The World Bank Safeguards

The World Bank's Safeguard policy is criticized for devaluing community voices by failing to require that crucial project information be shared with local populations. A survey of civil society actors across 40 countries indicates that 79% of communities learn about projects from partner organizations rather than the Bank. Barriers to information include intermittent internet access, lack of native language translations, and the use of dense technical jargon. The author advocates for guaranteed access to Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Resettlement Action Plans, and Indigenous Peoples Plans to prevent forced evictions and ecosystem destruction, citing a recent $73.1 million funding withdrawal for a dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo as evidence that the Bank can act when standards are violated.

• The World Bank's Safeguard policy is criticized for not requiring that essential information regarding development projects be shared with the affected local communities, which leads to the devaluation of community voices.
• A survey of civil society actors from more than 40 countries found that 79% of communities are informed about development projects by partner organizations instead of the World Bank.
• Communities face significant barriers when attempting to access project information, including a lack of native language translations for half of those surveyed, intermittent internet access for the one-third who rely on the World Bank website, and the use of dense technical jargon.
• The author asserts that to ensure community benefit and human rights, the World Bank must mandate the disclosure of specific documents, namely Indigenous Peoples Plans, Resettlement Action Plans, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments.
• The World Bank recently withdrew $73.1 million in funding for a dam project in the Democratic Republic of Congo because the project violated basic procurement and environmental standards by proceeding without necessary technical, social, and environmental studies.

APA

Alfonso, A. (2016). The World Bank Safeguards. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/world-bank-safeguards/

Chicago

Alfonso, Alyssa. The World Bank Safeguards. Center for International Environmental Law, 2016. https://www.ciel.org/world-bank-safeguards/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Alfonso |first1=Alyssa |title=The World Bank Safeguards |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=28 July 2016 |url=https://www.ciel.org/world-bank-safeguards/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{alfonso2016world, author = {Alfonso, Alyssa}, title = {{The World Bank Safeguards}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ciel.org/world-bank-safeguards/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }