Accountability in Action – Three Lessons in Centering Communities

By Samer Araabi, Accountability Counsel

It is often the case that the “beneficiaries” of development projects are the least consulted, the least informed, and the least able to access recourse in the event of environmental or social harm. Accountability mechanisms, such as the ones tied to international financial institutions, are a critical component in providing a structure through which communities can access justice and remedy, but the mere existence of these institutions is not enough. These bodies — indeed, any aimed at providing accountability to marginalized communities — need to function in a way that values, elevates, and ultimately respects community perspectives in a meaningful way. Based on over a decade of working with communities around the world, Accountability Counsel has seen various pitfalls of not adhering to community-led accountability and developed recommendations for how to improve.