Yuguelito y el Presupuesto Participativo: Cuando las reglas no están a la vista

¿Te imaginas tener una idea para mejorar tu colonia y que exista dinero público destinado para hacerla realidad?. En la comunidad del Yuguelito no solo lo imaginaron, lo están haciendo. Tras un mapeo y priorización colectiva de necesidades junto a Accountability Lab, nació un proyecto: Todos juntos por un Yuguelito seguro. Se trataba de un Sendero Seguro que combinaba pavimentación, luminarias, cámaras de vigilancia y alarmas vecinales. Este proyecto fue una propuesta muy completa y con un respaldo comunitario innegable. En la exploración de vías para hacerlo realidad, nos encontramos con el Presupuesto Participativo como una posibilidad para lograrlo. Este [...]

2026-04-23T15:37:40+00:0023rd April 2026|

Yuguelito and participatory budgeting: When the rules are kept out of sight

Can you imagine having an idea to improve your neighborhood and having public funds available to make it happen? In the Yuguelito community, they didn't just imagine it; they pursued it. After a collective mapping and needs prioritization process facilitated by Accountability Lab, a project was born: Todos juntos por un Yuguelito seguro. It was a Sendero Seguro combining paving, streetlights, security cameras, and neighborhood alarms. This project was a thorough proposal with undeniable community support. While exploring ways to bring it to life, we came across Participatory Budgeting as a potential avenue. This mechanism is meant to give everyone [...]

2026-04-23T15:37:16+00:0023rd April 2026|

Who governs the watchers? Nigeria’s independence problem is structural, not constitutional

This commentary piece, originally published by Sahara Reporters, features insights from Odeh Friday, Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, on the deeper challenges affecting institutional independence in Nigeria. The article argues that questions of accountability are not only constitutional, but also structural, requiring attention to how oversight institutions are designed, resourced, and protected in practice. Drawing on Nigeria’s current context, the piece explores the gap that can emerge between formal mandates and real operational autonomy. It highlights how institutions established to provide oversight may be constrained by political pressure, limited capacity, patronage systems, and inconsistent enforcement, even where constitutional protections [...]

2026-04-22T15:59:02+00:0022nd April 2026|

Lo que la comunidad pidió, y lo que el sistema (no) respondió

[Lee la primera parte de esta historia: Yuguelito: Vivienda, Autogestión y Rendición de Cuentas] La primera parte de esta historia terminó con una promesa implícita: más de 250 encuestas completadas, un equipo de once Agentes Comunitarios de Campo, con el Yuguelito en el centro de todo, y la certeza de que lo que vendría después tendría que estar a la altura de lo que la comunidad se había tomado el tiempo de decir. Este es el relato de lo que pasó después. Lo que la comunidad dijo 255 voces. Una respuesta al proceso de recolección de datos que representa más [...]

2026-04-16T21:42:03+00:0016th April 2026|

What a community asked for, what the system rejected – and everything in between

[Read the first part of this story: Yuguelito: Housing, Self-Governance & Accountability] The first part of this story ended with an implicit promise: over 250 completed surveys, a team of eleven Community Frontline Agents with Yuguelito at the center, and the certainty that what came next would have to live up to what the community had taken the time to say. This is the story of what happened after. What the community said A total of 255 voices were captured—representing over 12% of the settlement’s population, or, put another way, roughly half of the ~500 families who call Yuguelito home. [...]

2026-04-16T10:59:42+00:0016th April 2026|

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|

“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|

From green to grey: Reimagining governance

This article, shared by apolitical, explores the critical intersection of governance, urbanization, and sustainability in Pakistan’s capital. From Green to Grey: Reimagining Governance by Asif Farooqui, Director of Programs at Accountability Lab Pakistan, reflects on Islamabad’s transformation over the years, highlighting how rapid urban growth has reshaped the city’s landscape, environment, and livability. The article raises pressing questions about citizen participation in urban planning and governance, asking: Who truly shapes our cities? Are citizens passive observers, or can they reclaim their role in shaping their surroundings? With a deep dive into Islamabad’s past and present, the piece examines how unplanned [...]

2025-02-26T12:39:26+00:0026th February 2025|

L’inclusivité en action : Le rôle du projet USAID Basiki ni Tagne Kunafoni dans la transformation de l’accès à l’information au Mali

Le Mali est plongé dans une grave crise sécuritaire et sociale depuis plus d'une décennie, où la désinformation est devenue un puissant facteur de perturbation, divisant les communautés par la peur et la méfiance. L'information se propageant plus rapidement que jamais, on ne saurait trop insister sur l'importance de garantir l'accès à des informations fiables et vérifiées. C'est dans ce contexte difficile que le projet USAID Basiki ni Tagne Kunafoni a été développé. Soutenu par l'USAID et exécuté par un consortium composé de Pact, Code for Africa et Accountability Lab Mali, le projet a pour objectif  d’apporter l'espoir d'un Mali [...]

2025-02-18T18:09:04+00:0017th December 2024|

Inclusivity in action: transforming information access in Mali

Mali has been entrenched in a severe security and social crisis for over a decade, where misinformation has emerged as a potent disruptor, dividing communities through fear and mistrust. As information spreads more rapidly than ever before, the importance of ensuring access to reliable, verifiable information cannot be overstated. It is within this challenging context that the USAID Basiki ni Tagne Kunafoni (BTK) project was conceived. Supported by USAID Mali and executed by a consortium led by Pact, including Code for Africa and Accountability Lab Mali, the BTK project brings hope for a more informed Mali. The Importance of the BTK Project The BTK [...]

2025-01-13T14:11:21+00:0017th December 2024|
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