Planning Consultation Liz Smith, 10 February 2016

International Financial Institution Requirements Identify stakeholders, including those who may be more vulnerable Clarify how the client will communicate with stakeholders  Disclose environmental and social information Provide a grievance process for both workers and the public

Principle Consultation plans should meet the needs of the stakeholders they describe.

Design of consultation programmes Appropriate language(s) Technical literacy of stakeholders Methods of information disclosure and consultation should meet the needs of the stakeholders Vulnerable stakeholders need to be identified and able to provide comments

Problems that IFIs see… Consultation plans that are 40- 100 pages long Too much general information on public participation, and not specific to the project No information on location of information, deadlines for comments, how grievances will be handled

No one has consulted the people affected to find out… Biggest Problem No one has consulted the people affected to find out… …How they want to be involved …How they routinely get information …How complaints should be handled

How do people get information? If people are in lower economic sectors, may not afford national newspapers Posters in communities? Village bulletin board? Radio? Regional newsletter? Use existing, established media for notification

All Project Proponents Should Know Who their project may affect at each different stage of the project What language(s) they speak Age ranges of stakeholders Whether any separate consultation needs to be organised for women or other groups Who is considered vulnerable and may need additional support to engage in the process Any cultural issues to take into account

Meeting Formats Large public meetings or hearings Only a few people go to the microphone Summary of meeting—distorts community opinion, often negatively Few people who benefit from a project will speak up People who are not affected by a project do not attend Quieter people do not have a voice Some stakeholders need help to participate

Finding vulnerable stakeholders Just because something is in the public domain or accessible to CSOs--does not mean it is accessible or meaningful to people living near a project Aarhus Centres are well placed to advise Schoolteachers are a good source of information Medical professionals know who is vulnerable, as they have to reach them with health messages

EBRD Classification: INTERNAL Recommendations Develop stakeholder engagement plans in consultation with different stakeholder groups on the way people should be consulted that will make it meaningful Publicise the engagement process; refine and adapt as necessary—new groups are often identified during consultation Groups that normally do not access the consultation process should be actively consulted—Allow more resources for consultation with groups that might not have a voice 27 September, 2019 EBRD Classification:  INTERNAL

Equivalent consultation in affected country Language and culture Transboundary Issues Equivalent consultation in affected country Language and culture Methods of notification Timing of comments Cooperation of authorities in affected country May wish to pre-agree principles of cross- border communication to make it easier when needed

Refugees (1/2) Large numbers of people relocating—temporarily or permanently—with no legal rights to land or assets and/or access to social services Often different languages to host population Cultural differences regarding communication They may not have access to the usual channels of information They may be uncomfortable voicing their views

Refugees (2/2) There may be hostility from host communities due to unexpected increase of the population caused by refugee influx There may be active pressure not to consult with refugee groups At the project level, IFI requirements are to identify all stakeholder groups, particularly those who are vulnerable and ensure they have the information they need and the opportunity to comment.

Special Topic: Managing Grievances Projects cause change, and this can be disruptive to people’s lives Communication about how grievances will be handled during project construction and implementation is critical The grievance process must be communicated, and must be transparent and timely 27 September, 2019 EBRD Classification:  INTERNAL

Project Level Concerns Most common concerns raised are: Failure to inform workers or community of grievance procedure Lack of mechanism for contractors and sub- contractors Accepting complaints, but failing to follow up on them Failing to communicate with complainants, even if action is taken Length of time to deal with complaints

Recommendations Develop a simple grievance process for workers and one for the public Communicate grievance processes to the relevant stakeholders Ensure all workers have access, including contractors Follow up on all complaints Communicate with complainants throughout the process—let them know what action has been taken Ensure process is efficient, timely

Contact Liz Smith Senior Stakeholder Engagement Advisor Environment & Sustainability Dept. Tel: + 44 207 338 6504 Email: smithe@ebrd.com EBRD, One Exchange Square London, EC2A 2JN United Kingdom www.ebrd.com