Board Approves Panel Recommendation Not to Investigate the Strengthening the National Statistical System in Ecuador Project
On January 14, 2025, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved the Panel’s recommendation not to investigate the Request for Inspection related to the Strengthening the National Statistical System Project in Ecuador. The Request for Inspection was submitted to the Panel on September 11, 2024 by seven leaders of six local organizations (the “Requesters”): the Federation of Indigenous and Peasant Organizations of Azuay, the Water Board of Victoria del Portete and Tarqui, the Association of Afro-Descendants Cimarrón, the Black People’s Social Organization, the Transgender Project – Different Bodies Equal Rights, and La Colectiva.Ec.
The Request relates to a World Bank-financed project supporting the implementation of the 2022 Population and Housing Census, conducted by Ecuador's National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). Requesters alleged that the census underreported and misclassified minority group populations and persons, including Indigenous Peoples, Afro-Ecuadorians, Montubios, and members of the LGBTI+ community, excluding them from the provision of public services. They also alleged census results contribute to these groups losing collective rights as well as affirmative action and other benefits. Additionally, the Requesters argued that the 2022 Census provided the LGBTI+ population with insufficient options for identifying their sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, leading to concerns about related public policies. Furthermore, the census was alleged to reinforce attitudes that harm women and girls, such as insensitivity to and normalization of underage pregnancy, undervaluing care and housework, and insufficient recognition of women heading households.
The Panel registered the Request on October 21, 2024. Management submitted its response to the allegations made in the Request on November 20, 2024. To inform its report and recommendation, a Panel team, led by Panel Member Evelyn Dietsche, visited Quito, Ibarra, Tarqui, and Guayaquil in Ecuador from December 3-10, 2024. The Panel team met with the Requesters, representatives of Indigenous Peoples, Montubios, Afro-Ecuadorians organizations, government officials and Bank staff to hear their concerns and assess whether the Request meets the six technical eligibility criteria outlined in the Inspection Panel Resolution, which establishes the Panel’s mandate.
The Panel submitted its recommendation to the Board of Executive Directors on December 24, 2024. In its recommendation, the Panel determined that the Request did not satisfy all six eligibility criteria. While the Panel acknowledged the concerns Requesters had raised regarding the Census and the alleged harm associated with potential underreporting and misclassification, the Panel determined that the alleged harms could not be directly attributed to an action or omission of the Bank, as required under paragraph 13 of the Inspection Panel Resolution. The Panel noted that the alleged harm, if it were to occur, would be unlikely to result directly from the Census data, because this data is not the only source of information based on which public policies are deliberated and decided. The Panel considered the LGBTI+ population’s claims to reflect their legitimate expectations, rather than a material deterioration resulting from the Project. Therefore, the Panel did not recommend an investigation into the Bank’s compliance with the applicable provisions of the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework and the Bank Directive on Addressing Risks and Impacts on Disadvantaged or Vulnerable Individuals or Groups, and the case has been closed.