Spotlight on human rights expert Michael Windfuhr

Since 2014, you and your colleagues Maartje van Putten and Steve Gibbons have been active as an Independent Expert Panel as part of the new complaints management system initiated by development finance institutions DEG and FMO. What purpose does the complaints mechanism serve?

Setting up a complaints mechanism allows people who feel that they have been negatively affected by a project to voice their concerns and be heard.

What form does your work actually take?

First of all, we verify whether a complaint is admissible and whether it is in line with the criteria of the complaints mechanism. When we accept a complaint, there are mainly two options open to us. We try – wherever possible – to actively find a solution to the problem, e.g. through intervention. Alternatively, we examine whether DEG’s and FMO’s actions comply with their own guidelines and standards and issue recommendations wherever we see the need for improvement. In this way, we play our part – as independent experts – in further developing and applying guidelines that go beyond individual investments.

What have been the most important experiences since you began your work?

The new DEG and FMO mechanism is the first one to be set up by bilateral European development finance institutions. First of all, it was necessary to develop an organisational framework into which we also channelled our experience with other complaints mechanisms. Since the mechanism came into force, a total of four complaints have been submitted. One of these fulfilled the criteria for being accepted and dealt with as a complaint. The complainant wished for us to examine whether DEG’s and FMO’s actions complied with their guidelines. We had to get used to working as a team while dealing with a challenging case at the same time. I think that we managed this quite well.

It also became evident here that, as well as examining documents, it is important to have an understanding of legal and local contexts and to interact with civil society, companies, government offices and development finance providers in order to build up as accurate a picture of a situation as possible and to develop approaches.

What have you got lined up for the coming months?

Based on our experiences to date, we will be working on examining and honing guidelines and procedures. In doing so, we will also be taking on board recommendations from non-governmental organisations. Apart from this, it is important for us to raise the profile of the mechanism further.

Michael Windfuhr is Deputy Director of the German Institute for Human Rights. An expert in human rights, he was a co-founder of FIAN International (FoodFirst Information and Action Network) and held positions in various organisations including the post of Human Rights Director at Bread for the World.