The close-out phase is reached when a grievance has been fully addressed and no further action is required. Every effort is made to close out grievances within the initial 30 days from their filing, subject to all reasonable efforts to resolve them. The close-out procedure includes communicating the findings from the investigation and the actions taken in response to the grievance to the complainant, and seeking their agreement on the outcome.

If the complainant is satisfied with the resolution, the grievance is formally closed out with their signature or fingerprint on the closure document, which serves as confirmation of their acceptance. This signed documentation is then recorded and filed as evidence of the resolution.

However, if the complainant rejects the proposed resolution or decides to appeal, the status of the grievance is updated accordingly in the grievance database. The possible closure statuses are:

• Resolved: Indicates that a resolution has been reached, agreed upon by all parties involved, and implemented with signed documentation as evidence.
• Unresolved: Used when it is not possible to reach an agreed resolution. In such cases, the closure of the grievance is authorized by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) after confirming that all reasonable measures to resolve the grievance have been exhausted.
• Inconclusive: Applied to cases where the complainant has not responded or cannot be contacted for two months following the submission of the formal grievance. Efforts to reach the complainant must be documented, and the grievance is closed if there remains no response after diligent attempts.

This structured approach ensures transparency and accountability in the grievance resolution process, allowing for the thorough documentation and appropriate closure of each case.