Jan 31, 2022 by CHRD

COVID-19: You can’t have a recovery using the same bad medicine

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

Missing receipts: what happened to the billions of dollars provided by international finance institutions for the COVID-19 response?

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: a new campaign to demand AfDB more transparency and respect human rights

#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

Regional strategic conversation – Latin America

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

Recommendations to strengthen IDB Group’s engagement with Civil Society and Project Affected Communities

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 18, 2021 by members

Development banks have no business financing agribusiness

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

Apr 30, 2021 by CHRD

IDB Invest and IFC’s new guidance on reprisals: a welcome step, but more is needed

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.

Mar 17,2021

Mar 17, 2021 by members

Covid-19 response in Myanmar: civil society organizations urge IFIs not to collaborate with the junta

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

Too little, too late: World Bank rents military land despite partial loans freeze, and MFI inaction risks legitimizing the junta

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

Global Summit of Development Banks Fails to Learn from Destructive Past

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

Oct 08, 2020 by CHRD

Covid-19, development finance and attacks against journalists

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 Pandemic’s Hidden Casualty: Human Rights

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

Article: Impacts of COVID19 on Frontline Communities Resisting Internationally Financed Development Projects

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

Coalition Members and Partners Engage AIIB ESF Review

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

Oct 10, 2019 by members

Environmental Activists at Mercy of Business at All Costs

Environmental activists at mercy of business at all costs - new report shows how investors must take action

Jun 04, 2019 by CHRD

PRESS RELEASE: New Report Reveals Uncalculated Risks to Defenders in Development

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

“Uncalculated Risks” exposes threats and attacks against defenders in development

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

IAP produces Community Action Guides with local activists and partners

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

May 22, 2018 by CHRD

Press Release: CSOs Urge AfDB to Promote the Interests of Ordinary Africans over Mega Investors at its Annual Meetings

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.

Dec 15, 2017 by CHRD

Communiqué from the Development and Investment in Africa Workshop

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

A Dangerous Enterprise: Development Finance and the Fight for Human Rights

[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

UN report calls on development banks to address attacks on human rights defenders

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

Webinar: Demystifying Development Banks in Asia

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

FMO and Finnfund officially withdraw from Agua Zarca project

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

Presentation: The Private Sector in Development

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

Impact Report 2016

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

Organizations call on the World Bank to Protect Indigenous Rights

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

Groups call for EBRD to reject an oil and gas project in Turkmenistan

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

Time for Development Financiers to #Standup4HumanRights

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

Jul 27,2016

UN Expert: it’s time for development banks to start listening

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

Groups call for greater openness and transparency at BRICS Bank in its first Annual Meeting

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

Jun 01,2016

Honduran Social Movements Urge World Bank to Stop Fueling Human Rights Violations

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

Civil Society Declaration at the 51st African Development Bank Annual Meetings

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

Jan 28, 2016 by members

African Civil Society Groups Call for Socially and Environmentally Sustainable Energy Development

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

Oct 13, 2015 by CHRD

For World Bank, Ignorance is Bliss

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

UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association 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