Raising Standards of Accountability in NGOs

“The current state of civil society organisations demands a sense of accountability. It is very important that each one of us, in all our relationships, conduct our service in a way that nurtures and strengthens trust.”
-Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Founder-President, PRIA

Dr Tandon’s statement, at the conclusion of John Clark’s talk on “Raising Standards of Accountatbility in NGOs” at PRIA on 21st November, calls on each one of us to take responsibility in establishing the highest standards of NGO accountability and transparency. John Clark is Chair of the Independent Review Panel of Accountable Now, a network of large international NGOs who have pledged to adhere to high standards of accountability and transparency. PRIA’s support to transparency and accountability of the civil society sector in India is deeply embedded into the organisation: through the Voluntary Action Network India (formerly chaired by Dr. Tandon) and through the values and ethics of participatory research that we hold ourselves to in our work with communities.



In Mr Clark’s view, over the past few decades, the role of civil society organisations in shaping development agendas and, by that extension, affecting the world we live in, has rapidly grown in influence. NGOs demand that governments carry out their activities in a way which is inclusive of citizens and transparent in decision making. How can NGOs themselves then not hold themselves up to scrutiny, he said? In today’s day and age, has it become convenient for NGOs to ask governments to be more transparent, but not want to be questioned about their own activities? Is it simply a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

Mr. Clark outlined three threats to civil society organisations which could erode accountability standards in the sector:
• Erosion of civic space
• Erosion of the independence of civil society organisations
Due to an increased dependence on public funding, NGOs have tended to become contractors (enacting and implementing government/UN/World Bank policies and schemes) rather than becoming facilitators of the voice of the people. Advocacy work (a critical component of civil society) is slowly receding into the background, due to the lack of funding opportunities available.
• Erosion of public trust in the sector
Scandals have affected major organisations, such as Oxfam, due to a lack of transparency in reporting ethical breaches by staff in the field and insufficient clarity in organizational code of conduct.
Mr. Clark went on to add that these threats can be understood as a response to the “mainstreaming” of civil society organisations. With more and more organisations entering the sector, the competition for funds as well as public attention becomes fiercer. Competition also enables specificity, as organisations refuse to go beyond their field of expertise to provide support, even if it is linked to their program.

Therefore, to help counter this process, Accountable Now has developed a set of 12 commitments which the INGOs who are part of the network have agreed to strictly adhere to and report on. The Independent Review Panel, of which Mr Clark is the Chair, critically evaluates each organisation’s report, flagging issues that need to be improved. Information regarding discrepancies or mishaps is made available in the public domain.



The commitments are broadly grouped as:
• Approach towards issues
Organisations must recognise the intersectionality of the programs they operate, and must be more inclusive in their actions. Just because an organisation is doing work on the environment (for example) does not mean they are not accountable on gender or caste-related issues as well. The nature of the work civil society organisations do means that they must be accountable to the general public as well.
• Approach towards people
Organisations must have a people-driven rather than donor-driven approach. Mr. Clark implored civil society organisations to open themselves up more, and be more honest about the processes behind the work that they do. Organisations must learn to “restrain themselves” from being fixated on being primarily accountable to donors and must be more inclusive towards other stakeholders they work with. This will help organisations regain public trust and will inspire confidence, not just within the localised community but in the world, as a whole. There is no doubt, accountable NGOs have strong ties with communities.
• Administrative approach
Organisations must inculcate better leadership practices, better utilisation of resources and funds, etc.


About the Speaker:
Mr John Clark is currently Chair of the Board of the Partnership for Transparency Fund – an international anti-corruption NGO and is Board Chair of the European affiliate of the International Centre for Not-for-profit law (the leading body addressing the rights of association and laws relating to civil society). Mr Clark has worked with development NGOs, the World Bank, universities, and as an advisor to governments on development and civil society issues. His career has focused on poverty reduction and bridging the gap between grassroots organisations and official agencies He has also advised Kofi Annan on UN-civil society relations, served on Tony Blair’s Africa Task Force, and written 5 books on civil society and other topics, including “Worlds Apart: Civil Society and the Battle for Ethical Globalization” and “Democratizing Development”.