International Accountability Project

THE INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT IS AN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH COMMUNITIES, CIVIL SOCIETY AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS TO CHANGE HOW TODAY'S DEVELOPMENT IS DONE. IAP WORKS FOR A WORLD IN WHICH COMMUNITIES LEAD DEVELOPMENT WHERE THEY LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. IN CONTRAST TO CURRENT PRACTICE, IAP ADVOCATES FOR A DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN WHICH PEOPLE CLAIM AND UPHOLD THEIR RIGHTS, THE ENVIRONMENT IS RESPECTED, AND ALL ARE ABLE TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND THRIVE ON THE LAND THEY LOVE. IAP WORKS IN SOLIDARITY WITH COMMUNITIES, CIVIL SOCIETY AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS TO INFORM AND AMPLIFY THEIR CAMPAIGNS, BROADEN ACCESS TO INFORMATION, AND CREATE SPACES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE DOMINANT POWER SYSTEMS FOR COMMUNITIES TO LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES AND ENVIRONMENT.

TO INCREASE LOCAL PARTICIPATION, ACCESS TO REMEDY AND TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY-LED DEVELOPMENT, IAP HAS BEEN REINFORCING 22 COMMUNITY-LED RESPONSES IN 17 COUNTRIES TO PROPOSED OR ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.IAP CREATED THE ONLY CIVIL SOCIETY-LED SYSTEM TO TRACK COVID-19 RELIEF, PROJECT BY PROJECT, THE FINANCING BY THE LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS IN 2021, US$167 BILLION WAS TRACKED AND, GIVEN THE LIMITED ABILITY FOR COMMUNITIES TO ACCESS INFORMATION AND MOBILIZE ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, 1500 PROJECT SUMMARIES DISTRIBUTED TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS. IAP SUPPORTED LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THESE FUNDS MEET LOCAL PRIORITIES. IAP'S GLOBAL ADVOCACY TEAM INITIATIVE BRINGS TOGETHER INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY-LED RESEARCH AND MOBILIZE THEIR COMMUNITIES TO CHANGE HOW DEVELOPMENT IS DESIGNED, FUNDED AND IMPLEMENTED. FROM MAY-JULY 2021, IAP HOSTED 7 GLOBAL AND REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS ON COMMUNITY-LED DEVELOPMENT PLANNING TO COLLECTIVELY CO-CREATE THE NEXT STAGE OF THE GLOBAL ADVOCACY TEAM ON COMMUNITY-LED DEVELOPMENT PLANNING. IN TOTAL 53 ACTIVISTS FROM 25 COUNTRIES, REPRESENTING 46 ORGANIZATIONS CONTRIBUTED TO THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THE COLLECTIVE REPORT GLOBAL AND REGIONAL EXPERT MEETING REPORT. A 6-MEMBER ADVISORY GROUP WAS ELECTED FROM THESE MEETINGS TO DIRECT THE INITIATIVE THROUGH 2022-2023. COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDESIAP PRODUCES COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDES WITH LOCAL ACTIVISTS AND PARTNERS. USED BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS TO START OR STRENGTHEN LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, IAP'S MATERIALS AND TOOLS ARE INTERACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE. THE COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDES DEMYSTIFY THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, INTRODUCE THE ACTORS INVOLVED, AND OFFER STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY-LED SOLUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT. THESE ARE REINFORCED WITH COLLECTIVE EXERCISES AND ACCESSIBLE CASE EXAMPLES ABOUT HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE RESPONDED TO DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES. EARLY WARNING SYSTEMTHE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM ENSURES LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THEM, HAVE VERIFIED INFORMATION ABOUT PROJECTS BEING PROPOSED AT MAJOR DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS AND CLEAR STRATEGIES FOR ADVOCACY - IDEALLY BEFORE FUNDING IS DECIDED. THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM EXCHANGES INFORMATION, ADVICE, TOOLS AND RESOURCES WITH COMMUNITIES, THE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING THEM TO INFORM DEVELOPMENT ACTORS. THE INFORMATION EXCHANGED INCLUDES ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT PROJECTS AT DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING THE ROLES OF ANY PRIVATE ACTORS, AND CRITICAL DATA FROM COMMUNITY-LED RESEARCH EFFORTS, WITH DATA FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS, THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM EXPOSES TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT BY SECTOR, BANK, GEOGRAPHY AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE.