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Accountability
Improving accountability relationships is an effective strategy for developing capacity. Effective accountability mechanisms induce both governmental and non-governmental organizations to remain relevant and responsive to the needs and demands of the groups they serve.
Holding those in power accountable for tackling poverty and ensuring the well-being of all citizens is quite a challenge, especially in societies characterized by authoritarian styles of leadership. Furthermore, the concept of accountability is itself quite broad: ranging from macro-level financial systems to the interpersonal relationships that drive the most basic level of development action. Civil society organizations, in particular, are becoming more innovative in influencing policymaking and monitoring the use of public resources. Drawing from a wide variety of governance contexts, this section showcase innovative approaches and tools that can help empower individuals and groups seeking to make a greater contribution in this area.
Featured Article
SNV Practice Brief: Supporting domestic accountability
Accountability can be an abstract concept, but it comes alive for ordinary citizens if it
involves looking at whether (and how) funding for services is distributed and spent at the local
level. This Practice Brief is the first of a new series prepared by practitioners working with the
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. It helps to shed some light on what support organisations
can do to amplify the voice of local stakeholders in demanding greater accountability from
governments and service providers.
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Recent Articles
How to write Terms of Reference for an evaluation
23 January 2012
Developing
an accurate and well-specified terms of reference (ToR) is a critical step in managing a
high-quality evaluation. The evaluation ToR document serves as the basis for a contractual
arrangement with one or more evaluators and sets the parameters against which the success of the
assignment can be measured. This practical guide from the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group
sets out a few basic principles and guidelines to help in the development of an effective
evaluation.
SNV Practice Brief: Supporting domestic accountability
25 November 2011
Accountability can be an abstract concept, but it comes alive for ordinary citizens if it
involves looking at whether (and how) funding for services is distributed and spent at the local
level. This Practice Brief is the first of a new series prepared by practitioners working with the
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. It helps to shed some light on what support organisations
can do to amplify the voice of local stakeholders in demanding greater accountability from
governments and service providers.
3ie launches online database on systematic reviews
16 November 2011
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) has launched an online database of systematic reviews. This database provides policymakers and practitioners with easy access to systematic reviews that examine evidence on the effects of social and economic development interventions in low- and middle-income countries. It currently has over 100 reviews for many sectors, including agriculture, education, nutrition and health.
MoreHumanitarian action in drought-related emergencies
11 November 2011
The Action Learning Network on
Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) has published a Lessons Paper that
identifies seventeen key lessons for humanitarian agencies responding to droughts, on topics such
as: early warning, targeting, working with government, food aid, water interventions and nutrition.
It builds on the 2007 ALNAP/ProVention paper Slow-onset Disasters: Drought and food and livelihoods
insecurity and a review of over 100 evaluative documents produced by humanitarian agencies in the
period 2007-2011.
Implementing the Paris Declaration: No end in sight
05 October 2011
The results of the 2011 Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration make for sobering reading,
according to the OECD. At the global level, only 1 out of the 13 targets established for 2010 has
been met, which makes for a tough agenda as countries prepare to meet in Busan, Korea, for the
Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.
Evaluating capacity development
13 September 2011
Why evaluations seldom satisfy – could we do better?
As capacity development becomes mainstreamed in
international development assistance programmes, demand for the systematic evaluation of
capacity-development initiatives is growing. Doug Horton explains how the evaluation of capacity
development can be improved.
Other Topics
Essential Readings
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Theisohn, T. (2007) Using accountability relationships to support capacity, in Capacity.org issue 31
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Rakesh Rajani (2010) "Capacity is Political, Not Technical: The Case of HakiElimu in Promoting Accountability in Education in Tanzania" in Ubels, J., N. Acquaye-Baddoo and A. Fowler (eds) Capacity Development in Practice, Earthscan, pp. 157-166
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Asian Development Bank (2007) Improving Local Governance and Service Delivery: Citizen Report Card Learning Tool Kit
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World Bank (2004) Making services work for poor people
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“Our Money, Our Responsibility: A Citizens’ Guide to Monitoring Government Expenditures” The International Budget Project (IBP) 2008
Featured Community
ALNAP
Active Learning Network on Accountability and
Performance in Humanitarian Assistance (ALNAP) is a unique, sector-wide network that brings
together the major actors involved in international responses to conflicts and natural disasters.
Established in 1997, following the multi-agency evaluation of the Rwanda genocide, ALNAP is a
collective response dedicated to improving humanitarian performance through increased learning and
accountability.
Related Blogs
Supporting domestic accountability: why quick fixes won't work
In an interesting review... read more »
Can we genuinely learn from evaluations?
The concept of capacity development with its in-built appreciation of endogenous systems and ownership is at the heart of the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness... read more »
Strengthening health systems: we can do better
Since the start of the millennium, annual development assistance for health has surged from US$10.5 billion to US$27 billion 2010. This has led to notable successes, such... read more »
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