Building stronger communities through social accountability
Social accountability and good governance are essential to achieve long-term development gains. Our Social Accountability and Governance (SAG) program promotes inclusive communities, transparent and accountable governments, and participatory decision-making as the basis for a strong civil society. This is particularly important for groups that are systemically under-represented in formal political institutions.
Our SAG program involves:
- working closely with civil society organisations to foster localised, sustainable development practices
- developing accountability tools and approaches that involve citizens, government, service providers, and other stakeholders in development planning, budgeting, and delivery
- informing citizens of their rights and entitlements
- training citizens’ groups in skills such as advocacy, organisational management, and fundraising
- promoting social inclusion in village-based governance structures, e.g. increasing women’s representation in village committees.
Relevance to the SDGs
Our SAG program contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Social accountability and governance in Africa
In Africa, competition over land between its traditional users and private industry is fierce. In Tanzania, we work with Maasai leaders to find ways to sustain their traditional pastoral livelihoods in the face of climate change and resource scarcity.
Social accountability and governance in Asia
In Vietnam, we educate citizens about their rights, promote women’s leadership in local communities, and strengthen the linkages between communities and provincial authorities to achieve more effective delivery of public services. We have developed a range of tools and publications to help local communities contribute to development planning and to monitor public projects, thereby increasing communication and accountability between government and citizenry.
Fighting for farmers’ land rights
Social accountability and governance in the Pacific
Our SAG program in the Pacific focuses on increasing participation of marginalised groups, such as women, youth, and people with disabilities, in village leadership and governance. In the Solomon Islands, we establish Village Advocacy Committees, hold village forums with government representatives, and support community-led initiatives, such as savings groups.
Empowering women to lead the development agenda
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