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Panel Hosts Participants in Columbia University Human Rights Advocates Program

Colombia University Students Visit

The Inspection Panel on November 19, 2019, hosted participants in the Human Rights Advocates Program at Columbia University. Panel Chair Imrana Jalal and Executive Secretary Dilek Barlas welcomed the group, which included advocates from nine countries. Operations Officer Birgit Kuba then briefed the group on the Panel’s mandate and procedures and answered questions on several issues – including access to information about World Bank projects, cooperation among the different independent oversight and accountability units at the Bank, leverage available to the Panel and Bank to achieve good outcomes and the Panel’s outreach efforts to make communities aware of its role at the Bank. Founded in 1989, the Human Rights Advocates Program provides grassroots leaders the tools, knowledge, access, and networks to strengthen their organizations and promote human rights. The group has visited the Panel annually in recent years. Participants in this year’s program come from Argentina, Armenia, Chad, China, Ghana, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Uganda.