The Indian Law Resource Center has made public its “Comments and Recommendations on the IFC’s proposed Policy on Social and Environmental Sustainability and Performance Standards” (http://ilrc.xinsys.net/sites/default/files/2010-07-29%20Center%27s%20IFC...). This paper is in response to the IFC review process of its Sustainability Framework, including the Policy on Social and Environmental Sustainability, Performance Standards, and the Policy of Disclosure of Information.

The IFC is the private sector lending arm of the World Bank. It has some of the greatest impacts on indigenous communities around the world because it funds numerous multi-national companies and private actors.

“It’s a critical time to speak out,” said Leonardo Crippa, Staff Attorney with the Indian Law Resource Center’s Washington, D.C. office. “The IFC is reviewing its policies and we want to see accountability and consistency in the revised documents. Our submission reflects important developments in human rights law over the past four years, including the adoption and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by many countries around the world. We ask that the IFC take into account our comments and recommendations so that its policies and practices protect the rights of indigenous peoples.”

The Center’s recommendations point out the lack of reference in the revised documents to the IFC’s own human rights responsibility. The Center addresses the rights of indigenous peoples in several areas of the policy, including Performance Standards on risk management system, biodiversity, involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples and cultural heritage.

The Indian Law Resource Center invites you to read our Comments and Recommendations submitted to the IFC. For a PDF version, click here. For more information about our work visit us at www.indianlaw.org.

The Indian Law Resource Center
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www.indianlaw.org