The World Bank Accountability Mechanism (AM) serves as an independent platform for individuals and communities who believe they have been, or may be, harmed by a World Bank–funded project. It operates through two complementary entities — the Inspection Panel and the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) — ensuring that affected people can raise concerns and seek redress.

Established by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on September 8, 2020, and formally approved through a March 7, 2025 Resolution, the AM outlines clear roles and responsibilities for both entities.

The Inspection Panel, created in 1993 and operational since 1994, investigates complaints related to environmental and social harm caused by World Bank (IBRD/IDA) projects.

The DRS, established in 2020 and operational from 2021, provides a voluntary and independent process for dispute resolution once a case is deemed eligible for inspection.

Together, these entities strengthen the Bank’s accountability framework and ensure affected communities have access to an impartial system for addressing grievances.

At the 2025 World Bank Annual Meetings, discussions surfaced around a potential merger between the newly created Accountability Mechanism and the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO). While the World Bank aims to streamline its processes for efficiency and private sector engagement, civil society organizations (CSOs) have voiced concerns that such changes could dilute accountability.

This moment, however, also presents a powerful opportunity — to build the capacity of CSOs so they can more effectively support communities engaging with development finance institutions.

In Ghana, where the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) are already active and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is establishing operations, this effort is gaining momentum. We have initiated collaborations with the Big Shift Global Campaign, Bank Information Center (BIC), and Accountability Counsel to strengthen the capacities of members of our Youth in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance (Youth-NREG) Platform, convened by the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) Ghana.

This initiative will train Youth Champions to help communities monitor and report on the impacts of bank-funded projects. We are also encouraged by the support pledged by Ibrahim James Pam, Chairperson of the World Bank’s Inspection Panel, for this important work.