A/HRC/45/28 several steps were being taken to ensure, as far as possible, that IMF financing was not misused.81 67. In this connection, the Independent Expert wants to express his support for another call made by international, regional and local civil society organizations to IMF to empower them by formally recognizing their role as independent monitoring groups and strengthening civil society groups’ capacities for monitoring work.82 Evidently, as stressed earlier, a safe environment that is conducive to the work of civil society at the local level is fundamental to this role. V. Conclusions and recommendations 68. International financial institutions are important actors in the financing of development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through the various policies that they pursue and the safeguards that they have put in place, they have a direct influence on how good governance is realized at the local level – including with regard to stakeholder engagement, responsiveness of the needs of the population and the fight against corruption – and ultimately on the enjoyment of a democratic and equitable international order. 69. International financial institutions must systematically take all the measures necessary to ensure that their activities and the projects that they support do not lead to human rights violations, including those committed by clients, whether in the public or private sector. They must similarly use their substantial leverage to ensure that those clients respect human rights and the principle of good governance. 70. While international financial institutions should always aspire to be actors of positive change on the ground, it is first and foremost the responsibility of States, in particular in their capacity as clients of international financial institutions, to ensure that good governance and respect for human rights on the ground. This responsibility starts with ensuring a safe environment that is conducive to the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms, and pursuing accountability. 71. Crucially, respect for human rights, good governance and the interests of local communities must be at the very heart of what drives sustainable development. This requirement is all the more important in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated several of the challenges identified in the present report and increased the vulnerability of groups at risk. 72. In the spirit of continuing the constructive dialogue that he has held with various stakeholders since the beginning of his tenure, the Independent Expert wishes to offer the following general recommendations, in addition to the several specific ones made and the good practices identified throughout the report. 73. The Independent Expert recommends that international financial institutions: (a) Ensure that their safeguard frameworks contain a clear commitment to respecting human rights and to conducting human rights due diligence, and to requiring their clients to respect human rights and conduct human rights due diligence; (b) Include assessment of the enabling environment for the participation of communities and civil society, of potential reprisals and, more generally, of the human rights situation in project- and country-level engagement in due diligence processes; (c) Engage with clients and States on the importance of ensuring a safe environment that is conducive to the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms; 81 82 18 Transparency International, “The IMF on corruption and COVID-19: an interview with Kristalina Georgieva”. Letter dated 4 May 2020 from 97 civil society organizations to the IMF Managing Director.