Three steps to file a complaint

  1. Answer these questions to confirm that MICI is the right channel for submitting your complaint. 
     

    a) Does the complaint refer to an IDB Group project? Sometimes, it is easy to identify whether the IDB Group is financing the project because national law requires the disclosure of this information. If you are unsure, you can check the lists of IDB projects and IDB Invest projects.

    b) Does the potential impact or harm relate to environmental and social issues covered by the operational policies of the IDB or IDB Invest? These safeguards are mandatory for all projects, from design to execution, and cover aspects such as effective community participation, risk management and impact mitigation, the promotion of gender equality, and the protection of indigenous peoples' rights, among others. 

    Complaints related to ethical issues; corruption, fraud, or prohibited practices; or management, internal finance, or procurement or contracting processes, will be transferred to other IDB Group offices responsible for these issues. 

    c) Have you already tried to contact the people in charge of the project? Before contacting MICI, you might try to work out a solution with the IDB or IDB Invest project teams. However, if you fear possible reprisals for voicing your complaint, you may go directly to MICI. 
     

   2. Be sure to include all the information required. 

You can use this checklist to review these basic criteria, which summarizes the exclusions and requirements in paragraphs 19 and 22 of the MICI policy.  

  • The complainants must be two or more persons who may be affected by a project, and they must be residents of the country where it is being implemented. 
  • The complaint is not anonymous, and it provides the names and contact information of all complainants. If a representative is supporting the complainants, he or she must have the written authorization of all the complainants.
  • The alleged harm is related to an IDB Group-financed project already approved by the Board of Directors. If more than 24 months have passed since the Bank’s last disbursement, the complaint will not be eligible but might be managed by the IDB's grievance protocol or IDB Invest's Management Grievance Mechanism. 

  3. Send your complaint in writing.  

You can write us in any of the IDB official languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French) or any original language of Latin America and the Caribbean. Although there is no predefined format, you can use this sample letter as a guide. Send it by email, mail, or fax, addressed to the MICI director. Our contact information is: 

Email address

mecanismo@iadb.org

Mailing address

Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism

1300 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20577

United States

Fax +1 202 312 405