defending dignity. fighting poverty. naimur rahman & other external resources persons have been...

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


Practice what y

ou

preach!


CARE as power-holder


Accountable to whom?

CARE family members

impact groups

donors

partnersgovernment

peers

supporters


AFAccountability Framework

HAFHumanitarian Accountability Framework

CI’s Accountability Frameworks



CARE family members

impact groups

donors

partnersgovernment

peers

supporters


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


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


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


What can we do to be more accountable?

4 dimensions (or ‘pillars’) of accountability


• 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)


• 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)


• 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)


• 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


Any questions/comments so far?


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


TEA

TEA


Why might it be difficult to beaccountable to those we work with?


?

The diversity of impact groups


?

risk of elite capture &poor representation



CARE family members

impact groups

donors

partnersgovernment

peers

supporters


2 3

1


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.


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!


Just to wrap up…


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…)


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


THANK YOU!!

Remember….

“The relationship between an NGO and its intended beneficiaries is a foundation stone for effective interventions.” (Listen First 2010)

[email protected]


EXTRA SLIDES….


Donors

impact groups

upward

downward

Forward

impact groupsInternal

defending dignity. fighting poverty. naimur rahman & other external resources persons have been...

Documents

impact groupdefending

impact groupspaces

users groups

teateadefending dignity

care nepalpartners

care family

health projects

increase peoples participation