Introduction to Legitimacy,

Transparency and Accountability

(LTA) issues for Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs)

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Outline of the presentation
1. Introduction
2. What is NGO Accountability?
3. Why NGO Accountability?
4. Ugandaƞs road towards NGO
Accountability
5. What are the gains of NGO
Accountability
6. Conclusion and Recommendations
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Introduction ContƦ
 Accountability the world over is now an
embracing concept that overrules all
walks of live and it applies to
governments and their citizens,
politicians and their constituencies,
private sector and their stakeholders,
CSOs with their members, among
others
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Introduction ContƦ
 Accountability to the NGO sector has
always existed but less emphasized
than it is the case today
 Governments have always regulated
NGOs using legal, regulatory and policy
frameworks (which vary from state to
state ƛ some favorable, others
stringent).
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Introduction contƦ
 Internally, NGOs have their own set
standards through organizational codes
of conduct, constitutions, vision,
mission, values, target group, and
objectives, among others

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Introduction contƦ
 According to John Gaventa,
accountability is sometimes reduced to
a somewhat technical process of
Ɲaccountancyƞ, to be achieved through
clear procedures, transparency of
information, and compliance with legal
processes and regulations.

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What is NGO Accountability?
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What is NGO Accountability?
 NGO accountability has recently become
prominent as a result of many internal and
external factors.
 Internally, NGOs have realized the
importance of internal accountability because
it provides a learning platform for promoting
responsive governance, effective and efficient
management of resources as well as people
participation in decision making processes
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 otivation for NGO Accountability

 Externally, some governments have

established restrictive legal, regulatory and
policy frameworks purportedly meant to
improve on NGO Accountability but they have
not been effective because sometimes, the
motive is derived from the need to control,
especially parts of civil society like NGOs and
the media that are critical to government
policies and weak democratic practices


Why NGO Accountability in Uganda?
The 2006 CIVICUS CSI Results






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Why NGO Accountability in Uganda?

 DENIVA chose to take forward 2

dimensions ƛ Value System (1.) with
the moderate score; and the NGO
operating environment (1.4) ƛ more
disabling than enabling for CSOs. Both
of which affected the sector directly

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Why the Operating Environment?

Parliament passed the 2006 NGO Registration

(Amendment) Act with further stringent provisions
that included among others;
 Overt powers to the Executive and the NGO Board
to excessively interfere with the activities of the
NGO sector as and when they deem it fit
 Functionality limitations and mandatory registration
 Dual liability/ Double Punishment
 Lack of an Appeal Process, among others
Others include the 200] Draft NGO Regulations and the
200 Draft NGO Policy

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Why the Values?
 NGOs in Uganda had already picked NGO
Accountability (Self Regulation) as a key
agenda for strengthening the sector and had
developed the 2006 CSO inimum Agenda
that comprised of seven minimum standards
for promoting accountability both within the
sector and at the same time to be used for
holding others like government accountable

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The CSO inimum Agenda

1. Equitable distribution of resources

2. Effective sharing and separation of power
3. Active citizen participation
4. Transparent decision-making
5. Openness to change/ willingness to negotiate
6. Integrity and accountability
ý. Peaceful coexistence, tolerance, reconciliation

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Quality Assurance Certification
echanism (QuA )
 NGO Self regulatory tool that aims at
promoting the adherence by Civil Society
Organisations to generally acceptable ethical
standards and operational norms.
 It sets principles and standards of behaviors
for responsible practice, to protect the
credibility and integrity of certified NGOs and
their networks in Uganda.

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NGO Accountability
 DENIVA therefore considers NGO
Accountability as a learning process that is
continuous.
 It requires continuous monitoring and
documentation of every step
 In order to achieve this, DENIVA while in
partnership with the one World Trust and
Commonwealth Foundation produced an
NGO Accountability Toolkit to further
enhance NGO Accountability
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NGO Accountability
 DENIVA as a network of NGOs in
Uganda does agree with the fact that
government regulation is still important
along side self regulation. However,
government should adopt a partnership
approach when drafting these laws to
ensure that they are positive and aimed
at facilitating a vibrant growth of the
sector

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Gains of NGO Accountability

 The gains of an accountable NGO sector

are enormous can lead to the
enhancement of NGO credibility,
legitimacy, autonomy and protection as
well as better cohesion amongst NGOs
and good governance. The can also
strengthen strategies of mobilisation,
pressure and vigilance of citizens from
below
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Conclusion
 NGO Accountability is therefore a process
that requires commitment to continuous
learning and improvement. In order for it to
be effective and efficient, NGOs have to
desist from considering it as a privilege for
the donors through upward accountability
and take it as an internal improvement
process that affects its own image, visibility,
and legitimacy as a whole.

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