International Call demanding World Bank withdraw its New Environmental and Social Framework

The Policy is an attack on Fundamental Human Rights and efforts to secure Environmental and Social Justice for All

Press Release : Bangalore : 10 October 2014

Safeguard People and the Planet

Not Corporate Profit and Human Rights Abuses

 

 

Over the past couple of years, officials of the World Bank have been jetting around the world holding "consultations" as part of a process of evolving a new Enviornmental and Social Framework to guide the Bank's investments globally. When World Bank held such "consultations" in India, it was ritualistic at best, and deliberately ignored consulting communities and sectors that had been impacted by the Bank's investments in the past.  Also, the Bank was careful to select only certain kinds of sectors, and amongst them certain type of representatives, who would shy away from honestly critiquing the Bank's past due to their "politically correct" perspective.  The "consultations" were also held without translating the Bank's proposal to reform in any local or regional or national language, and in effect denied millions the opportunity to participate, thus making the entire process a ritual fulfilling a procedure. In New Delhi and Bangalore, these "consultations" were engaged with by representatives from various sectors and civil society organisations, and the World Bank was asked to go back with its destructive investment strategy. Similar responses greeted the World Bank officials in other parts of the world as well. Similar responses greeted the World Bank officials in other parts of the world as well. See: http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/press/world-banks-sham-consultation-review-its.html  

 

On 30 July this year, the World Bank put out a Draft Environmental and Social Framework, subtitling it as  "Setting Standards for Sustainable Development".  This document has been widely reviewed, including recently in a meeting held at Bangkok involving representatives of various civil society organisations, peoples movements, independent research organisations, environmental and social justice action groups, trade unions, etc. The conclusion was unanimous: Demand the World Bank Withdraw its Safeguard Policy as it is nothing short of a strategy to recklessly promote coporate profit and an attack on human rights and the environment.  A Peoples Statement detailing why this demand was prepared and can be accessed above (pdf).  Also accessible at the link above is the World Bank's Draft Safeguard Policy.

IMF+World Bank=Hundreds Rich, Billions Poor

The World Bank is now holding its Annual Meetings in Washington D.C.  Peoples movements and environemntal and social action groups from across the world have also gathered there to expose the World Bank's disastrous record in securing human rights and environmental justice and also financing undemocratic and unjust "development". The World Bank has been called yet again to democratise itself, and ensure it is does not any more operate as extension of the US State Department, if it really means what it says: "Working for a World Free of Poverty".  

 

The Peoples Statement demanding withdrawal of the World Bank Draft Safeguards Policy will be presented to Executive Directors of all countries in the World Bank Group. We welcome endorsements of this Statement by groups and organisations who advocate a fundamental reform and democratisation of the World Bank and such other institutions.


Please send your Organisational Endorsements along with full address and a one line description of your work, along with website (if available) to jgarcia@bicusa.org.

 

 

Environment Support Group - Team

10 October 2014