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Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
• Naimur Rahman & other external resources persons have been very useful for us to broaden the knowledge on Social Accountability (“Good day!”)
• Presentations from Bangladesh speakers very interesting and impressive
• Participants & facilitators e-mails could be shared with all
• Background on guest organisations shows good response to participant feedback
• Dinner should be arranged outside this place
Participant feedback – day III
CARE NEPALTHURSDAY 21 JUNE 2012Forward Accountability
Understanding the concept; recognising challenges and options for action
Governance Learning Event, Kathmandu, 13 June 2013
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Practice what y
ou
preach!
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
CARE as power-holder
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Accountable to whom?
CARE family members
impact groups
donors
partnersgovernment
peers
supporters
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
AFAccountability Framework
HAFHumanitarian Accountability Framework
CI’s Accountability Frameworks
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Accountable to whom?
CARE family members
impact groups
donors
partnersgovernment
peers
supporters
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
impact groups ‘Forward’ Accountability
This means…
The responsible use of (our) power (source: HAP)
The means by which we enable our ‘impact group’ to
understand and influence our work (source: GALI)
Terminology & definitions
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Why do we want to be accountable?1. To respect our vision, mission, values and principles
2. To improve quality, effectiveness and relevance of our work
3. To promote ownership & sustainability
4. To maintain legitimacy and credibility (especially in governance work)
5. To empower, to fulfil rights
6. To be gender responsive/sensitive
7. To be conflict-sensitive
8. To increase staff security
9. To be timely informed: early warning and corrective measures
10.To reduce the risk of fraud
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Why do we want to be accountable?
Accountability is…
•a means to an end It helps us to improve the relevance, quality and
impact of our work
•an end in itself those whose lives we affect have a right to hold
CARE to account
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
What can we do to be more accountable?
4 dimensions (or ‘pillars’) of accountability
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
• Transparency as a necessary condition for accountability
• Key questions: what, to whom and how?
• Based on communication & information needs (assessment)
• Mind: sensitive information & management support
Transparency & info sharing
Some of the tools available:Radio; newspapers; noticeboards; community visits; open-office hours;
text messages; internet; IEC materials; liaison officers
(written or verbal; in words or in pictures)
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
• Solicited & unsolicited
• Collection, documentation, analysis & response /report-back
• Safety & accessibility
• Raising awareness and understanding of the mechanism
• Learning and adapting (beyond ad-hoc response)
• Resources, roles & responsibilities
Feedback & complaints
Some of the tools available:hotline; suggestion boxes; committees; liaison officers; feedback journals; feedback database; e-mail; community visits; FGDs; (exit) surveys; peers
…and all social accountability mechanisms?? (see Malawi & Nepal)
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
• Across all stages of the project cycle, including M&E
• Technical roles in activities (e.g. outreach, training)
• Representation in decision-making
• Consider: capacity; opportunity costs; risk of elite capture
Participation & representation
Example:
Participation in school rehabilitation – CARE Pakistan (and many others)
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
• Enabling environment: conducive to accountable practice
• Accountability is everyone’s responsibility
• Might include but not be limited to:
1. Leadership commitment, backed up by policies/guidelines
2. Incentives, roles & responsibilities (e.g. JDs, ToRs, appraisals)
3. People’s attitudes & behaviour (underpinned by support/training)
4. Allocation of resources (both human and financial)
5. Lead by example: internal decision-making procedures and culture
Enabling (organisational) environment
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Any questions/comments so far?
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
ACCOUNTABILITY IN PRACTICE
AN EXAMPLE FROM CARE NEPAL
Practice of Community Score BoardForward Accountability
CARE Nepal
Context
• Forward Accountability
• Seeking effective tool for “feedback, dialogue and response” domain of Forward accountability
• “Community Score Board” is one of the strong tools which serve all three aspects.
• Piloted in one of the projects “Community Support Program” to promote forward accountability
Context
• CARE Nepal has experience of using “Community Score Board” in its health projects to promote accountability at health facilities.
• Same methodology and process adopted from health project with modification of indicators.
• Indicators were generated solely for the purpose of promoting forward accountability of CARE Nepal and implementing partners towards impact groups.
ProcessMeeting with impact groups and key
stakeholders to:
• Orient the process• identify indicators
Interface meeting with: impact groups, users groups, government line agencies, CSOs, other peer organizations and members of the selected VDC to:
• rank/mark indicators
• develop action plan to address gaps
Indicators• impact group & users committee
participation in project/activities selection, implementation and monitoring
• users committee formation process
• transparency in program budget and its expenditure
• timely fund release and settlement
• capacity building of impact groups/users committee
• behavior of staff towards impact group
• spaces for dialogue between impact group and CARE Nepal/implementing partners.
Example of Score/Rating in Khuwathok, Dhankuta
Indicators Present Score
Main 3 reasons for present score
Target score
Action Plan summary
Users participation in project selection and execution
45 - Active participation of users committee
- Participation from excluded and marginalized groups
- Participation of women is higher
50 - Increase people’s participation in ward level.
- Continue workshop, training for increase awareness.
Timely fund release and settlement
15 - Incomplete documents (receipts and vouchers)
- Lack of knowledge in the process
- Layers in the structure (hold of documents)
35 - Orientation on proper documentation and process to the users groups
- Delegate the responsibilities during absence of the responsible person
Learning/Effectiveness of tools
• Improvement area identified
• Initiative is highly praised by impact group
• Increased trust of impact groups towards CARE Nepal and its partners
• Space created for dialogue between CARE Nepal/partners and impact group
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
TEA
TEA
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Why might it be difficult to beaccountable to those we work with?
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
?
The diversity of impact groups
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
?
risk of elite capture &poor representation
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Accountable to whom?
CARE family members
impact groups
donors
partnersgovernment
peers
supporters
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
2 3
1
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
What should we be aware of?
1. The diversity of impact groups & the risk of elite capture
2. Balancing various accountability commitments
3. Complexity of large INGOS: working through partners
4. Information can be highly (conflict) sensitive
5. Opportunity costs of participation
6. Fear of criticism: staff resistance to feedback?
7. Cultural barriers to feedback: To complain or not to complain
8. Practical: resources; competing demands; language; access; etc.
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
How accountable are you?Identifying good practice
• 4 groups
• Focus (initially) on 1 of the dimensions
• Identify good practice within your COs/programmes
• Prepare a brief presentation (5-10 minutes)
• You only have 30 minutes for this!
Also see hand-out with instructions!
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Just to wrap up…
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
CARE UK and Accountability
• CARE Nepal: pilots / towards a CO framework
• West Africa – GALI: Regional learning initiative
• CARE Peru: Documenting / sharing lessons learnt
• CARE Rwanda: Forward Accountability & partnership
(Not exhaustive…)
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
CIUK support
• Orientation + training for partners and CARE staff
• Support development of appropriate tools
• Piloting tools in new and existing initiatives
• Facilitate reflection, learning & documentation
• Translating lessons learnt into systematic approach to acc.
• Support alignment with CI Accountability Framework
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
THANK YOU!!
Remember….
“The relationship between an NGO and its intended beneficiaries is a foundation stone for effective interventions.” (Listen First 2010)
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
EXTRA SLIDES….
Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
Donors
impact groups
upward
downward
Forward
impact groupsInternal