This Guidance Note provides guidance for investors and companies on the requirements contained in the IFC Performance Standards for issues linked to involuntary resettlement as part of project-related land acquisition. It offers guidance to minimise adverse impacts on displaced persons and host communities, and to improve the livelihoods of those affected by resettlement.

The Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability describes IFC’s commitments, roles, and responsibilities related to environmental and social sustainability. The Performance Standards are directed towards clients, providing guidance on how to identify risks and impacts, and are designed to help avoid, mitigate, and manage risks and impacts as a way of doing business in a sustainable way, including stakeholder engagement and disclosure obligations of the client in relation to project-level activities.

Key Developments:
• Displacement and humanitarian needs continue to increase in Kachin State due to continued instability.
A UN team visited Laiza in Kachin State and provided household family kits to IDPs...
• Serious concern over southern Chin State Food insecurity.

HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES:
• Displacement and humanitarian needs continue to increase. The urgent needs include shelter, NFIs,
WASH, vaccines and psychosocial support, among others...
• The UN team visited Laiza and provided NFI assistance to IDPs. Advocacy for follow up missions across all
affected areas continues

The Burma Army continues to attack people in three townships of Ba Maw District, Kachin State: Mun Si Township, Shwegu Township and Ba Maw Township. On 16 December 2011, Burma Army soldiers killed a woman from Prang Kawng Village. The woman, 30-year-old Lamung Kaw Seng, suffered from a mental disability. As Burma Army troops approached the village, all the villagers fled except for Lamung Kaw Seng. When the soldiers found her, they killed her and threw her into a toilet pit.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS:

* The Burma Army continued attacks against the Kachin people and every day there is shelling from attacking Burma Army units. There has been no ceasefire by the Burma Army troops in this area.

* There are over 30,000 displaced Kachin villagers now in hiding.

CURRENT SITUATION: "Instability in Kachin and Shan States restarted in early June 2011 and resulted in the displacement of populations, loss of lives and livelihoods and dam-ages to infrastructure. Following a Government invi-tation, an inter-agency rapid needs assessment was conducted from 20-26 September in 39 locations in some IDPs sites (camps, host families, public build-ings) of five townships (Bhamo, Momauk, Myitky-ina, Khaunglanhpu and Waingmaw) targeting 5,925 IDPs. Two townships Mansi and Shwegu could not be assessed due to security concerns.

A produção e comercialização do carvão, contribui para as receitas rurais, impostos para o governo, bem como oportunidade de emprego para famílias rurais, transportadores e comerciantes. Através da produção e comercialização do carvão, os produtores e comerciantes obtêm benefícios monetários imediatos.

A economia moçambicana tem sido dominada pelo Investimento Directo Estrangeiro (IDE), nos últimos anos, em grande parte destinado ao sector minero-energético. Os empreendimentos desse sector, que no geral têm recebido investimentos iniciais não inferiores a USD 500.000 (quinhentos mil dólares americanos) são definidos como mega projectos.

MappingForRights, an initiative of the Rainforest Foundation UK and local partners, enables forest communities themselves to demonstrate their presence in the forest; decision-makers and the private sector to take account of and recognise this presence; and to assist the international community in ensuring that programmes concerned with the Congo Basin’s forests provide equitable benefits for local communities.

The Philippines has made significant progress in empowering women and in advancing gender equality. The government's policy on gender equality and women's empowerment has prioritized women's economic empowerment, advancing human rights and enhancing gender-responsive local governance. All these priority concerns are integral components of poverty reduction programs in the Philippines. The Philippines has made significant progress in empowering women and in advancing gender equality.

The Burma Army has killed a villager and over 20 villages have fled attacks and mortar fire in Momauk Township, Kachin State. Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 73 under Division 88 has been attacking villages, with troops from Divisions 33, 44, 66 also entering the area. At least 400 Burma Army soldiers have been involved in the attacks, using 120mm and 60mm mortars and machine guns. Fighting in the area has increased and the Burma Army is building at least four new camps, using forced labor. Over 3,000 people have been displaced.