Posts by Sheena Adams
Liberian youths urged to be agents of change
Written by Parnneh Mallobe As Liberians go to the polls in October to elect the president and representatives of the Legislature for the next six years, Accountability Lab Co-CEO, Blair Glencorse, has called on young people to fully participate as “agents for positive change”. Speaking to over 60 youth-led civil society and community-based organization…
Read MoreCombating violence against the transgender community in Pakistan
Written by Fouzia Khan Bhittani We live in a world encompassing different beliefs and cultures that generate specific attitudes and stances toward gender diversity. However, these attitudes define the marginalization of a particular community or people, like the transgender community in Pakistan, commonly referred to as the Khawaja Sira—a group of people that includes various…
Read MoreWhy Accountability Lab is Moving to a Co-Leadership Model
Written by Blair Glencorse I am more and more convinced every day that the traditional, single Executive Director structure in the non-profit sector is a relic of the past. The future of organizational leadership is collective. For an organization like Accountability Lab – that is growing rapidly, adapting constantly and in which our values serve…
Read More#PowerUp – Power cuts exacerbating inequities and deepening the digital divide
#PowerUp is a series of articles honing in on how South Africa’s electricity supply crisis is affecting young people. Written by Jaco Roets and Sara Hoenes Like many young students preparing for exams, Funeka Mpofu spends odd hours studying. However, for Funeka, his inconsistent hours are not by choice. Sweeping power cuts across South Africa…
Read More#PowerUp – Youth unemployment in Lenasia
#PowerUp is a series of articles honing in on how South Africa’s electricity supply crisis is affecting young people. Written by Lerato Jiyane “It has cost me my job and my dignity.” These are the words of a devastated 24-year-old, Vutlhari Khosa, a former employee at an internet café in Lenasia. The café closed down…
Read More#PowerUp – Food security in Umbumbulu
#PowerUp is a series of articles honing in on how South Africa’s electricity supply crisis is affecting young people. Written by Thobeka Bhengu In a statement on food security from 1983, the Food and Agriculture Organization said, “Every individual should have access to the basic food items which they need for a better lifestyle”.…
Read MoreGreening social accountability for climate finance
Written by Louise Cord, Aly Rahim, Ann-Sofie Jespersen, and Michael Jarvis Global spending on climate change is nearing US$1 trillion annually. To optimize the benefit of these climate investments, transparency, equity, and inclusion must be at the heart of climate finance decision-making. We need green accountability – an approach recognizing that effectively addressing the climate…
Read MoreThe vital role of young people in governance processes
The Citizens Summit in Defense of Democracy and Freedom in Lusaka, Zambia, shed light on a crucial message: the active involvement of young people in governance processes is imperative for Africa’s success and prosperity. As echoed by summit participants, including political leaders, civil society representatives, and young activists, the strongest and most consistent takeaway from…
Read MoreRecognizing online GBV as a real and present threat for women
Written by Sheena Adams Gender-based violence online has reached crisis proportions and more sustained work is needed to hold technology companies accountable for their role in technology-assisted GBV. This was one of the key takeouts yesterday from a Summit for Democracy Day Zero side event hosted by the US Department of State. Panelists included Sandra…
Read MoreDay 2: The Citizens’ Summit in Defense of Democracy & Freedom in Zambia
Written by Kibo Ngowi “We demand that all governments that have put in place restrictive CSO laws roll them back immediately as there is no place in democratic societies for laws that undermine fundamental freedoms.” The Citizens’ Summit for Democracy & Freedom took place this week in Lusaka, Zambia. One of the outcomes of this…
Read MoreIn Defense of Democracy and Freedom – Zambia’s pre-S4D Citizens’ Summit
Written by Kibo Ngowi The Citizens’ Summit in Defense of Democracy and Freedom has officially begun! Civil society, international organizations, academic institutions, think tanks, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector converged in the Zambian capital of Lusaka to make their voices heard in the Summit discussions and in the global democracy debate. “This initiative…
Read MoreChanging norms and reaching the next generation of citizens
Written by Madeleine Goerg, AL Global Board Chairperson I first came across Accountability Lab in 2012, when I met founder Blair Glencorse at The German Marshall Fund’s Brussels Forum. I was part of the organizing team and was struck by the novel and bold approach which Blair outlined during one of our governance panels. Accountability…
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