The World Bank and other International Financial Institutions must uphold human rights in all activities they support

The document argues that international financial institutions (IFIs) often fund projects in energy, resource extraction, and infrastructure that lead to human rights abuses and environmental damage. It calls on the UN Human Rights Council to hold these institutions and their member states accountable, recommending the adoption of human rights due diligence, impact assessments, and safeguard policies consistent with international law.

• International financial institutions (IFIs) frequently invest in sectors and projects that are linked to human rights violations and environmental degradation, particularly affecting marginalized communities.
• While some IFIs view human rights as a political matter for individual states, the document asserts that these institutions and their member states have a responsibility to prevent human rights abuses through adequate safeguards.
• The authors recommend that all IFIs implement human rights due diligence, including impact assessments and safeguard policies, across the entire project lifecycle from design to evaluation.
• Existing international legal frameworks, such as the 2011 UN International Law Commission's Draft Articles, establish that intergovernmental organizations like IFIs are subjects of international law and have corresponding obligations.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). The World Bank and other International Financial Institutions must uphold human rights in all activities they support. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/UNHRC-Statement.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. The World Bank and other International Financial Institutions must uphold human rights in all activities they support. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/UNHRC-Statement.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Natural Justice |title=The World Bank and other International Financial Institutions must uphold human rights in all activities they support |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/UNHRC-Statement.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{naturaljusticendworld, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{The World Bank and other International Financial Institutions must uphold human rights in all activities they support}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/UNHRC-Statement.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }