Recommendations by OHCHR on World Bank's proposed environmental & social framework
"Review and Update of the World Bank’s Safeguards Policies: Comments and recommendations of UN/OHCHR in relation to the draft Environmental and Social Framework," 15 Mar 2016
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) welcomes the opportunity to comment upon the World Bank’s proposed Environmental and Social Framework (ESF)…The Bank’s revised safeguards will…strongly influence social and environmental safeguards and sustainability policies…OHCHR’s comments focus on the content of the draft ESF from the perspective of international human rights law and their foreseeable impacts upon individuals and groups in practice, particularly those most marginalized…[I]n OHCHR’s view there appear to be several weaknesses or ambiguities in the draft ESF, particularly in relation to the risk management framework…and the Bank’s due diligence and supervision obligations set out in the ESP. The main areas of concern…are:
- Insufficient recognition of the obligations of Borrowers under international human rights…
- …clarify and strengthen the Bank’s due diligence responsibilities…
- …strengthen the frameworks for delegating safeguard responsibility to other safeguard systems…
- …avoid deferring the appraisal of assessable risks as far as possible…
- …strengthen monitoring and reporting requirements…