RightsCon Tunis 2019

Are you concerned about how bank de-risking is negatively affecting human rights work globally? Are you a Not-for-Profit Organization (NPO)whose financial transactions have been stopped, questioned or refused by banks? Do you want to learn more about this growing problem, and meet others who are looking for solutions? If so, please join our us! Bank de-risking is increasingly affecting the operations of NPOs that support some of the most vulnerable citizens in the world, namely local human rights/humanitarian actors who live in conflict zones and areas thought to be affected by money laundering and terrorist financing. International sanctions regimes place the burden of enforcement on Banks. In turn, Banks are "de-risking" --meaning reducing their exposure to "risky transactions" that could be in violation of the widening number of sanctions regimes. For NPOs working in "risky" zones, they find their financial transactions questioned, refused, returned and accounts closed. NPOs cannot function without a bank. This session will be of interest to: i) Human right advocates; ii) NPOs that have been affected by bank de-risking; iii)government attendees who champion financial inclusion and/or represent the sanctions side of the issue; and v) banking industry representatives who have been delegated the burden of enforcement.