Grievance mechanisms provide a way to reduce risk
for projects, offer communities an effective avenue for
expressing concerns and achieving remedies, and promote a
mutually constructive relationship.
Local people need a trusted way to voice and resolve concernslinked to a development project,
and companies need an effective way to address community concerns. A locally based
grievance resolution mechanism provides a promising avenue by offering a reliable structure and
set of approaches where local people and the company can find effective solutionstogether.
A well-functioning grievance mechanism:
• Provides a predictable, transparent, and credible processto all parties, resulting in
outcomesthat are seen asfair, effective, and lasting
• Buildstrust as an integral component of broader community relations activities
• Enables more systematic identification of emerging issues and trends, facilitating corrective
action and preemptive engagement.
Demand for effective grievance mechanismsisincreasingly underpinned by investor policies—
such asthose of the World Bank Group’sInternational Finance Corporation (IFC)—and
international initiativessuch asthe United Nations Human Rights Council.
This Advisory Note offers practical guidance to assist in the design and implementation of
effective project-level grievance mechanisms.