Practical Ways CSOs Can Manage Closing Civic Space

Civic space has been closing everywhere for a long time - from the UK to Mexico to Zimbabwe - and represents, along with the corruption that accompanies it, one of the biggest threats to democracy everywhere. For citizens, and particularly for those of us interested in free, open societies, this can be an existential threat - not a day passes without protesters being killed, journalists going missing or activists being murdered. For a translocal network like Accountability Lab this is also a question of survival, so we are doing everything we can to understand how we can proactively manage the [...]

2022-07-28T11:42:12+00:0013th July 2022|

UNDP Kick-Off Cohort Two of its Growth Accelerator Visioning Boot camp

On Thursday, UNDP Liberia and its partners iCampus and Accountability Lab with policy support from the Ministry of Commerce launched the second edition of its boot camp in Buchanan city, Grand Bassa County. The Growth Accelerator Liberia is a UNDP and the Government of Liberia initiative under the livelihood, employment creation, and accelerating impactful For-profit ventures across the fifteen counties of Liberia. The CEO of iCampus Luther Jeke speaking at the opening session of the boot camp said the boot camp over the next three days will be used for intense business development training and help scale cooperatives and as [...]

2022-07-15T10:57:38+00:008th July 2022|

Using #Arts4Change and creating unlikely networks

When Rap2Rep (now Voice2Rep or “Voice to Represent”) launched in Liberia in 2015, it was envisioned as a campaign to encourage creative activism among young people using Hip-Co - a popular Liberian musical genre often referred to as ‘political music’. The campaign has since expanded to Nigeria and Zimbabwe, and also gained international attention.   The campaign in Liberia was named by the United Nations as one of the finalists for the SDG Action Awards for “harnessing conscious music as a tool for social change through the platform of youth participation.” Voice2Rep was specifically recognized for informing people about the [...]

2022-07-28T15:10:28+00:0015th June 2022|

United States Launches New Project to Help Reduce Corruption in Uganda

The United States Mission in Uganda, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), today launched the Strengthening Systems and Public Accountability project to support actions to improve the Government of Uganda’s accountability to its citizens and decrease the corruption that impedes economic growth and development, and that negatively affects the quality of life of ordinary Ugandans.  The five-year project aims to strengthen accountability, deepen public participation in and oversight of public institutions and social services, and reduce corruption in public service sectors. “We want every Ugandan to be able to access public services without paying a bribe, so that [...]

2022-05-08T22:34:46+00:005th May 2022|

Strengthen the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill

More than my own special interest and participation in the advocacy and formal processes, which gave rise to the development of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill in the first place, it is our commitment to supporting people to live secure lives that draws Accountability Lab’s special interest to this Bill. Our view of social and public sector accountability is one in which society is supported to build the values, norms and behaviours that enable us to be accountable to one another in the enjoyment of our rights and freedoms. More than the urgent and necessary [...]

2022-04-19T10:10:53+00:005th April 2022|

Introducing our 2022 Integrity Icon Philadelphia winners!

Article originally published in The Philadelphia Citizen  By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy Are you, like me, looking for a reason to find hope amidst what can often seem like the rubble of our public life? Well, I’m happy to say you’ve come to the right place. Because I am here with not one, but five reasons to be inspired.Namely, our 2022 Philadelphia Integrity Icons: Rebecca Lopez Kriss, a deputy commissioner in the City’s Revenue Department Lori Maple Hayes, director of urban forestry Stephanie Ridgeway, Indego community organizer Leah Wood, paraprofessional Lauren Young, director of K-12 math curriculum These are Philadelphia public servants you mostly won’t have [...]

2022-04-08T08:07:08+00:0023rd March 2022|

Including the excluded in the bureaucracy

Let’s face it, Nepal’s civil service is not held in very high regard by Nepalis themselves. But in the past seven years after the affirmative action policies of the new Constitution, there are signs that the bureaucracy is more inclusive and efficient. Take Manmaya Bhattarai Pangeni, who entered Nepal’s civil service as a junior branch officer in 2006. She rose up the ranks, serving as Chief District Officer (CDO) of Nawalparasi and is now secretary at the Gandaki Province Chief Minister’s office. As CDO, Pangeni was committed to curbing illegal sand extraction and quarrying that worsened floods in the district. Serious crime, including violence against women, went down during [...]

2022-04-08T07:45:05+00:0013th March 2022|

Terms of Reference – Strategy Retreat Facilitator

Background on Accountability Lab  Accountability Lab is a translocal network of local organizations that make governance work for people around the world. We build creative campaigns, consolidate and disseminate knowledge, and grow communities inside and outside government that can bolster accountability and support the ecosystems for more inclusive development. Since the Lab was founded ten years ago, it has grown organically and now operates across 14 countries (DRC, Kenya, Liberia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mexico, Pakistan, Somaliland, South Africa, Uganda, the United States and Zimbabwe) with a budget of around $5m and teams that total 120+ people globally. The Lab’s [...]

2022-03-02T19:49:37+00:002nd March 2022|

USAID Launches Program to Support CSOs for the Benefit of All Liberians

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a new Civil Society Activity that will support stronger collaboration between civil society organizations (CSOs), the Government of Liberia, and local Liberians to advocate for citizen-driven reforms. Partnering with Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), and Accountability Lab Liberia, the Civil Society Activity will seize opportunities for positive change through civil society advocacy on issues that Liberians themselves identify as priorities. Steve Terrevecchia, from USAID’s implementing partner on this program, Development Alternatives Incorporated, highlighted the importance of CSOs in uncovering the root causes of [...]

2022-04-08T07:19:41+00:0028th February 2022|

Kenya & Uganda accountapreneurs pitch their ideas

Each year, Accountability Lab welcomes a new cohort of accountability entrepreneurs (or accountrapreneurs) to our global network of young passionate civic activists with great ideas for accountability and open government. In Uganda and Kenya, Accountability Lab supported selected accountapreneurs to refine their ideas for accountability and build sustainable ideas for strengthening their communities’ pandemic response and recovery with the support of the Ford Foundation.   After a year-long training process, these accountapreneurs came together in an open space on January 20, 2022, to share their ideas during a live pitching session.   First to pitch his idea was Martin Odongo from Uganda. [...]

2022-03-18T09:43:19+00:008th February 2022|
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