Do humanitarian helplines help?

The place of telephone helplines in the humanitarian accountability toolbox goes back to the first HAP standard in 2007. At the time, HAP called on organizations to make sure affected people could make complaints in a safe, accessible and effective manner. Because of their track record in mental health programs, helplines seemed like a good[…]

European crisis highlights need to overhaul international refugee system

  By storming the barricades at Budapest’s Keleti station and setting out on foot for the Austrian border, Syrian refugees rejected an international refugee system that provides them neither protection nor hope for the future. Thousands have already arrived in Germany as many European citizens rally to their cause. I was at Vienna’s Prater Stadium[…]

Multi-Purposing World Humanitarian Day

This was originally posted on the Ground Truth Solutions website. When, in 2008, the United Nations General Assembly designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day, the aim was to honor humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. As we recognize their service and sacrifice this year, let us also[…]

Beyond Accountability: Feedback as transformation

The post Beyond Accountability: Feedback as transformation appeared first on Alliance magazine. Beyond Accountability: Feedback as Transformation is the title of Alliance magazine’s June 2015 special feature, and this was the topic of the Alliance breakfast club, kindly hosted by the Shell Foundation. The panellists were David Bonbright, co-founder and CEO of Keystone Accountability and one of the guest editors for the special feature,[…]

Making the most of the World Humanitarian Summit

Alex Jacobs at Plan International is working hard to make the World Humanitarian Summit a great leap forward in terms of accountability to affected people and community engagement. In this piece he outlines the challenges in landing this agenda as well as drawing attention to what is already showing promise on the ground, including Ground[…]

Emergencies are not a good time to reinvent the accountability wheel

Something worth pushing in preparations for next year’s World Humanitarian Summit is a shift from the current ad hoc approach to designing accountability systems in emergencies to a standard whole-of-program model that spells out what needs to be done and provides a robust delivery vehicle. Providing this kind of support at the overarching program level[…]

Coventry University: listening to its students

Coventry has a history of listening to people. During the Second World War, the people of Coventry wanted to voice their support for the Soviet Army during the Battle of Stalingrad, and their voice was heard. Coventry and Stalingrad were twinned, to promote mutual understandings and improve relationships. The practice of twinning has continued to[…]

Feedback as democracy in social change practice

This lead article was first published in Alliance magazine, as part of the June special feature – Beyond Accountability: Feedback as Transformation – co-edited by Keystone’s David Bonbright. A huge shift is happening in the social sector. Dennis Whittle traces it all the way back to the birth of democracy in Greece circa 594 BCE.[…]

Ringing out 2013 and a modest overture for 2014

As 2013 comes to a close, I write to thank you for your interest in our work to advance Constituent Voice as a tool to solve important societal problems. Topics like performance management, real time data, continuous improvement and downward accountability may make most people’s eyes glaze over — but not yours! Thank you! 2013[…]