The role of secondary data in strengthening NGO downward accountability

A key problem facing NGOs in conservation and development is that they should be accountable both upwardly to their funders and downwardly to their participants. Working in collaboration with Micaia, a Mozambican development NGO, and funded by the ESRC, SiiD is addressing this tension by investigating the role of data in NGO accountability relations. Data are central to any accountability relationship and NGOs extensively collect data to satisfy donor accountability demands. This data has tremendous potential to be repurposed and directed downwards to strengthen accountability between NGOs and the communities they exist to serve. However, data are seldom used in this way. Working closely with Micaia across the Chimanimani and Guro regions of Mozambique, our project aims to explore the potential of secondary data to downward accountability through three phases.

First, we will conduct focus groups and interviews to investigate the specific accountability challenges faced by NGOs, understand how NGO accountability regimes currently function, and gather local perceptions of accountability relations and information needs.

Second, we will trial novel ways of disseminating and presenting different types of data to NGO participants. Third, we will use key informant interviews to understand the impact on NGO downward accountability.