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|

Leadership and Partnership in Security: The Leading Role of Civil Society

As global instability deepens – from hybrid warfare and disinformation to climate shocks and civic repression – the link between democracy and security has never been clearer. Speaking at a high-level roundtable on “Leadership and Partnership in Security: The Leading Role of Civil Society,” Blair Glencorse, Co-CEO of Accountability Lab, reflected on how leadership, trust, and collaboration can help build the foundations of collective security. “It’s an honour to be part of this gathering, especially as Ukraine’s continued struggle for freedom and Moldova’s recent elections remind us that democracy and security are inseparable,” Glencorse began. “The question before us is [...]

2025-10-30T08:39:48+00:0030th October 2025|

Our Stories, Our Voices, Our Power: Reflections from Afrotellers 2025

In Johannesburg, storytellers, artists, and activists from across Africa gathered for the Afrotellers Conference 2025, a three-day celebration of narrative power under the theme "Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Power."  The event created space for reflection, creativity, and dialogue on how storytelling can shape governance, integrity, and social change. Day One opened with Professor René Smith (University of the Witwatersrand of Arts), whose welcome remarks highlighted storytelling as a form of truth-telling and transformation. She reminded participants that stories are not passive reflections of culture but active tools for change — a message that set the tone for the three days [...]

2025-10-28T10:36:22+00:0028th October 2025|

The Invisible Weaver’s Wisdom: Re-Stitching Philanthropy’s Approach for Enduring Resilience

All over the world, the civic infrastructure hasn’t collapsed completely. It’s being re-stitched together, not only by organizations and movements scrambling to adapt, but by people who have relational capital and are already adapting. Accountability Lab Senior Fellow Florencia Guerzovich calls them invisible weavers. Invisible weavers aren’t a new category on your grantee list. They’re the ones making your existing investments work better — and go further. They’re the ones connecting the dots when formal systems falter and when frameworks show cracks. They move between sectors, roles and vocabularies: donor to NGO, movement to ministry, global north to rural community. [...]

2025-09-12T12:55:17+00:0012th September 2025|

Introducing Civic Strength Partners

It feels both embarrassingly obvious and profoundly necessary to start by acknowledging what a year it’s been – not just for international development or civil society or the social sector writ large, but for the people whose collective hopes, work, and sacrifice have found ways to do good in the world. Each of us were, long before we were professionals, people who cared about contributing to something bigger than ourselves, and the last six months have brutally (and often, illegally) threatened to undo so much of what we’ve achieved, learned, and built.  The work we do now to build a [...]

2025-07-22T17:15:16+00:0022nd July 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|

4 ways to build resilient networks: Lessons from Accountability Lab Nepal

If it’s one thing the past couple of months have shown the development sector it’s the necessity of community.  As civil society organizations working to build the world back better, we can’t do it on our own. It takes a village, and we have to be the villagers who make the village possible. I had the privilege of visiting my colleagues at Accountability Lab Nepal who haven’t cracked the village code as much as they live it. I also chatted with Program Manager Prekkshya Bimali about what it takes to be a home for governance champions and a base for [...]

2025-04-04T10:38:28+00:004th April 2025|
Privacy Policy
Go to Top