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Know Your Rights!


Knowing your rights is the first step to defending them! 

The resources below provide information on the fundamental human rights of people threatened by forced eviction and loss of livelihood in the name of development.  Some of the resources provide specific information on the human rights obligations of particular actors such as multinational corporations and international financial institutions.  Some of the resources are specific to certain causes of forced displacement, such as dams. 


A Citizens Guide to the World Bank Inspection Panel
This guide, written by Dana Clark  and published by the Center for International Environmental Law, provides instructions on how to access and use the World Bank's Inspection Panel. The Panel is a quasi-independent body created by the Bank as a mechanism for holding the Bank accountable for violations of its policies and procedures. (Acrobat 231 KB)

UN Declaration on the Right to Development
In 1986, the UN General Assembly adopted a Declaration on the Right to Development, which states that "every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realised.”

Unpacking the ADB: A Guide to Understanding the Asian Development Bank
This is the 2nd edition of the original Guide which was issued in 2005. This edition has been updated to reflect changes at the ADB, in particular with reference to the ADB Public Communication Policy. The toolkit is available in English, Khasi, Bahasa, Kannada, Assamese, Sinhala, Telugu, Malayalam, Bangla, and Urdu.

Tools for Activists: An Information and Advocacy Guide to the World Bank Group
This tool was published in 2007 by Bank Information Center in order to help individuals and communities develop strategies to defend their rights in the context of development decisions.

Dams, Rivers and Rights: An Action Guide for Communities Affected by Dams
This popular education tool created by International Rivers tells the stories of people affected by dams and outlines success stories of people who fight for their rights and their rivers. It is currently available in 13 languages.

International Accountability Project
221 Pine Street | 5th Floor | San Francisco, CA USA 94104
Tel: +1 (415) 659-0555 | Fax: +1 (415) 398-2732 | Email: iap@accountabilityproject.org