Accountability in Practice: Lessons from the CAO

About this grant

The Compliance, Advisor, Ombudsman office was established in 1999 as the independent accountability mechanism for the World Bank Group’s private-sector agencies. This office receives and responds to complaints from communities affected by projects funded or guaranteed by these World Bank Group agencies. Despite the importance of this office, relatively little outside analysis has been done regarding the implications of its activities and the lessons it provides for further accountability. Through this grant, the American University’s Washington College of Law will manage the preparation, editing, and distribution of a book, documenting the lessons learned from the Compliance, Advisor, Ombudsman’s first 15 years. In addition, the grantee will convene workshops to discuss the book’s findings and implications for other accountability mechanisms.