--- title: "Joint letter: Put Human Rights and Communities at the center of the Nov. 2020 “Finance In Common” Summit for Public Developments Banks" slug: "joint-letter-put-human-rights-and-communities-at-the-center-of-the-nov-2020-finance-in-common-summit-for-public-developments-banks" post_type: "post" published_at: "2020-09-04T15:21:06+01:00" modified_at: "2020-09-08T11:07:36+01:00" author: "CIHRS" url: "https://cihrs.org/joint-letter-put-human-rights-and-communities-at-the-center-of-the-nov-2020-finance-in-common-summit-for-public-developments-banks/?lang=en" category: - "International Advocacy Program" causes_and_rights: - "Protection of Human Rights Defenders" country: - "Other" interest: - "Statements and Positions" protection_and_advocacy: - "International Banks and Donors" --- # Joint letter: Put Human Rights and Communities at the center of the Nov. 2020 "Finance In Common" Summit for Public Developments Banks Ahead of the November 2020 “Finance in Common” meeting in Paris, where the French Development Agency will convene a global summit for Public Developments Banks, CIHRS and over 200 CSOs joined the International Federation for Human Rights’ (FIDH) call in the open letter below addressed to General Director of the French Development Agency, to put human rights and sustainable development on the summit’s agenda and at the center of development activities. Human rights-based and community-led development are key to avoiding the repetition of past failures with regard to financing policies. Sustainable development requires non-discriminatory, inclusive, participatory, and accountable governance, for which civil society participation and human rights standards are crucial. The "Finance in Common" summit is an international summit that includes all public developments banks from all over the world, to be held by the French Development Agency, from 9 to 12 November. Mr Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive Officer of the French Development Agency Dear Mr Rioux, From November 9th to 12th, 2020, the French Development Agency will convene the first global summit fot all Public Developments Banks (PDBs). Gathering PDBs from around the world, it is aimed to provide a collective response to global challenges, reconciling short-term responses to the Covid-19 crisis with sustainable recovery measures, redirecting financial flows towards sustainable development objectives. The summit is highly relevant and timely, yet for a truly comprehensive and inclusive dialogue, it should draw lessons from the past to shape the strongest future, with full participation of the communities impacted by PDB projects and supporting civil society organizations. In many instances, PDB supported activities have exacerbated poverty, inequality, and human rights abuses, such as reprisals against human rights defenders and forced evictions, without meaningful redress for affected communities. The summit should include reflection and discussion on the importance of respecting international human rights standards in achieving sustainable recovery goals, including addressing human rights abuses widely documented in PDB supported investments and projects.[\[1\]](#_ftn1) The summit should contend with the challenges of increased investment from PDBs lacking robust standards for human rights, social and environmental protection, climate change, and anti-corruption, or where those standards exist, how to address failures to follow them in practice. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted and aggravated the failures of the health, social, and economic systems, requiring a deep rethinking of the way governments, PDBs, and other actors operate. Several grassroots community groups and organisations have been calling on PDBs to ensure that the funding and support they provide for the Covid-19 response, and during the economic recovery period, respects human rights and leads to economic, social and environmental justice for those who are most vulnerable.[\[2\]](#_ftn2) New impetus in attaining the core principle of “leave no one behind” is needed.[\[3\]](#_ftn3) We welcome the opportunity to engage with PDBs during the summit to better serve the principles and goals of international human rights standards, the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), transparency, and accountability. To that end however, and as a matter of credibility and efficiency, it must be a priority to ensure human rights and community needs are explicitly discussed and part of the joint declaration foreseen at the end of the summit. As stated by OHCHR last year: “*with the most pivotal decade of SDG implementation ahead of us, human rights are not only the right way, but the smart way to accelerate progress for more equitable and sustainable development. Development is not just about changing the material conditions …. It is also about empowering people with voice … to be active participants in designing their own solutions and shaping development policy. … Empowering people means moving beyond purely technocratic solutions and treating people as passive objects of aid or charity. People are empowered when they are able to claim their rights and to shape the decisions, policies, rules and conditions that affect their lives*.”[\[4\]](#_ftn4) As SDGs are at the core of the summit, human rights and participation of communities are then key. That requires adapting the agenda and the expected outcomes. Our recommendations on ensuring an inclusive event follow: 1. ***Human Rights should be reflected in the core agenda of the summit, in attendance and participation***. As conceived, the research conference and summit do not appear to provide specific space to human rights defenders and community representatives. Commitment to public participation and protection of civil society space has long been recognised as essential to ensuring effective development. **Human rights and grassroots organizations, human rights defenders, and communities should** guide the future of the development model, and therefore should be involved in organizing, contributing to the agenda, and participating in the summit. It is a matter of priority to have human rights defenders and communities directly impacted by PDB activities at the table. 2. The **principles of** a ***human rights-based and community-led development should be included and highlighted on the expected deliverables of the summit including research papers and collective statements.*** We encourage governments and PDBs to make a commitment to reinforcing and strengthening the principles of human rights-based and community-led development in PDBs’ mandate and governance; policies and practices; internal culture and incentives; what projects and activities they support and invest in; and how they work with other PDBs, governments and key actors. These commitments should lead to improvements, such as: - Full and free participation of directly affected communities in all PDB supported activities and projects, and free prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples. Innovative approaches will have to be developed to address the closing space, risks and challenges for communities, human rights defenders and civil society to meaningfully participate in decisions that impact their lives, livelihoods, environment and resources. Zero tolerance policies against threats and reprisals by PDBs and their clients should be a basic requirement. - Identifying investments that are aligned with international human rights, climate protection, and SDGs, and reorienting investments towards sustainable development that respects these standards, while ensuring that the priorities and needs of marginalised persons are met. - Improving social and environmental requirements through inclusion of human rights standards. PDBs and their clients should adhere to human rights principles and standards enshrined in international conventions. Safeguard policies and procedures should ensure that activities financed directly or indirectly by PDBs, respect human rights, do not contribute to human rights abuse, and contribute to equitable, inclusive development that benefits all persons. - Developing and improving transparency, monitoring, oversight, grievance and accountability mechanisms to actively prevent PDB activities and investments from undermining human rights. - Ensuring private sector clients or partners also adopt high human rights and environmental standards, and do not avoid or evade taxes. - Development of common guidance by PDBs on *ex ante* human rights due diligence and impact assessments in project investments and in support for economic reform policies or programs. This includes identification of contextual and specific risks, prevention and mitigation strategies, and remedy in line with international human rights norms. Ensure that these assessments are developed in close consultation with affected communities, and are updated iteratively based on changing conditions and new information. - Developing coordinated approaches to ensure that PDB supported activities do not exacerbate debt or contribute to cutbacks in public expenditure that will negatively impact human rights or access to essential services for the most vulnerable. As reiterated by the OHCHR, effective governance for sustainable development requires non-discriminatory, inclusive, participatory, and accountable governance. With the most pivotal decade of SDG implementation ahead of us -- and in the context of intersecting health, environmental, economic and social crises building greater integration and coherence between the development and human rights agendas will be key: “*Human rights are not only a guide on the right way to achieve SDG implementation, but the smart way to accelerate more sustainable and equitable development*”[\[5\]](#_ftn5). PDBs should open channels for the meaningful participation of communities, human rights defenders, and civil society groups in the appraisal, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of their projects and activities, as well as in their decision-making processes. For these reasons, the agenda and the deliverable of the summit should duly reflect the centrality of human rights and community-led development to effective and sustainable development. Remaining at your disposal for further information. Yours sincerely, **Signatures**: 1\. 350.org Japan Japan 2. Abibiman Foundation Ghana 3. AbibiNsroma Foundation Ghana 4. Accountability Counsel USA 5. ACT Alliance Advocacy to the EU Belgium 6. ActionAid International International 7. Action contre la Faim France 8. Action Santé Mondiale France 9. Adivasi Nanjeewan Gathan Navjyoti Agua(ANGNA) India 10. Al-Haq Palestine 11. Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities Ghana 12. Al-Marsad- Arab Human rights Center in Golan Heights Occupied Syrian Golan 13. ALTSEAN-Burma (Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma) Burma/Myanmar 14. Alyansa Tigil Mina Philippines 15. Ancien Rapporteur Spécial des Nations unies sur la situation des défenseurs des droits de l’Homme (2014-2020) France 16. Arab Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (AFRPD) MENA 17. Arab Watch Coalition MENA 18. ARA e.V. (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Regenwald und Artenschutz) Germany 19. ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOLES NETWORK ON EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND ENERGY Asia 20. Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) Thailand 21. Asociacion para el Desarrollo Integral de las victimas de la Violencia en las Verapaces, Maya Achi.- ADIVIMA- Guatemala, CA. 22. Asociación Unión de Talleres 11 de Septiembre Bolivia 23. Association Democratique des Femmes du Maroc (ADFM) Morocco 24. Association Green Alternative Georgia 25. Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir 26. Association Rwandaise pour la Défense des Droits de la Personne et des Libertés Publiques, ADL. Rwanda 27. Association Tunisienne pour le Droit de Développement Tunisia 28. Autistic Minority International Switzerland/global 29. Bank Information Center USA 30. Bankwatch Network Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) 31. Both ENDS Netherlands 32. Bretton Woods Project UK 33. Buliisa Initiative for Rural Development Organisation (BIRUDO) Uganda 34. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Global 35. Bytes For All, Pakistan Pakistan 36. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) Middle East and North Africa 37. Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) Canada 38. CARE France France 39. Catholic Board of Education Odisha 40. Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) International 41. Center for Pan-African Affairs USA 42. Centre for Human Rights and Development Mongolia 43. Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur Manipur, India 44. Centre Libanais des droits humains (CLDH) Liban 45. Centro de Investigación y Promoción de los derechos Humanos Honduras Centro América 46. Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos - Perú EQUIDAD Peru 47. Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, A.C. (CEMDA) México 48. Centro Nicaraguense de Derechos Humanos CENIDH Nicaragua América Central 49. Chairperson Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization Public Union Azerbaijan 50. Civil Society Institute NGO, Armenia Armenia 51. CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network) Bangladesh 52. Climate Action Network Europe Europe 53. Climate Action Network International Mexico 54. CNCD-11.11.11 Belgium 55. CNS/ Asha Parivar India 56. Coalition for Human Rights in Development Global 57. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Commonwealth/India 58. Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ) Nepal 59. Consejo de Pueblos Wuxhtaj Guatemala, Centro América 60. Convergencia por los Derechos Humanos (CAFCA, CALDH, CIIDH, ECAP, ICCPG, ODHAG, SEDEM, UDEFEGUA, UNAMG) Guatemala 61. Coordinadora de Comunidades Afectadas por la Cosntruccion de la Hidroelectrica Chixoy.-COCAHICH- Guatemala 62. Counter Balance Europe 63. Crude Accountability USA 64. Damascus Center for human rights studies Syria 65. Defenders Protection Initiative -DPI Uganda /Africa 66. Democracy and Workers’ Rights Center in Palestine Palestine 67. Derecho Ambiente y Recursos Naturales Peru 68. Disabled People’s International (DPI) International 69. Displaced Kids Association Iraq 70. EarthRights International USA 71. Egyptian Center for Civil and Legislative Reform (ECCLR) Egypt 72. Environics Trust India 73. Eurodad (European Network on Debt and Development) Belgium / Europe 74. European Network on Debt and Development, Eurodad Europe 75. FIAN Austria Austria 76. FIAN Belgium Belgium 77. FIAN Germany Germany 78. FIAN International Switzerland for the Right to Food Switzerland 79. FIAN International International 80. FIAN Sweden Sweden 81. First Peoples Worldwide USA 82. FOCSIV Italy 83. Forest Peoples Programme Netherlands and UK 84. Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) Uganda 85. Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth Nigeria 86. Freedom from Debt Coalition Philippines 87. Freedom House Global 88. Friends of the Earth United States USA 89. Friends of the Siberian Forests Russia 90. Friends with Environment in Development East Africa 91. Front Line Defenders Ireland 92. Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) Argentina 93. Fundación para el Desarrollo de Políticas Sustentables (Fundeps) Argentina 94. Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) Belgium/International 95. Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Global 96. Global Policy Forum International 97. Global Social Justice Switzerland 98. Global Witness Global 99. Green Advocates International Liberia 100. Haki Jamii Rights Centre Kenya 101. Heartland Initiative USA 102. Heinrich Böll Stiftung Washington, DC USA 103. HRM "Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan" Kyrgyzstan 104. Human Rights Center of Georgia Georgia 105. Human Rights in China (HRIC) China 106. iLaw Thailand 107. India Indigenous Peoples India 108. Indian Social Action Forum India 109. Indigenous Peoples Forum Odisha India 110. Inspire Girls Foundation (IGF) Uganda 111. Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense Latin America 112. International Accountability Project Global 113. International Dalit Solidarity Network South Asia 114. International Federation for Human Rights International 115. Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte Deutschland 116. International Rivers USA and Global 117. International Trade Union Confederation Global 118. International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific) Malaysia 119. International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) Denmark 120. Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir 121. Joy for Children Uganda Uganda 122. Just Associates (JASS) USA 123. Justice for Iran Iran 124. Kenya Union of Hair and Beauty Workers (KUHABWO) Kenya 125. Koalisi Rakyat untuk Hak atas Air (KRuHA) Indonesia 126. Lao Movement for Human Rights Laos 127. Las abejas Mexico 128. Latin America Working Group (LAWG) USA 129. Latvian Human Rights Committee Latvia 130. Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP) Nepal 131. Lawyers for Human Rights, Manipur India 132. Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment(LITE) Africa Nigeria 133. League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran Iran 134. Lebanese Union of Persons with Physical Disabilities (LUPD) Lebanon 135. LGBT Centre Mongolia 136. Liga voor de Rechten van de Mens (Dutch League for Human Rights) The Netherlands 137. Ligue des droits de l’Homme - France (LDH) France 138. Lok Shakti Abhiyan India 139. Lumière Synergie pour le Développement Senegal 140. Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) Maldives 141. MANUSHYA Foundation Southeast Asia 142. Mekong Watch Mekong Region 143. Mitini Nepal South Asia 144. MONFEMNET National Network NGO Mongolia 145. Movimento Nacional de Direitos Humanos - MNDH Brasil Brazil 146. Narasha Community Development Group Kenya 147. National Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NAFIN) Nepal 148. National Union of Domestic Employees Trinidad and Tobago – Caribbean 149. NGO Forum on ADB Asia 150. NGO "Youth Group on Protection of Environment" Tajikistan 151. NomoGaia USA and Global 152. Odhikar Bangladesh 153. Odisha Adivasi Manch India 154. Oil Change International Global 155. OPEN ASIA|Armanshahr Afghanistan 156. Oyu Tolgoi Watch Mongolia 157. Pakistan Kissan(Farmers) Rabta Committee United Kingdom 158. Partnership for Policy Integrity USA 159. Peace Brigades International Global 160. Phenix Center for Economic & Informatic Studies Jordan 161. Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) Philippines 162. Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) Philippines 163. Press Freedom Advocacy Association Iraq 164. Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy, Northeastern University School of Law USA 165. Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER) México and Latinoamerica 166. Protection International Mesoamérica Mesoamérica 167. Psychological Responsiveness NGO Mongolia 168. "Publlic Administration New Initiative" NGO Mongolia 169. Recourse The Netherlands 170. Réseau Action Climat France France 171. Réseau Camerounais des Organisations des Droits de l’Homme (RECODH) Afrique 172. Réseau International des Droits Humains RIDH Genève, Suisse 173. Resonate! Yemen Yemen 174. Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) United Kingdom 175. Rivers without Boundaries Coalition -Mongolia Mongolia 176. Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition Eurasian continent 177. Sisters’ Arab Forum for Human Rights (SAF) Yemen 178. Social Initiatives for Growth and Networking (SIGN) India 179. Sri Lanka Nature Group Sri Lanka 180. Steps Without Borders NGO Mongolia 181. Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC) Yemen 182. SUARAM Malaysia 183. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression France 184. Tata Institute of Social Sceinces India 185. Tebtebba Philippines 186. The Lao Movement for Human Rights Laos 187. The PRINCESS center for girls and young women’s rights Mongolia 188. The Society of the Divine Word India 189. Thy Kingdom Come Foundation India 190. Tunisian Association for Governance and Social Accountability (GoAct) Tunisia 191. Tunisian Association for Local Governance Tunisia 192. Union for Civil Liberty Thailand 193. Universal Rights and Development NGO Mongolia 194. urgewald Germany 195. VedvarendeEnergi Denmark and international 196. Verein für sozial-ökologischen Wandel Germany and International 197. Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) Vietnam 198. Wedian Association for Social Development Yemen 199. Witness Radio - Uganda Uganda 200. Women Engage for a Common Future International 201. WoMin African Alliance Africa 202. Yemeni Organization for Promoting Integrity (OPI) Yemen 203. Yemen Observatory for Human Rights Yemen 204. Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation) Nepal --- [\[1\]](#_ftnref1) Coalition for Human Rights in Development, *Uncalculated Risks* (2019), available online at . [\[2\]](#_ftnref2) [Coalition for Human Rights in Development, Statement to Development Finance Institutions regarding Covid-19 response (2020), available online at https://rightsindevelopment.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020.05.13-Declaration-on-Covid-19-to-DFIs-ENG.pdf. For French please see: ](https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25786&LangID=E) [\[3\]](#_ftnref3) “Leave no one behind” – Don’t forget your commitments in your response to the COVID-19 crises, UN expert urges States, 9 April 2020 [https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25786&LangID=E](https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25786&LangID=E) [\[4\]](#_ftnref4) OHCHR, Empowerment, Inclusion, Equality: Accelerating sustainable development with human rights, 2019, [\[5\]](#_ftnref5) OHCHR, Empowerment, Inclusion, Equality: Accelerating sustainable development with human rights, 2019,