Accountability Mechanism
The Accountability Mechanism of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) exists to provide an independent and effective forum for those affected by ADB-assisted projects to voice their concerns.
Information on how project-affected people can file a complaint and what types of complaints are not handled by the Accountability Mechanism.
Complainants are welcome to file the complaint in their own words without following the sample complaint letter or form [Armenian, Georgian, Nepali, Urdu], but should provide the required minimum information listed under "Contents of the complaint" below.
Complaints may be submitted in any of the official or national languages of ADB’s developing member countries. Additional time, however, will be required for translation. The working language of the Accountability Mechanism is English.
Note: Complainants' identities will be kept confidential from relevant ADB parties other than SPF and CRP, unless they agree to disclose their identities. Authorized representatives' identities will be disclosed, unless they are complainants themselves.
Note: If the complainants choose problem-solving, they may request for compliance review if they feel that compliance review is necessary, but only:
If the complainants choose compliance review, they may go to problem-solving if the CRP declared their complaint ineligible.
A description of the complainants’ good faith efforts to address the problems first with the ADB operations department (OD) concerned, including the resident mission (How, when, by, and with whom were the efforts made?), and the results of these efforts.
Note: The Accountability Mechanism is a last resort mechanism.
Project-affected persons are encouraged to first address the issue with available grievance mechanisms at the project level, and they are required to make good faith efforts to address the issue with the relevant ADB operations department.
Complaints will not be entertained if they are:
Additional exclusions under the problem-solving function are those:
Additional exclusions under the compliance review function are those:
The complaint may be submitted by mail, fax, email, or in person:
Complaint Receiving Officer (CRO), Accountability Mechanism ADB Headquarters, 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines (+632) 8632 4444 loc. 70309 (+632) 8636 2086 Send an emailAlternatively, the complaint may be submitted through any ADB office, such as a resident mission or representative office, which will forward the complaint to the CRO.
ADB's process for receiving complaints, including the processing duration.
You’ve sent your complaint to the Complaint Receiving Officer. What happens next?
Complaints related to ADB-assisted projects and filed by people who seek access to the Accountability Mechanism.