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History


Human rights lawyer Dana Clark established IAP in 2003.  IAP’s founding work built on the accomplishments of civil society campaigning to promote principles of justice, accountability, environmental sustainability, gender equity, transparency and participation at international financial institutions.  IAP has been instrumental in shaping global standards and norms around involuntary resettlement and amplifying the voices of the forcibly displaced.

While we have made significant progress, the World Bank, IFC, Asian Development Bank, and other international financial institutions’ weakening of their environmental and social safeguard policies currently undermines their systems of accountability and jeopardizes much of our progress.  IAP continues to engage these institutional struggles, and to work closely with communities defending their rights relating to projects executed in the name of development.

Accomplishments

We are proud to have worked on the following policy and project-specific initiatives:


World Bank Inspection Panel
The International Accountability Project has a history of assisting communities adversely affected by projects financed by the World Bank and other international financial institutions. Dana Clark, IAP President and founder, has helped develop strategic guides for use by people who are interested in filing claims with the World Bank Inspection Panel.

IFC Performance Standards
In April 2006, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) completed the process of revising its environmental and social “Safeguard Policies.” Throughout this revision, the International Accountability Project was actively involved with a global civil society coalition that was monitoring the process.

Highway One, Cambodia
IAP and regional partners presented key findings and a photo documentary on involuntary resettlement along Cambodia's Highway One at a panel during the Asian Development Bank annual meetings in Kyoto, Japan, May 2007.

NTPC, Singrauli, India
In April 1997, a claim was filed to the World Bank Inspection Panel requesting an investigation into the Bank’s role in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Power Generation Project. IAP continues to work with allies to demand reparations from the World Bank in the context of this project and other failed projects.

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