In response to interest from ACCA member organizations, Global Rights is co-hosting a practical training session on “What to do when project impacts are in dispute? Seeking solutions through participatory monitoring and joint fact-finding with companies, communities, CSOs, and government.” This is a side event of the African Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights on September 16 from 9:30 to 1 pm.
The event will have simultaneous French-English interpretation, and participants are encouraged to register in advance.
Overview
Often disputes arise when affected communities, CSOs, companies and governments hold different views about the scope and cause of project impacts, and how to remedy them. Asymmetry of information and resources among the different stakeholders can quickly contribute to escalating tensions and mistrust, particularly where communities feel they have not been adequately consulted. Participatory monitoring and joint fact finding are approaches that can help address such disputes and enable the parties to gain clarity around specific issues. Such exercises may involve independently verifying, or reconciling, scientific project data (e.g. water quality, air emissions, or community health, for example) to help build trust among the parties. This, in turn, can provide a credible baseline that allows the parties to move beyond disputing the facts to collaborating on the solutions.
Format
A practical training hosted by the World Bank Group’s Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the independent recourse mechanism for IFC and MIGA, and Global Rights, the co-coordinator for the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA) in response to members’ interests. Participants will be introduced to fictional scenarios developed from real case studies and work in small groups with a randomly assigned stakeholder role. A CAO dispute resolution specialist will guide participants through the steps of designing a joint fact-finding / participatory monitoring process, including training needs, funding issues, success factors, challenges, and on-going monitoring and implementation.
The session is open to all participants of the UN African Regional Forum on Business & Human Rights and will be guided by principles of respect, equality, collaboration, and openness.
Advance registration
We encourage those who plan to attend this side event to let us know who you are in advance. Please complete the very short online registration survey.
Contacts
World Bank Group Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO)
Emily Horgan,
Global Rights: Partners for Justice
Lien De Brouckere,
United Nations Global Compact
Michelle Lau,
View the full announcement in English and French.