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.

THE BULK OF IAPS WORK IS MOBILIZING AND REINFORCING 22 COMMUNITY-LED RESPONSES IN 17 COUNTRIES. IAP SUPPORTS COMMUNITIES IN NEGOTIATIONS AND ADVOCACY TOWARDS THE COMPANIES, GOVERNMENTS AND INVESTORS INVOLVED IN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT AFFECT THEM. IAP PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES THAT WISH TO INFLUENCE THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION OR BENEFIT-DISTRIBUTION OF A PROJECT OR THE RESETTLEMENT AND COMPENSATION PLANS - ALL OF WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THEIR PARTICIPATION. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IAPS CAMPAIGN WORK AROUND THE WORLD IS AVAILABLE ON OUR BLOG: BIT.LY/IAP_BLOGCONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OAS PART OF THE COMMUNITY-LED CAMPAIGN WORK, THE 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.IAPS 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 THIS CURRENT ITERATION 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 2022-2024. THE CO-CREATED INITIATIVE RESULTED IN 8 COMMUNITIES IN 8 COUNTRIES BEING SELECTED FOR 3 YEARS OF TRAINING AND SUPPORT BY IAP TO RESEARCH THEIR COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND DESIGN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY-LED DEVELOPMENT PLAN. A COLLECTIVELY WRITTEN REPORT OF INDIVIDUAL FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE LAUNCHED IN 2024. THE REPORT WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF EACH MEMBER'S DEVELOPMENT PLANS AS WELL AS TO ADVOCATE GOVERNMENTS AND THE LARGEST PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT BANKS FOR COMMUNITY-LED DEVELOPMENT MODELS. IAP PRODUCES COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDES WITH LOCAL ACTIVISTS AND PARTNERS. USED BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AROUND THE WORLD TO START OR STRENGTHEN LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, IAPS MATERIALS AND TOOLS ARE INTERACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE. THE COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDES, NOW IN 15 LANGUAGES, 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.