Overview
The safeguard policies of multilateral donors and funding agencies promote the social and environmental sustainability of supported programs and projects. These policies are not only critical to achieving sustainable development, but also in avoiding and/or minimizing social and environmental impact. This review, which aims to provide insights and lessons for GEF-7, focused on (1) the extent to which the GEF Minimum Standards have added value to the GEF partnership, (2) the degree to which they are aligned with relevant international best standards and practices, (3) how the GEF is informed of safeguard-related risks in supported operations, and (4) recommendations for how GEF safeguards may evolve in coming years. The review did not focus on GEF Agency safeguard policies and systems.