This report summarizes research into how accountability mechanisms contribute to the quality of humanitarian aid. Case studies in Kenya and Myanmar found that participation and feedback helped agencies understand needs and target assistance more effectively. It also built trust between aid organizations and communities. Complaints mechanisms highlighted issues and participation in project design and monitoring improved relevance, efficiency, and sustainability. However, the use of accountability in practice remains inconsistent. The report recommends routinely implementing accountability, further documenting practices, and adopting the research methodology to strengthen humanitarian responses.

1. A joint Christian Aid,
Save the Children,
Humanitarian
Accountability
Partnership Report
Andy Featherstone,
Research consultant
24 June 2013

2. Background to the research
 Despite greater agency uptake and interest in the use of
accountability mechanisms, practice is patchy
 Recent evaluations and ALNAP’s 2012 State of the
Humanitarian System suggests that many of those
receiving assistance continue to feel detached from it
 There is a growing understanding of the potential
benefits of using accountability mechanisms but little
evidence of the contribution they make to quality

3. The research process
 In what ways do accountability mechanisms from aid
organisations to affected communities contribute to the
quality of the assistance provided.
 Literature review with support from the HAP peer
learning group
 Development of an approach and set of methods
 Case studies – Christian Aid/UCCS resilience programme
in Kenya and Save the Children child protection & non-
formal education programme in Myanmar
 Analysis and report publication

4. The approach

5. A note on the methodology
 Measurement: A mix of methods was used with a focus
on qualitative exercises (scorecards and opinion ranking
exercises) from which quantitative analysis could be
undertaken
 Credibility: Used agencies as entry points and the
research was conducted by an independent team with
efforts taken to address potential bias
 Causality: Sought to find evidence of contribution
through ‘pattern matching’ (identifying patterns of
responses). Findings triangulated in each village within
groups and between groups

6. Relevance
 Participation and feedback mechanisms
helped agencies understand needs and
strengthened the utility of projects.
 participation helped agencies better
understand localised vulnerability and
strengthened targeting.

7. Effectiveness
 Provision of information, participation and
recourse to complaints helped build trust
and strengthened community engagement
in projects.
 Trust linked to acceptance which has
implications for operational security.
 Participation in project design strengthened
community perceptions of project quality.
 Complaints mechanisms have highlighted
issues of fraud and mismanagement.

8. Efficiency & VfM
 Input efficiencies achieved through eliciting
community advice on procurement.
 Process efficiencies achieved when
community participated in project
monitoring.

9. Sustainability
 Participation in project identification and
design improved the contextual relevance
of projects and strengthened community
ownership of processes and results.
Impact
 Communities had greater confidence to
demand accountability from other duty
bearers.

10. findings - methodology
 The importance of using entry-points to the
communities and facilitation for the exercises
 Engagement and interest from each of the
communities involved in the research
 The challenge of balancing rigour with
replication
 The relevance of the methodology to a range
of agencies, contexts and interventions

11. findings - accountability
 Benchmarks were important in providing a
common language and for assessing the
functioning of an accountability mechanism.
 Necessary to contextualise the benchmarks to
make them relevant to;
 Long/short-term interventions
 Different links in the project management chain
 The need to take a holistic view of
accountability mechanisms - ‘informal’ vs.
‘formal’ mechanisms

12. Recommendations
Accountability mechanisms contribute to project quality BUT
it is of concern that development assistance and humanitarian
aid continues to feel distant to so many people.
 The results are compelling but practice is patchy. The use
of accountability mechanisms must become routine.
 There is an important need to more rigorously document
accountability practice and continue to build the evidence
base.
 Given the commitments made in the Transformative
Agenda, the adoption of the methodology by an HCT could
strengthen the response in real-time