Accountability Mechanism A 25 year story
What if an ADB project caused harm to people and the environment?
The Accountability Mechanism was created to listen to those adversely affected by ADB projects so we could solve problems and learn lessons.
That was 25 years ago. To celebrate this milestone, we—the Accountability Mechanism team—share our story, and the stories of the people we listened to.
ADB is in the business of reducing poverty. By 2030, ADB envisions a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific.1 To achieve this, ADB finances projects that are designed to uplift communities and countries. Embedded in these designs are protections for the people and the environment at the core of each project. But sometimes, ADB’s best-laid plans go awry and people, communities, and the environment suffer.
Grievance redress mechanisms (GRM) work to find solutions when project scoping, design, or implementation adversely affects individuals or communities. ADB worked hard to improve the design and operation of these GRMs. But not all GRMs worked as hoped. And, sometimes, GRMs and their teams could not resolve issues. For those situations, ADB needed a mechanism of last resort.
ADB created the Accountability Mechanism (AM) to empower project-affected people to make sure the institution complies with its policies and procedures. Internal to the organization yet independent, the AM helps ADB learn from the people and places affected by its work so it can strive to do better.
Over 25 years, the AM has evolved remarkably, pioneering policy change and learning from painful lows. We have introduced new ideas on accountability and contributed to improved governance at ADB. In 2021, we celebrate our achievements, innovations, and uniqueness by sharing our story.
Painful mistakes have the power to teach us to be better, but only if we want to. Our story acknowledges various low points in our journey and their transformative nature. It does not analyze or propose a change to the AM policy.
We look forward to engaging with our stakeholders in the next AM policy review to further improve it.
As part of this story, we share stories of people who were impacted by ADB-funded projects, told through their eyes. Names and certain details have been changed to safeguard confidentiality. We dedicate these stories to those with an untold story, and those who continue to suffer the injuries of silence, disappointment, poverty, and discrimination.
Welcome to our story, one of innovation and evolution.
Our Work
Layers of checks and balances contribute to strong accountability.
The Accountability Mechanism (AM) works with ADB’s Board and President, making us a final but independent layer of compliance checking where complaints arise. By monitoring compliance with policy frameworks and procedures, we enhance staff accountability to ADB’s Board of Directors. We also increase ADB’s responsiveness to complaints from project-affected people by working with them to resolve problems.2
Importantly, the AM contributes to ADB’s trustworthiness as a development partner. Through it, stakeholders can hold ADB accountable for impacts arising from what is done—or not done—in project design or implementation. The AM demonstrates ADB’s willingness to take ownership for commitments, oversights, or errors. This willingness to take responsibility and to communicate openly builds trust in ADB.
In short, our work contributes to good governance and responsiveness within
ADB because we
Give voice to ADB’s beneficiaries—the people of Asia and the Pacific
Work with affected people to find solutions
Independently review compliance
Create opportunities for ADB to learn lessons and do better
Woochong Um
Managing Director General,
Asian Development Bank
Noncompliance disputes belong to AM realm
Maartje van Putten
Managing Director,
Global Accountability
It gives people voice
Our Team
Accountability is listening to valid complaints, taking responsibility for errors, and proactively making changes to right any wrongs. Accountability means we continue to learn and improve. Bebet Gozun Chair, Compliance Review Panel
Accountability is not an ideal but a responsibility that development practitioners have to listen to all stakeholders (clients, beneficiaries, and adversely affected people), place oneself in the shoes of stakeholders to truly understand their respective positions and concerns, and ensure that development is fair and equitable for all stakeholders. Warren Evans Special Project Facilitator
Accountability for me in my work with the CRP has three key elements: being answerable; putting things right when they’re not right; and an ongoing commitment and openness to learning. Halina Ward Member, Compliance Review Panel
Accountability in public life brings respect and responsibility to work for the betterment of society with sustainable practices. As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.’ Accountability gives an opportunity to rectify the errors and perform better. Ajay Achyutrao Deshpande Member, Compliance Review Panel Member
Accountability respects our mistakes so we can learn and do better. It does not reject them. As the great philosopher Jalal-ud-Din Rumi said, 'If you are irritated by every rub, how will you become polished?' Irum Ahsan Advisor, Office of the Compliance Review Panel
Accountability refers to the duty to accept responsibility for one’s actions. If we develop a culture where everyone is held accountable, especially ourselves, we would also foster a culture of competence and integrity. Olivia Rosita D. Llanillo Senior Assessment and Facilitation Officer, Office of the Special Project Facilitator
Communication nurtures transparency. Transparency promotes accountability. Accountability fosters trust. Wilfredo R. Agliam Associate Facilitation Coordinator, Office of the Special Project Facilitator
Accountability fosters trust and responsible action. Being accountable means giving an account of how well we steward the resources that were entrusted to us. Julie Anne Mapilisan-Villanueva Associate Compliance Review Coordinator, Office of the Compliance Review Panel
Accountability means assuming responsibility for the consequences of our actions. From a development perspective, it entails a commitment to openness, transparency, responsiveness and meaningful stakeholder participation. Annelle Gonzales-de Jesus Complaints Receiving Officer, Office of the Compliance Review Panel
Bebet Gozun
Chair, Compliance Review Panel,
Accountability Mechanism
Meet Bebet Gozun
Warren Evans
Special Project Facilitator,
Accountability Mechanism
Meet Warren Evans
Our Team
Ours is a small team working across the broad aspects of the Accountability Mechanism.
Problem Solving
The problem-solving function is carried out through special project facilitation. We listen to project-affected people and seek to resolve their problems through a collaborative approach, without making findings of noncompliance.
Compliance Review
Compliance reviews are carried out through the fact-finding function. First, we assess allegations of noncompliance by ADB of its policies and procedures which caused harm to people and the environment. Then we focus on correcting them.
Outreach
Outreach is the learning aspect of our work. We work with communities and other stakeholders (internal and external) to raise our profile and share lessons learned.
Our Team
Ours is a small team working across the broad aspects of the Accountability Mechanism.
Problem Solving
The problem-solving function is carried out through special project facilitation. We listen to project-affected people and seek to resolve their problems through a collaborative approach, without making findings of noncompliance.
Compliance Review
Compliance reviews are carried out through the fact-finding function. First, we assess allegations of noncompliance by ADB of its policies and procedures which caused harm to people and the environment. Then we focus on correcting them.
Outreach
Outreach is the learning aspect of our work. We work with communities and other stakeholders (internal and external) to raise our profile and share lessons learned.
Problem Solving
Compliance Review
Outreach
Problem Solving
The problem-solving function is carried out through special project facilitation. We listen to project-affected people and seek to resolve their problems through a collaborative approach, without making findings of noncompliance.
Compliance Review
Compliance reviews are carried out through the fact-finding function. First, we assess allegations of noncompliance by ADB of its own policies and procedures that caused harm to people and the environment, then we focus on correcting them.
Outreach
Outreach is the learning aspect of our work. We work with communities and other stakeholders (internal and external) to raise our profile and share lessons learned. From an institutional point of view, AM aims to contribute to ADB’s evolution as a learning institution—improving in the future by learning the lessons from past performance.
A small operation making
a significant contribution
A very small portion of ADB-assisted projects results in complaints to the Accountability Mechanism (AM), with most complaints being resolved by project-level grievance redress mechanisms (GRMs).3 That said, complaints about ADB projects have increased significantly over time as ADB has invested in more large infrastructure projects and as the AM has raised awareness about its role.
The precursor to the AM was the Inspection Function, which received two eligible complaints during 1995–2003. In the AM’s early years (2003–2011), there were eighteen admissible complaints.4
Following the introduction of the 2012 policy, which restructured the AM, the Special Project Facilitator (SPF) and Compliance Review Panel (CRP) received three complaints from project-affected people during 2012–2015. This compares with seventeen admissible complaints during 2016–2018 (endnote 4).
The growing number of complaints demonstrates why AM is important to ADB’s operations.
A small operation making
a significant contribution (continued)
Making ADB accountable to people requires us to listen to project-affected people as equals and learn from painful experiences so we can correct the injury or rectify the noncompliance. ADB does not pretend that our projects are perfect or that the Accountability Mechanism solves all problems for project-affected people. Indeed, we acknowledge there is more work to do. But our continued determination to listen to project-affected people, craft practical solutions, and evolve our institution demonstrates our intent to be responsive, compassionate, and growth oriented.
We're here to listen
We help come up with a resolution
Acknowledgements
- Story Concept and Direction
Irum Ahsan - Content Design and Writer
Briony Eales - Content Editor
Tara Mitchell - Web Design and Production
ASSIST Asia - With Special Thanks
Maartje van Putten, Susan Park, Bindu Lohani, and Bruce Purdue.
© 2023 Asian Development Bank