a letter to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), expressing their concerns in regard to the process to review the second IDB Group-Civil Society Action Plan (2022-2024).
Oct 19, 2021 by CHRD
By Siddharth Akali
October 16, 2021 – If you had two trillion dollars, how would you spend it? Will you use it to make the world a better place? How will you know you’re making a positive impact for those who are most vulnerable?
Who will you ask for advice? For the 500 public development banks (PDB
Oct 18, 2021 by members
On October 18, ahead of the second edition of the Finance in Common (FIC) summit, over 280 civil society organizations and grassroots groups – including many members and allies of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development – have signed a letter calling on public development banks
Sep 10, 2021 by CHRD
On September 9, a group of organizations sent an open letter to the African Development Bank and the Nordic Development Fund, calling on them to take immediate actions to address reprisals against a community in Uganda impacted by the Wadelai irrigation project.
Jul 19, 2021 by CHRD
On Tuesday July 27 (1 pm UTC time) join us for a webinar where we will launch the report "Unhealthy Silence" and present its key findings.
Apr 30, 2021 by CHRD
In March 2020, IDB Invest and IFC’s released a new guidance which lays out 10 steps companies should take to screen, prevent and respond to reprisals. In this blog, Hannah Storey analyses the document and explains why, although this is a welcome and important step, much more is needed to truly tackle reprisals.
Apr 19, 2021 by CHRD
On 16 April 2021, as part of the Defenders in Development campaign, the Coalition presented a joint submission – together with press freedom organizations Article19, Comittee to Protect Journalists and IFEX – to the UN Human Rights Council for their upcoming report on Covid-19 and j
Mar 17,2021
Mar 17, 2021 by members
International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and States must work directly with civil society and other stakeholders on COVID-19: collaborating with the junta on public health would jeopardize Myanmar’s COVID-19 response, legitimize the junta, and harm public health in the long term.
On 17 Ma
Mar 02,2021
Mar 02, 2021 by members
Myanmar’s nationwide civil disobedience movement (CDM), based on “no recognition, no participation,” is key to stopping the military from consolidating power after its 1 February 2021 coup d’état. Multilateral finance institutions (MFIs) must support the CDM, stating they will not deal with
Nov 30, 2020 by CHRD
In November, 450 public development banks from around the world met for the Finance in Common Summit at the Paris Peace Forum. They gathered to discuss how they can direct their combined investments of over USD 2 trillion – 10% of total investments in the world – “to support the transformation or the
Nov 18, 2020 by CHRD
On November 9, the Coalition for Human Right in Development members and partners (Accountability Counsel; Arabwatch Coalition; Buliisa Initiative for Rural Development Organization; Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies; Center for Financial Accountability; Earthrights Internation
Oct 08, 2020 by CHRD
Around the world, journalists, bloggers, medical workers, human rights defenders and all those who are raising concerns for the inadequate response to the Covid-19 pandemic are under attack. In an attempt to silence their dissenting voices, they are being accused of spreading false informatio
Jun 26, 2020 by CHRD
The lush forests of the Sierra Madre mountain range, on the Philippine island of Luzon, have been home to the Dumagat-Remontados indigenous peoples for centuries. But their ancestral lands are now under threat. In this area, the Philippine government is planning to build the Kaliwa Dam, despite
May 13, 2020 by CHRD
The Coalition uncovered several trends on how COVID-19 measures are impacting frontline communities opposing internationally financed development projects. Using data provided by its community engagement partners and allies, the Coalition found common trends among communities from Asia
Mar 20, 2020 by CHRD
The Coalition for Human Right in Development members and partners submitted a position paper to the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB) Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) Review team in line with the on-going review. The AIIB requested submissions from civil society organi
Jan 29, 2020 by members
Coalition member Frontline Defenders released its Global Analysis 2019, a report reviewing the state of the world for human rights defenders in 2019. The report details the physical assaults, defamation campaigns, digital security threats, judicial harassment, and gendered attacks faced
Oct 22, 2019 by CHRD
Join us for a Webinar October 30 to discuss the report “Uncalculated Risks: Threats and attacks against human rights defenders and the role of development financiers”. This groundbreaking report from the Defenders in Development Campaign uses 25 case studies from around the globe
Jun 04, 2019 by CHRD
From Colombia to Kenya, 25 cases of threats and attacks against human rights defenders reveal how development financiers can fuel abuses or help fight them
JUNE 4, 2019 – A new report from the Coalition for Human Rights in Development and the Defenders in Development Campaign reveals the ala
Jun 04, 2019 by CHRD
Together with the Defenders in Development Campaign, we launched today the new report “Uncalculated Risks: Threats and attacks against human rights defenders and the role of development financiers.” With 25 case studies from around the world, the report exposes the risks of megap
Jan 21, 2019 by members
International Accountability Project (IAP) released a new set of community guides to help communities conduct their own research and in the process define their development priorities and aspirations. The “Community Action Guide on Community-Led Research” set of 3 booklets provides clear an
Jan 10, 2019 by members
January 9, 2019. The President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, announced he is stepping down from his position this February 1, 2019 to take a position with Global Infrastructure Partners, a private investment firm that did extensive business with the Bank during Kim’s tenure.
In a b
Nov 12, 2018 by CHRD
Groups encourage development of robust protocols for implementation given growing threats
November 12, 2018 — Human rights groups and accountability organizations welcomed the International Finance Corporation’s recently released Position Statement on Retaliation Against Civil Socie
May 22, 2018 by CHRD
As the African Development Bank (AfDB) meets in Busan, South Korea from May 21-25 to discuss Industrialising Africa, Civil society Organisations (CSOs) from across the continent red flagged the Bank’s steer towards mega investments without a clear action plan for human centred inclusive development.
Mar 01,2018
From February 28, 2018 to March 4, 2018 in Costa Rica, countries and civil society groups are negotiating the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, also known as LAC P10. If adopted a
Jan 11,2018
Civil society representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean participating in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), held meetings from 28 to 30 November 2017 in Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic in the framework of the “EITI Regional Workshop in Latin
Dec 15, 2017 by CHRD
12-13 NOVEMBER 2017
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
This is a communiqué reflecting the outcomes of the Development and Investment in Africa Workshop held on 12-13 November 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa, and organized by the Coalition for Human Rights in Development together with African Coalition for
Dec 11, 2017 by CHRD
[This article was originally published online in July in Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales’ 2017 Environmental Report. It is being reposted here in honor of Human Rights Day]
Across Latin America and the world, governments and investors are pushing for a dramatic increase in
Oct 30, 2017 by CHRD
A UN report released last week (Oct. 25) highlights the growing attacks on human rights defenders in the context of business and investment activities, including development finance. “Through their financing and technical support, a complex range of public and private institutions continue t
Sep 27, 2017 by CHRD
On September 26, 2017, the Coalition for Human Rights in Development co-hosted a ‘Demystifying Development Banks’ webinar with a special focus on Asia, where many countries have been shown to be among the most dangerous for human rights and environmental defenders who confront infrastructure
Jul 10,2017
Two of the primary backers of the Agua Zarca hydropower dam project in Honduras have officially announced their exit from the project following years of campaigning by local indigenous groups and criticism from international civil society organizations.
In a press release issued on July 6, the D
Jul 07, 2017 by CHRD
Coalition Coordinator, Gretchen Gordon, recently participated in a webinar hosted by the CIVICUS World Alliance for the launch of their report, ‘State of Civil Society 2017.’ Gordon’s presentation, based on her guest essay accompanying the report, focused on how the private sector is playing a
Mar 08, 2017 by CHRD
Read the full report: English | Spanish | French
Partnering with Communities to Defend Human Rights
In 2016 the Coalition engaged in partnerships with communities around the world to connect community struggles with strategic resources and campaign support and to bring community expertis
Feb 14, 2017 by CHRD
This week 32 organizations called on the World Bank Board of Directors to urge them to ensure that the Bank takes all measures necessary to remedy harm caused to four Maasai villages displaced to make way for the Olkaria IV geothermal project in Kenya. The Kenya Electricity Expansion Project (KEEP)
Jan 23,2017
Crude Accountability and civil society groups around the world are calling on the Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to reject financing for an oil and gas project in Turkmenistan. The $30 million loan to Circle Maritime Invest (CMI) for the CMI Offshore proj
Dec 08, 2016 by CHRD
Global groups call for action to protect human rights in development
Ahead of Human Rights Day, December 10th, the Coalition for Human Rights in Development joins with over 50 civil society groups around the world to call on financial institutions, governments and businesses to stand up for human
Dec 02, 2016 by members
This month, 18 human rights and environmental organizations called on the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the United States’ development finance institution, to strengthen its human rights due diligence. OPIC is presently revising its social and environmental polic
Nov 16, 2016 by CHRD
The Coalition for Human Rights in Development this week called on the Dutch Development Bank FMO to strengthen its commitment to human rights and to enact strong due diligence requirements to ensure that human rights are respected within FMO-financed activities.
FMO is presently revising its Su
Jul 27,2016
In an opinion piece in Foreign Policy magazine, Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, explains how the goal of sustainable development is under threat from growing restrictions on public participation in development and closing civ
Jul 22, 2016 by members
As government officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa wrapped up proceedings in Shanghai for the first Annual Meeting of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), development and environmental groups from BRICS countries called for greater transparency and engagement with ci
Jul 12, 2016 by members
Coalition member Human Rights Watch reports that three human rights defenders have lodged a formal complaint against the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) regarding forced labor in the Uzbek cotton industry. The complaint demands an investigation of forced labor l
Jun 01,2016
Honduran social movements and indigenous peoples organizations this week called on the World Bank to in light of persistent attacks on human rights defenders, suspend financing in Honduras “until there are minimally just and realistic conditions for indigenous and small farming
May 26, 2016 by members
African civil society groups, including Coalition member Lumière Synergie pour le Développement, called on the African Development Bank this week to increase its accountability and engagement with civil society and to embrace pro-poor investment strategies that support public sector servi
Feb 02, 2016 by CHRD
Yesterday, the U.S. Congress passed the Electrify Africa Act, promoting investment in access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. The Electrify Africa Act in part formalizes Power Africa – a U.S.- led initiative to work with African governments, the World Bank, African Development Ba
Jan 28, 2016 by members
January 28, 2016 – African civil society organizations called on African governments and public and private financiers today to find socially and environmentally sustainable solutions to Africa’s energy needs. The statement, signed by groups from 10 countries, was issued to coi
Nov 16, 2015 by CHRD
As the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights opens today in Geneva, the Coalition for Human Rights in Development and the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable today released a new factsheet: 10 reasons why development finance matters for business and human rights. For groups worki
Oct 13, 2015 by CHRD
The World Bank doesn’t require that its projects respect human rights, and has thus far refused to adopt such a requirement.
Máxima Acuña de Chaupe and Elmer Campos travelled far from their families in rural Peru to attend the Annual Meeting of the World Bank, taking place in the capital city of Lima.
Jun 15,2015
A report by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of assembly and association discusses the importance of freedom of speech within natural resource extraction projects. Concludes the following: rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and association are essential to fair work on extraction of na
Dec 05,2014
From Scientific America, published on Monday, 1 December 2014.
For all the flack the U.N. climate talks have taken over the past 20 years, one major achievement will be on display as the next round of negotiations open in Peru today.
Climate change has been inextricably linked to social justice.
The
