International accountability mechanisms of multilateral development banks: lessons drawn from the Cambodia micro-finance cases
Written by Dr. Rishi Gulati, Associate Professor of International Law at UEA Law School and a Barrier specializing in international law
1 Introduction
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank finance large-scale public projects globally and regionally to promote sustainable development and reduce poverty. MDBs require the adherence to environmental and social standards to mitigate harm. However, during project implementation these standards are not always respected and communities may be harmed. Without timely access to justice for affected individuals, basic rights would be compromised, severely undermining the accountability of MDBs as public international organizations (IOs).