The ADB Safeguards: Terrain shifts to operations manual
Updated Safeguards | Safeguards news | Safeguards documents | Previous Safeguard Policy | Safeguards Timeline
The recently updated Safeguard Policy would have been welcomed had the remaining dilutions been addressed. The ADB has failed to incorporate in the updated Safeguards the principle of free prior informed consent (FPIC) as defined by the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, Article 32.
CSO pressure has helped push for big improvements in the approved policy compared to previous drafts. For instance, the policy’s attention to gender now sets the lead for other multilateral development banks to follow with regard to explicitly requiring gender sensitive and responsive application of safeguard policies. Lingering dilutions, however, may in ultimately put at risk the progress made in the final document. For example, the scope of the Involuntary Resettlement Policy has been reduced, greenhouse gas language made public in earlier drafts has been watered down, and the ADB’s system of categorization still does not specify that it shall be utilized for all projects and their components regardless of their source of funding.
The terrain now shifts to closely monitoring the roll-out of the policy and its articles of implementation. Will the Bank allocate adequate resources for the policy's full application? What will happen to the policy given that most of its requirements have been shifted to the operations manual? The situation now may be both dangerous and problematic since the operations manual is considered a document which the Management can change at any time without needing Board approval.
The ADB used to have separate policies on Environment, Involuntary Resettlement and Indigenous Peoples, collectively known as the Safeguard Policies. The ADB has merged the three separate policies into one Safeguard Policy Statement.
The bank management embarked on its review of its Safeguard Policies in 2005 and began a series of consultations for its member countries in November 2007. As a result of continuous pressure from civil society groups, led by the Forum, the ADB came up with an updated draft of the SPS as basis for the last round of multi-stakeholder consultation held in November 2008.
Related documents
OM Language Recommendations (31 July 2009)
Comments of the Forum on R-Paper of the Safeguard Policy Statement (14 July 2009)
Detailed recommendations for the improvement of the SPS R-paper (15 July 2009)
Updated Safeguards | Safeguards news | Safeguards documents | Previous Safeguard Policy | Safeguards Timeline
The recently updated Safeguard Policy would have been welcomed had the remaining dilutions been addressed. The ADB has failed to incorporate in the updated Safeguards the principle of free prior informed consent (FPIC) as defined by the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, Article 32.
CSO pressure has helped push for big improvements in the approved policy compared to previous drafts. For instance, the policy’s attention to gender now sets the lead for other multilateral development banks to follow with regard to explicitly requiring gender sensitive and responsive application of safeguard policies. Lingering dilutions, however, may in ultimately put at risk the progress made in the final document. For example, the scope of the Involuntary Resettlement Policy has been reduced, greenhouse gas language made public in earlier drafts has been watered down, and the ADB’s system of categorization still does not specify that it shall be utilized for all projects and their components regardless of their source of funding.
The terrain now shifts to closely monitoring the roll-out of the policy and its articles of implementation. Will the Bank allocate adequate resources for the policy's full application? What will happen to the policy given that most of its requirements have been shifted to the operations manual? The situation now may be both dangerous and problematic since the operations manual is considered a document which the Management can change at any time without needing Board approval.
The ADB used to have separate policies on Environment, Involuntary Resettlement and Indigenous Peoples, collectively known as the Safeguard Policies. The ADB has merged the three separate policies into one Safeguard Policy Statement.
The bank management embarked on its review of its Safeguard Policies in 2005 and began a series of consultations for its member countries in November 2007. As a result of continuous pressure from civil society groups, led by the Forum, the ADB came up with an updated draft of the SPS as basis for the last round of multi-stakeholder consultation held in November 2008.
Related documents
OM Language Recommendations (31 July 2009)
Comments of the Forum on R-Paper of the Safeguard Policy Statement (14 July 2009)
Detailed recommendations for the improvement of the SPS R-paper (15 July 2009)
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