Publication:
Insights into Grievance Mechanisms: Findings from a Survey of Grievance Focal Points in Project Implementation Units

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (1.22 MB)
405 downloads
Published
2021
ISSN
Date
2022-07-06
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
In April and May 2020, a first-of-a-kind survey was conducted by the World Bank with project implementation unit (PIU) focal points responsible for the operation of grievance mechanisms (GMs) in World Bank-financed projects across the world. The aim of the survey was to better understand challenges and opportunities linked to GM design and implementation from the perspective of people on the frontline, and to identify areas where they may need additional support to guarantee an effective right to remedy in their projects. This note presents the rationale, methodology, and outcomes of this online survey, as well as related recommendations to improve the functioning of project-level GMs. First, details are provided regarding the background and implementation of the survey, followed by a presentation of survey results, main observations, and key messages regarding the current design and operating practices of GMs in World Bank-financed projects. The survey instrument itself is included in the appendix.
Link to Data Set
Citation
World Bank. 2021. Insights into Grievance Mechanisms: Findings from a Survey of Grievance Focal Points in Project Implementation Units. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/37637 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Fostering the Inclusion of Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Individuals or Groups in Project-Level Grievance Mechanisms
    (Washington, DC : World Bank, 2021) World Bank
    Principles that are especially relevant to the operation of GMs include: (i) Equality and nondiscrimination. GMs should be easily accessible to all without distinction, although this is not always the case, e.g., if lodging a grievance requires technology that is not universally available or if grievance boxes are not fairly distributed throughout the project area; (ii) Participation and inclusion. GMs require a high degree of participation by stakeholders; (iii) Accountability and the rule of law. Because the purpose of a GM is to ensure that relevant authorities are answerable for their actions and decisions as well as to provide aggrieved persons the opportunity to instigate proceedings for appropriate redress, accountability and the rule of law are crucial.
  • Publication
    Grievance Redress Mechanism of the Takaful and Karama Program in the Arab Republic of Egypt
    (Washington, DC, 2022) World Bank
    Launched in January 2015, the Takaful and Karama (T&K) program is among the Arab Republic of Egypt government’s cornerstone social protection mitigation measures. It seeks to alleviate the adverse effects of the country’s bold economic reforms aimed at addressing longstanding macroeconomic issues. Implemented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) and co-financed by the government and the World Bank, the T&K program is among Egypt’s largest investments in human capital development. This case study summarizes the practices of the T&K program GRM to date, including lessons learned. The experiences and achievements of the T&K GRM in Karama’s beneficiary assessment phase are specifically highlighted. Section two explores the GRM as part of a broader social accountability approach; section three summarizes the institutional arrangements for grievance resolution; section four discusses key results and trends regarding grievance handling; and section five concludes with a snapshot of achievements, lessons learned, areas of strength and in need of improvement, and the path forward.
  • Publication
    Human-Rights-Based Assessment Tool for Country-Level Grievance Mechanisms
    (Washington, DC : World Bank, 2022) World Bank
    The assessment tool is presented in five sections: (i) General Information about the Grievance Mechanism collects basic information about the responding agency and the environment in which its GM operates; (ii) GM Design and Communications examines the effectiveness of the provision of information about the GM, its procedures, the user-centricity of grievance uptake channels, the extent to which the needs of vulnerable groups are considered, and if confidentiality and anonymity for complainants are guaranteed; (iii) Grievance Handling and Resolution looks at the processes in place to acknowledge, log, categorize, and resolve grievances, and how well different enablers, such as a strong customer service culture, standardized processes, interagency/interinstitutional cooperation, and capacity building serve the organization’s purpose; (iv) Monitoring and Evaluation explores the depth and systematic character of data collection about complainants’ satisfaction levels, user demographics, and complaint resolution, as well as the extent to which these data are publicly communicated; (v) GM Strengths and Areas for Improvement invites a strategic reflection on the GM’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for its improvement. Its unscored, open-ended questions are intended to encourage bigger picture reflection and to prompt a discussion on further actions that can be taken in the future to bring the GM to the next level, possibly with external support.
  • Publication
    A Global Stock-Take of Country-Owned Grievance and Feedback Mechanisms
    (Washington, DC : World Bank, 2022) World Bank
    Centralized country-owned GMs are managed by a single entity that provides the main gateway for the submission of citizen feedback. In most cases, the task of such a centralized GM is to accept and acknowledge the receipt of a submission and then forward it to the public sector entity with the mandate to address the specific issue at hand. Upon receiving a submission, the appropriate ministry, bureau, or department ensures adequate follow-up, investigation, and action, with a view toward proposing a resolution agreeable to the GM user. Grievance redress units established at the central/ national level typically monitor the responses of such public entities to ensure that they are abiding by legally established timeframes for an administrative response and that after receiving a suggested resolution, they are communicating it back to citizens. Furthermore, because of its position as a central node, a centralized GM can also collect and publish relevant grievance data.
  • Publication
    Assessing Project-Level Grievance Redress Mechanisms Using a Human-Rights-Based Approach
    (Washington, DC : World Bank, 2022) World Bank
    This note is a resource for World Bank task teams providing technical assistance to Borrowers on grievance redress mechanisms (GRMs). The first step in strengthening a project-level GRM, after discussing it within the task team and informing the Country Management Unit (CMU), is to organize a technical assistance mission to conduct a detailed GRM diagnostic for the project or group of projects selected. This helps the project implementation unit (PIU) and task team understand the PIU’s capacity for grievance management, learn about grievance resolution experiences of PIU staff and potential complainants and project beneficiaries through field visits, share international experiences with grievance redress while building the capacity of relevant staff, and facilitate the preparation of a GRM strengthening action plan by relevant PIU counterparts. The guidance and tools provided here, including templates and worksheets, can help social development specialists and other relevant task team members systematically plan and organize such missions.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    The Container Port Performance Index 2023
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-07-18) World Bank
    The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) measures the time container ships spend in port, making it an important point of reference for stakeholders in the global economy. These stakeholders include port authorities and operators, national governments, supranational organizations, development agencies, and other public and private players in trade and logistics. The index highlights where vessel time in container ports could be improved. Streamlining these processes would benefit all parties involved, including shipping lines, national governments, and consumers. This fourth edition of the CPPI relies on data from 405 container ports with at least 24 container ship port calls in the calendar year 2023. As in earlier editions of the CPPI, the ranking employs two different methodological approaches: an administrative (technical) approach and a statistical approach (using matrix factorization). Combining these two approaches ensures that the overall ranking of container ports reflects actual port performance as closely as possible while also being statistically robust. The CPPI methodology assesses the sequential steps of a container ship port call. ‘Total port hours’ refers to the total time elapsed from the moment a ship arrives at the port until the vessel leaves the berth after completing its cargo operations. The CPPI uses time as an indicator because time is very important to shipping lines, ports, and the entire logistics chain. However, time, as captured by the CPPI, is not the only way to measure port efficiency, so it does not tell the entire story of a port’s performance. Factors that can influence the time vessels spend in ports can be location-specific and under the port’s control (endogenous) or external and beyond the control of the port (exogenous). The CPPI measures time spent in container ports, strictly based on quantitative data only, which do not reveal the underlying factors or root causes of extended port times. A detailed port-specific diagnostic would be required to assess the contribution of underlying factors to the time a vessel spends in port. A very low ranking or a significant change in ranking may warrant special attention, for which the World Bank generally recommends a detailed diagnostic.
  • Publication
    Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-03-05) World Bank
    Digitalization is the transformational opportunity of our time. The digital sector has become a powerhouse of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Value added in the IT services sector grew at 8 percent annually during 2000–22, nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Employment growth in IT services reached 7 percent annually, six times higher than total employment growth. The diffusion and adoption of digital technologies are just as critical as their invention. Digital uptake has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.5 billion new internet users added from 2018 to 2022. The share of firms investing in digital solutions around the world has more than doubled from 2020 to 2022. Low-income countries, vulnerable populations, and small firms, however, have been falling behind, while transformative digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) have been accelerating in higher-income countries. Although more than 90 percent of the population in high-income countries was online in 2022, only one in four people in low-income countries used the internet, and the speed of their connection was typically only a small fraction of that in wealthier countries. As businesses in technologically advanced countries integrate generative AI into their products and services, less than half of the businesses in many low- and middle-income countries have an internet connection. The growing digital divide is exacerbating the poverty and productivity gaps between richer and poorer economies. The Digital Progress and Trends Report series will track global digitalization progress and highlight policy trends, debates, and implications for low- and middle-income countries. The series adds to the global efforts to study the progress and trends of digitalization in two main ways: · By compiling, curating, and analyzing data from diverse sources to present a comprehensive picture of digitalization in low- and middle-income countries, including in-depth analyses on understudied topics. · By developing insights on policy opportunities, challenges, and debates and reflecting the perspectives of various stakeholders and the World Bank’s operational experiences. This report, the first in the series, aims to inform evidence-based policy making and motivate action among internal and external audiences and stakeholders. The report will bring global attention to high-performing countries that have valuable experience to share as well as to areas where efforts will need to be redoubled.
  • Publication
    Business Ready 2024
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03) World Bank
    Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.
  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, June 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10) World Bank
    The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.
  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, January 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16) World Bank
    Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.