Environmental Assessment
Volume A-6
Introduction
Consultation
The IFC guidelines are particularly oriented towards ensuring that local
populations potentially directly affected by a project are adequately consulted.
Care is to be taken to ensure the following:
•
Populations targeted for consultations are recognized to have different
interests and concerns relative to the project, and may need to be
segmented for consultation purposes. Different consultation methods
may be required for different stakeholder groups.
•
Information materials are prepared in format, language and content that
is appropriate to the capacity of populations to absorb, so they can
provide input from an informed position. This may require for example
limiting written documentation in favour of pictorial representation of
information on a project and its potential impacts and benefits.
•
Means for information distribution and notice of upcoming
consultations events are timely and appropriate to the target populations.
This may require for example posting information notices well in
advance of consultation events in commonly used public areas rather
than use of media such as newspapers.
•
Logistical arrangements for consultation events acknowledge the
constraints to participation by certain segments of the population. This
may require for example scheduling consultations so they do not
conflict with times of intense agricultural activity.
•
Proactive measures are taken to ensure that any vulnerable, or socially
marginalized, groups such as women, the very poor or minority ethnic
groups are able to participate in consultations.
6.2.3
Consultation Methodology
At the outset of the EA process the proponent expressed their commitment to
implementing a structured program for public consultation and to working
closely with communities in the spirit of mutual respect and integrity.
Consultation activities have been organized and conducted by various staff of the
project and its EA consultants, Golder Associates, Soateg and Social Capital
Group, depending on the purpose of the specific consultation activity. Dynatec
senior management has been in constant communication with national and
regional governments as project development and the EA have moved forward.
Ambatovy Project
23
January 2006
