​Panel Takes Part in Civil Society Workshop in Guatemala

The Inspection Panel joined with two other independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) and the Pan American Development Foundation to sponsor a workshop for nearly 50 civil society representatives in Guatemala City on June 29. Chairman Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Operations Officer Birgit Kuba and Senior Executive Assistant Oriana Bolvaran represented the Panel at the workshop, which also included representatives from the IAMs of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP). The workshop included presentations on the work of the World Bank, IDB and UNDP in Guatemala and the mandates and operations of the IAMs, as well as a discussion with community representatives who have had experience in bringing complaints to the IAMs. Representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) from throughout Guatemala took part in the one-day workshop. The Panel regularly organizes these types of workshops around the globe to make CSOs and other development partners aware of the existence of the Panel as an avenue of recourse if need be, and to explain its procedures.