World Bank safeguards watchers will have to wait a little longer to get a glimpse of the final social and environmental protection plan, but they also have another chance to weigh in.
The new World Bank safeguards will see another round of consultations from stakeholders and civil society, pushing the final executive board approval of the document to fall 2015. The bank previously indicated it would produce board-approved safeguards document ahead of its spring meetings in mid-April, but the process has been plagued by civil society complaints so far.
The safeguards — or “Environmental and Social Framework” — are the standards used to protect people and the environment before, during and after the implementation of bank projects. The ESF has been undergoing a second round of consultations since October 2014 and civil society groups have routinely staged walkouts and protests in cities around the world.
About the author
Molly Andersmollyanders_dev
Molly Anders is a former U.K. correspondent for Devex. Based in London, she reports on development finance trends with a focus on British and European institutions. She is especially interested in evidence-based development and women’s economic empowerment, as well as innovative financing for the protection of migrants and refugees. Molly is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied Arabic in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.
