Jan 25, 2022 by CHRD

The world’s food systems are in crisis, and big agribusiness is at its heart

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

Oct 19, 2021 by CHRD

Public Development Banks Fail to Meet Commitments to Human Rights & Community-led Development

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

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

Sep 10, 2021 by CHRD

Open letter to African Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund: Address reprisals against Paten Clan

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.

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

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 22, 2019 by CHRD

Webinar: Attacks Against Defenders and the Role of Development Banks

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

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

“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

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

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)

Dec 02, 2016 by members

Groups call on OPIC to strengthen human rights due diligence

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

Coalition Urges Dutch Development Bank to Strengthen Human Rights Protections

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 12, 2016 by members

Uzbekistan: Forced Labor Linked to World Bank Corporate Loan

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

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

Sep 15, 2015 by CHRD

Questioning Development Finance

Right now, your government is likely making important decisions related to development finance. Whether it’s the establishment of new institutions like the BRICS New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or policy developments like the revision of the World BankR