IDI is a non-governmental organization that seeks to promote justice for local communities and grassroots organizations, by exposing harmful practices and human rights abuses that corporations inflict on these groups through developmental projects.
Mission and Purpose
Inclusive Development International defends communities around the world against harmful corporate projects, which is in line with their vision for “local communities and individuals determine their own development paths”. Their mission also involves ensuring corporations and businesses respect human rights and their environmental responsibilities to promote social, economic, and ecological justice for these communities
Origins and Development
Inclusive Development International was founded in 2012 to help provide strategies and resources to individuals and groups pushing for inclusive development. They partner with organizations in Africa and Southeast Asia to fight back against “human rights abuses caused by unjust development.” Their cornerstone project, “Following the Money to Justice began in 2016 as a response to the global land-grabbing crisis.
Developmental projects facilitated by large corporations in these areas often have a way of disenfranchising, underdeveloping, and stressing vulnerable populations with very few “local benefits.” As such, IDI puts a stop to destructive developmental projects that promote human rights abuse.
These harmful projects are usually funded by organizations (multinationals, commodity traders and buyers, private equity investors, global brands) that are “bound by rules that require them to do no harm and respect human rights and to the environment” and present themselves as “responsible corporate citizens. However, the nature of this funding makes it hard for these organizations to be identified, rendering it difficult for these grassroots communities to defend their rights effectively.
Organizational Structure, Membership, and Funding
IDI has a board of directors and a team of experts that deal with the day-to-day operations. They are supported by a number of organizations including; Planet Wheeler, 11th hour project, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The Fund for Global Human Rights, Sigrid Rausing Trust, Partners for Equity, Brot für die Welt , Heinrich Böll Stiftung
Specializations, Methods, and Tools
Inclusive Development International uses research, casework, and policy advocacy in executing its mission, which includes ‘fighting back’ against harmful development practices that disenfranchise local vulnerable communities. Their approach to doing this involves partnering with local communities and grassroots organizations potentially affected by these unjust development practices, and helping them to protect their natural resources, land, and human rights against “threats from harmful investment projects.” They do this through;
· Assisting these vulnerable communities to identify pressure points for advocacy.
and ;
· Long-term engagement with these communities in developing evidence-based strategies for advocacy
· IDI uncover the investment and supply chains around these projects by following the money upon request from these local communities and assisting them in their advocacy.
The organization has a clearly outlined procedure to request their support and has an online resource hub for parties who wish to access their tools and methodologies to implement similar strategies in vulnerable communities.
Major Projects and Events
Considering that their focus is on Southeast Asia and Africa, they have engaged in campaigns in Cambodia, Laos, and have ongoing campaigns in Guinea, Philippines, Indonesia and Uganda and Tanzania.
IDI groups their activities and projects under 4 main umbrellas including;
Analysis and Lessons Learned
IDI’s projects geared at;
- Forestalling investments that promote human rights abuse and environmental destruction by increasing both the financial and reputational costs of organizations that do so.
- Advancing policy campaigns, and creating toolsand resources that reinforce corporate accountability, and structural change where necessary.
They have succeeded at doing this with several projects among which include;
- Demanding accountability for the deadly collapse of the Xe-Pian and Xe Namnoy hydropower dam in Laos,
- Securing redress for communities displaced by new railway system in Cambodia
Publications
Inclusive Development International has several publications on their website, some of which include;
Bugalski, N., & Pred, D. (2023). Lessons from the ANZ-Phnom Penh Sugar Case for the OECD National Contact Point System of Corporate Accountability. Business and Human Rights Journal, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1017/bhj.2023.24
Geary, K., & Pascal, M. M. (2022). 10 Essentials for a ‘Truly Green’ Green Equity Approach. Recourse.
Human Rights Watch (Organization), Wormington, J., Bugalski, N., Scott, C., & Inclusive Development International (Eds.). (2021). Aluminum: The car industry’s blind spot: why car companies should address the human rights impact of aluminum production. Human Rights Watch, Inclusive Development International.
Lamia, M. (2023). A Guide to a New Grievance Mechanism for the Mining Industry, with Emphasis on Chinese Corporations.
Myanmar ESG Files—Inclusive Development International. (2022, March). https://www.inclusivedevelopment.net/myanmaresgfiles/
Willis, D., Pamintuan, M., & Geary, K. (2023). Paris aligned? The International Finance Corporation’s financial intermediary investments, fossil fuels and the climate crisis.