Donors can help accountability of partnerships

Though demands for more accountability are increasing, it is still seen largely as a toolbox of metrics and mechanisms to bolt on to existing development projects, designed to reduce corruption and inefficiency at the margin. A new report from AccountAbility, Development as Accountability: Accountability innovators in action, argues that it should instead become a central goal of development.

Collaboration is often cited as an inherently more accountable way of promoting development, but, says the report, ‘this is a claim that has run well ahead of the evidence’. In order for the claim to become convincing, the way the poor collaborate with their development partners must be reinvented – and donors have a crucial role to play in this.

Based on case studies from Indonesia, Russia and Brazil, the research suggests that if collaborative initiatives are to work effectively, they should have a clear framework covering how decisions are made at all stages in the work cycle. Donors should be required to publish the criteria on which the accountability of initiatives is judged. They should also invest in supporting knowledge networks on effective governance and accountability, which would support civil society development and advocacy around these issues.

Generally, criteria for the governance of collaborations should be developed, prioritizing their downward accountability to the ultimate beneficiaries. Consideration should also be given to the development of benchmarks to provide consistent and comparable feedback to donors, governments and citizens on the legitimacy of partnerships. Lastly, donors should review and improve their own accountability systems to ensure they are providing the strongest example for the supported initiatives.

Alejandro Litovsky is Senior Adviser at AccountAbility. Email alejandro@accountability21.net

For more information
To download Development as Accountability, go to www.accountability21.net