Safeguards

ADB's safeguard policy aims to help developing member countries address environmental and social risks in development projects and minimize and mitigate, if not avoid, adverse project impacts on people and the environment.

Involuntary Resettlement

Asian Development Bank

Involuntary resettlement under development projects can give rise to severe economic, social, and environmental risks, and result in long-term hardship and impoverishment of affected people if it is not managed well.

ADB’s involuntary resettlement safeguards aim to avoid involuntary resettlement wherever possible; to minimize involuntary resettlement by exploring project and design alternatives; to enhance, or at least restore, the livelihoods of all displaced persons in real terms relative to pre-project levels; and to improve the standards of living of the displaced poor and other vulnerable groups.

Involuntary resettlement safeguards call for meaningful consultation with affected people; compensation of losses and provision of assistance to and benefit sharing with displaced persons, and special measures for the poor and vulnerable. Involuntary resettlement safeguards also require the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of time-bound resettlement plans.

Assessment reports are required depending on the project's impact.

Safeguards Documents   All Involuntary Resettlement Safeguards Documents

Safeguards documents are project documents that provide information on assessments, measures, monitoring, and due diligence conducted for Environment, Resettlement, and Indigenous Peoples safeguards. View ADB's project cycle.

Resettlement planning documents

Identifies adverse impacts of a project on the physical, economic, and socio-cultural assets of affected persons, including ethnic minorities, and the corresponding measures to help restore or even improve pre-project standards of living. These include the following documents:

Environmental and Social Management System Arrangements

Provide guidelines and frameworks for establishing the environmental and social management system for a project that is consistent with the safeguard policy principles and requirements of ADB.

Safeguards Due Diligence Reports

Safeguards due diligence reports are prepared as part of safeguard due diligence and review to ensure compliance with ADB safeguard policy due diligence requirements.

Environmental and Social Monitoring Reports

Environmental and social monitoring reports provide the status of environmental or social issues or mitigation measures related to project implementation.

Other documents

Initial Poverty and Social Analysis (IPSA)

Initial Poverty and Social Assessment/Analysis (IPSA) identifies people who may be beneficially or adversely affected by a project. It determines the scope of poverty and the current state of social issues, such as consultation and participation, gender and development, and social safeguards and other social risks that will need to be addressed during project design. It is conducted for all ADB investment projects and programs.