Civic Charge: Celebrating leadership rooted in people, place, and purpose

Civic Charge is Accountability Lab’s global learning programme that brings together changemakers strengthening accountability within their communities. Unlike fellowships built around deliverables, Civic Charge is designed as a learning accelerator – a space for reflection, skills-building, and peer connection, where leaders can step back from the urgency of doing and invest in how they are growing. Over the past two years, Programs & Learning Manager, Jaco Roets, has guided this journey with a steady, thoughtful approach – building a community where ideas are tested, values are practiced, and leadership is strengthened through honesty, care, and shared experience. Each session moves [...]

2025-12-01T09:51:37+00:0026th November 2025|

Reimagining the material base for civil society – soundbytes from the world’s largest peace gathering

In one room, a booming Degan Ali from Adeso was sharing practical steps to follow for community organizations as the “Western rule based international system collapsed” - and along with it, Official Development Assistance (ODA). Her entrepreneurial case studies from countries like Somalia solve tangible problems for communities in a way that no longer requires external funding.  Along a few corridors, Palestinian human rights expert Omar Da’na spoke to an intimate circle about preserving evidence and pursuing prosecutions on behalf of fallen journalists in Gaza. Sessions that studied digital ceasefires, remade engagement frameworks for peace, and invited participants to map [...]

2025-11-19T20:55:59+00:0013th November 2025|

Bridging the gap: Why inclusion is the work, not the afterthought

In conversations around governance and democracy, I’ve been struck by how inclusion continues to emerge as both a challenge and a catalyst for change. From the International Democracy Day (IDD) Conference in Brussels to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz, one theme was consistently reaffirmed for me: young people are not just the future of democracy, they are the present. At the IDD conference, Namibian Deputy Minister of Information, Emma Theofelus, reminded us that while networks and youth movements are flourishing, many young people still don’t know how to navigate the systems that shape their lives. “That’s why [...]

2025-11-13T11:47:34+00:0013th November 2025|

“Building a new muscle in democracy” with SpeakUp Nepal’s Prince Shah Chaudhary

Within days, protests in Nepal reshaped the country’s politics. A government social media ban was the spark, but years of frustration with systemic corruption drove thousands into the streets. People were killed, many more injured, curfews were imposed, leaders resigned, parliament was dissolved, and Nepal appointed its first female interim Prime Minister. Elections are now planned for March 2026, with a reformist cabinet promising change. This interview was conducted with our Civic Charge fellow, Prince Shah Chaudhary, CEO of SpeakUp Nepal, about his vision for youth-driven accountability. The events in Nepal over the past few days have been seismic. What [...]

2025-09-17T12:04:05+00:0015th September 2025|

Restoring Public Trust Though Openness: Reflections From The OGP Regional Meeting And The GDC Africa Forum

Recently Nairobi hosted two pivotal events: The Open Government Partnership (OGP) Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting, and the Global Democracy Coalition (GDC) Africa Forum. These gatherings cemented the critical role of open governance and public participation in strengthening democratic innovations across the continent. Accountability Lab joined a host of governments and organisations in solidarity with Africa’s pursuit for more accountable and transparent governments.  The OGP Regional Meeting, themed "Rebuilding Trust through Open Government," convened government officials, civil society leaders, and private sector executives to deliberate on enhancing transparency and citizen engagement. Discussions spanned topics such as anti-corruption, digital governance, [...]

2025-04-11T11:26:54+00:0010th April 2025|

Defending press freedom: Five key takeaways from Danai Nhando and Nkosikhona Dibiti

Around the world, journalists are facing growing pressure—from legal threats and online harassment to financial constraints and shrinking civic space. These challenges don’t just affect individual journalists—they impact our collective ability to access credible, independent information and hold those in power to account. In a recent episode of the AccountabiliTea podcast, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus, Co-CEO of Accountability Lab and host of the podcast, spoke with Danai Nhando, a Human Rights Lawyer and Social Entrepreneur, and Nkosikhona Dibiti, Executive Director of Community Podium and Journalist, about the state of media freedom today. Their insights speak to a global moment of reckoning for [...]

2025-04-03T08:28:58+00:002nd April 2025|

Youth leading the way on open governance in Liberia

“Without the voices of young people—who make up the majority of the population—there can be no open governance.” Theo Dowetin, the European Partnership for Democracy team lead in Monrovia, could not have said it better at our recent OGP co-creation event with young people in Liberia. As the world seeks sustainable solutions to global challenges like climate change, poverty, and democratic regression, the inclusion of young people in decision-making has become more important than ever. When given voice and agency, young people bring fresh ideas and the energy needed to drive positive change and impact. In governance, this inclusion ensures [...]

2024-12-13T14:41:18+00:0013th December 2024|

Driving inclusive change in East Africa: Accountapreneurs’ collaborative approach to civic engagement

William Tolbert Nyabungu is a Community Development Worker with over 15 years of experience in civic engagement and social inclusion. He founded the Promoters of Social Inclusion (PSI) Foundation (Kenya). The PSI Foundation is collaborating with Noreen Asekenye, the founder of the Tell a Story Foundation. William and Noreen are Accountapreneurs who emerged from Accountability Lab's Incubator program—Noreen from the 2021 cohort and William from the 2022 cohort. Together, they are working on a project in Kenya focused on social transformation with an interest in civic education and awareness among the youth in Kenya.  Advancing inclusive education Established in 2018, the Tell [...]

2024-11-26T14:51:39+00:0026th November 2024|

Voice2Rep: Amplifying Advocacy and Good Governance Through Music

This article, shared by TASCK, highlights the impactful work of the Voice2Rep project, led by Accountability Lab, in promoting advocacy and good governance through music across Mali, Nigeria, Liberia, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Voice2Rep empowers emerging artists to use their musical talents to address critical social issues, such as transparency, civic engagement, and social justice. The initiative serves as a platform for young, undiscovered musicians to amplify their voices and advocate for meaningful change in their communities. Voice2Rep began in Nigeria in 2018 with the goal of mentoring young artists and equipping them with the skills necessary [...]

2024-10-15T08:08:14+00:0015th October 2024|

Youth Protests: Supporting active citizenship in practice

In an era of growing youth uprisings, there is an increased need to support this latest indicator of active citizenship in the countries in which they erupt. Large-scale protests against corruption, nepotism and excessive taxation of populations already struggling economically, flared up in Kenya, Uganda and Bangladesh over June and July this year. Protestors in all three countries faced brutal crackdowns by government police and security forces resulting in arrests, intimidation, violence and death.  While young democracy and human rights defenders do take steps to secure their safety, there is a need for more support. Mahera Musharrat, a young democracy [...]

2024-09-19T09:24:49+00:0013th September 2024|
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