Accountability Lab is a global translocal network that makes governance work for people by supporting active citizens, responsible leaders and accountable institutions. Our goal is a world in which resources are used wisely, decisions benefit everyone fairly, and people lead secure lives.
Accountability Lab is a global translocal network that makes governance work for people by supporting active citizens, responsible leaders and accountable institutions. Our goal is a world in which resources are used wisely, decisions benefit everyone fairly, and people lead secure lives.
WHAT WE DO
Accountability Lab’s flagship training program for young change-makers to build sustainable, effective tools for change.
A global campaign powered by citizens in search of exemplary government officials.
A pioneering community feedback and dialogue platform to ensure accountability in the development process.
Supportive, impactful member networks and co-working spaces for small and big nonprofits.
A conscious music campaign supporting musicians who advocate for greater representation, participation and accountability.
Channelling civil society voices into high-level decision-making at the C20, G20, and the Open Government Partnership for stronger accountability and open government.
NETWORK LABS
STAFF
PARTICIPANTS
STAFF
GLOBAL PROGRAMS
PARTICIPANTS
HOW WE’RE BUILDING A TRANSLOCAL NETWORK
HOW WE’RE BUILDING A TRANSLOCAL NETWORK
LATEST NEWS
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Can leadership be shared? 🤔
As organizations rethink traditional structures, shared leadership is emerging as one approach to building resilience, trust, and stronger decision-making.
Join @accountlab, @rightstracker, and Digital Action for a discussion on what shared ...leadership looks like in practice, what it requires, and what organizations have learned along the way.
The event will also mark the launch of Accountability Lab's Co-Leadership Toolkit.
📅 23 June 2026
⏰ 6:00 AM ET | 12:00 PM CET | 10:00 PM NZT
🔗 Link in bio to register.
Can leadership be shared? 🤔
Join @AccountLab, @rightsmetrics, and Digital Action as we explore the opportunities, challenges, and lessons that emerge when leadership is a collective practice.
The conversation will also mark the launch of Accountability Lab's new ...Co-Leadership
What happens when leadership becomes a collective practice rather than an individual role?
As organizations rethink traditional structures, shared leadership is emerging as one approach to building resilience, trust, and stronger decision-making.
Join Accountability Lab, the ...Human Rights Measurement Initiative, and Digital Action for a discussion on what shared leadership looks like in practice, what it requires, and what organizations have learned along the way.
The event will also mark the launch of Accountability Lab's Co-Leadership Toolkit.
📅 23 June 2026
⏰ 6:00 AM ET | 12:00 PM CET | 10:00 PM NZT
🔗 Register: bit.ly/SharedLeadershipConversation
🚨 THREE DAYS TO GO!
Submit your short video for Voices of SDG16+ - Stories for Global Action Video Campaign
This year's theme “Evolving, Scaling, and Flourishing Amidst Crisis: Local Voices Transforming SDG16+” is a space to share local best practices we can learn from... in this challenging global moment.
Selected videos will be showcased during the High-Level Political Forum next month.
Share a 3-minute video on how actors are evolving and scaling up new innovations to promote peace, justice, and inclusion in a fit-for-purpose way – and how more support from the international community could further strengthen that work and uplift the entire 2030 Agenda.
Successful stories can be told in English, French, Arabic or Spanish.
🚨 Deadline: 18 June 2026 at 10PM CEST/ 4PM EDT
Find more info or submit your video at the link in our bio!
#VoicesofSDG16+ #Stories4GlobalAction #ActOnSDG16+ #VSDG16+ #2030Agenda #HLPF2025 #SDGSummit
🚨 THREE DAYS TO GO!
Submit your short video for Voices of SDG16+ - Stories for Global Action Video Campaign
This year's theme “Evolving, Scaling, and Flourishing Amidst Crisis: Local Voices Transforming SDG16+” is a space to share local best practices we can learn from... in this challenging global moment.
Selected videos will be showcased during the High-Level Political Forum next month.
Share a 3-minute video on how actors are evolving and scaling up new innovations to promote peace, justice, and inclusion in a fit-for-purpose way – and how more support from the international community could further strengthen that work and uplift the entire 2030 Agenda.
Successful stories can be told in English, French, Arabic or Spanish.
🚨 Deadline: 18 June 2026 at 10PM CEST/ 4PM EDT
Find more details here: https://voicesofsdg16plus.org/about-the-campaign/ or share your video at: https://voicesofsdg16plus.org/2026-share-your-story/
#VoicesofSDG16+ #Stories4GlobalAction #ActOnSDG16+ #VSDG16+ #2030Agenda #HLPF2025 #SDGSummit
What happens when a sector built around donor funding is suddenly forced to rethink how it operates?
Over the past year, organizations across the democracy, rights, and governance space have faced difficult realities—from layoffs and project closures to shrinking budgets and growing ...uncertainty. Yet, alongside these challenges comes an opportunity to rethink how we build and sustain.
In a timely new article for openDemocracy, our Co-CEO Blair Glencorse and Partnerships Officer Shally Baloch take a step back to explore a bigger question: what can we learn from an earlier era, before governance work became increasingly dependent on donor funding?
Drawing on historical examples from around the world, they highlight eight lessons from a leaner past that may help shape the path forward:
➡️ Build to operate with lower costs
➡️ Strengthen membership for financial stability and political leverage
➡️ Diversify philanthropic support
➡️ Connect with faith-based networks
➡️ Embed with partners for stability and legitimacy
➡️ Work collectively through alliances and networks to help share costs, reduce duplication, and strengthen impact
➡️ Generate sustainable income through valuable services and expertise
➡️ Stay rooted in movements and community-led actions
These aren't presented as a blueprint. Rather, they point toward a future that is more locally grounded, supported by diverse funding sources, and powered by people working together toward a shared purpose.
📖 Which of these lessons resonates most with your experience? Read and reflect:
https://bit.ly/4aNDEMe
As the democracy, rights and governance sector faces cuts, earlier funding models offer clues for what could come next
www.opendemocracy.netWhat happens when a sector built around donor funding is suddenly forced to rethink how it operates? Across the democracy, rights, and governance space, organizations are navigating shrinking budgets, project closures, and growing uncertainty. But this moment also presents an
As the democracy, rights and governance sector faces cuts, earlier funding models offer clues for what could come next
🎊 If we make integrity visible, aspirational, and socially celebrated, could that shift how citizens think and talk about public life?
In short, let's celebrate good behaviour instead of calling out the bad and see what happens.
Over five years we celebrated good ...governance champions as part of Integrity Icon Somaliland – later rebranded as Good Governance Heroes – based on some assumptions:
🔲 Citizens engage more readily with governance through real people than abstract institutions;
🔲 Public recognition strengthens the intrinsic motivation of those doing good work
🔲 Youth-led storytelling can translate complex governance concepts into narratives that resonate locally; and
🔲 Sustained engagement with governance institutions, when carefully managed, can reinforce independence while enabling institutional learning.
Over 80,000 citizens voted for their favourite good governance champion in the the first year's campaign. 21 inspiring stories were captured from every region. Young filmmakers learned to tell resonant governance stories. And a growing cohort of public servants and civil society leaders now know they are seen, valued, and part of a network of like-minded people.
After years of running this "naming and faming" campaign across 15 locations, the ways in which these assumptions turned out to be true, and how we faced up to challenges to keep this an independent and citizen-led campaign, were locally shaped.
Thank you to our staff and implementing partners for your guidance and support in navigating sensitive terrain and achieving incredible resonance. The Institute for Strategic Insights and Research, Media-Ink, @dek_osman, and Fardous M. Ali.
👓 Read the full story at the link in our bio!
🎊 If we make integrity visible, aspirational, and socially celebrated, could that shift how citizens think and talk about public life?
In short, let's celebrate good behaviour instead of calling out the bad and see what happens.
Over five years we celebrated good ...governance champions as part of Integrity Icon Somaliland – later rebranded as Good Governance Heroes – based on some assumptions:
🔲 Citizens engage more readily with governance through real people than abstract institutions;
🔲 Public recognition strengthens the intrinsic motivation of those doing good work
🔲 Youth-led storytelling can translate complex governance concepts into narratives that resonate locally; and
🔲 Sustained engagement with governance institutions, when carefully managed, can reinforce independence while enabling institutional learning.
Over 80,000 citizens voted for their favourite good governance champion in the the first year's campaign. 21 inspiring stories were captured from every region. Young filmmakers learned to tell resonant governance stories. And a growing cohort of public servants and civil society leaders now know they are seen, valued, and part of a network of like-minded people.
After years of running this "naming and faming" campaign across 15 locations, the ways in which these assumptions turned out to be true, and how we faced up to challenges to keep this an independent and citizen-led campaign, were locally shaped.
Thank you to our staff and implementing partners for your guidance and support in navigating sensitive terrain and achieving incredible resonance. The Institute for Strategic Insights and Research, Media-Ink, Deeq Osman, and Fardous M. Ali.
👓 Read the full story: https://bit.ly/43paNdl
