The collaboration aims to support the continuous integration of human rights in IFU’s investment processes. The collaboration will include identifying ways to further embed human rights in relevant investment policies and processes.
Concretely, the collaboration will among other things include
- reviewing and updating IFU’s internal human rights risk screening tools and procedures
- advising IFU on integrating human rights when investing in funds or financial intermediaries
- strengthening IFU’s monitoring of human rights related performance of its investments
Why this matters
IFU’s stated objective is to contribute to economic and social development in the investment countries and support the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Given the importance of respect for human rights to the realisation of sustainable development it is paramount that IFU embeds the human rights lens throughout its investment processes. This has the potential to improve the situation for people potentially affected by IFU supported investments including workers, communities, patients, and students. By embedding human rights in its investments processes IFU can avoid and address negative impacts on stakeholders associated with their investments and seek to maximise positive impacts.
The collaboration builds on previous collaboration between the Danish Institute for Human Rights and IFU as well as a recent collaboration with the Association of European Development Finance Institutions aiming to harmonise approaches to human rights across European development finance institutions.