THE WORLD BANK INSPECTION PANEL: ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING

The World Bank's Inspection Panel was the first independent mechanism (IAM) to receive complaints from individuals who complained of damage resulting from a potential lack of support for the policies and procedures of international financial institutions. Since 1993, the Panel has dealt with complaints about World Bank projects at the request of affected communities and has helped to remedy the damage. The article describes these findings in detail, with particular emphasis on "institutional learning", and also highlights the Panel's Emerging Lessons Series, a series of recent publications summarizing experiences from cases related to involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, environmental assessment, consultation and dissemination. The article concludes with a discussion of recent improvements to the Panel's work, highlighting its role in promoting responsible behaviour through the operational procedures adopted and subsequent "institutional learning".