Accountability Counsel amplifies the voices of communities around the world to protect their human rights and environment. As advocates for people harmed by internationally financed projects, they employ community-driven and policy level strategies to access justice. The non-profit organization pays particular attention to the rights of women, girls, and other marginalized groups.
When internationally financed projects such as dams, mines, and oil pipelines cause abuses, including forced displacement of Indigenous people, poisoned rivers used for drinking water, and sexual abuse of women and girls by foreign workers, people harmed often face barriers to accessing justice.
Accountability Counsel exists to bridge these barriers for communities and create accountability in global finance resulting in systemic change. In the 10 years since their founding, their grassroots lawyers have supported communities and their advocates to protect human and environmental rights in 50 countries––from nomadic herders in Mongolia to tea workers in India, to farmers in Haiti. Their policy advocates have improved the policies and practices of every major multilateral development bank, four U.S. federal agencies, and has been instrumental in the establishment of two new complaint offices at United Nations agencies that finance development projects. Finally, their researchers have developed cutting-edge tools that are moving the accountability system forward.
Accountability Counsel’s short film “When the Dust Came In” captures how their unique model can shift power to create hope for sustainable futures. If you would like to support Accountability Counsel’s work, you can make a donation here.
