Accountable Now is a global platform, founded in 2008 by a group of independent non-profit organisations, which is intended to foster
accountability
In ethics and governance, accountability is equated with answerability, culpability, liability, and the expectation of account-giving.
As in an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in the public secto ...
civil society organisations
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
(CSOs), as well as stakeholder communication and performance. It supports CSOs to be transparent, responsive to stakeholders and focused on delivering impact.
Accountable Now was founded under the name International NGO Charter of Accountability by eleven leading CSOs, including development, humanitarian, environmental, rights-based and advocacy organisations. As Membership and global collaboration increase, CSOs collective voices are strengthened. Today, 29 Member Organisations are active in more than 150 countries and impact stakeholders all over the world.
Legally registered as a Charity in Germany (under the name INGO International NGO Accountability Charter gUG.), Accountable Now's Secretariat is based in Berlin.
Background
CSOs are more important than ever before in framing and influencing social, political and economic environments. On the national level they provide disaster relief and social service, promote self-help and self- governance in developing countries where they are operating. In addition they enhance a strong international
Civil Society
Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.legitimacy of CSOs.
Origins
Development
At the International Advocacy Non-Government Organisations (IANGO) Workshop hosted by Transparency International in June 2003, the importance of promoting accountability and legitimacy was discussed by its participants. As they recognised their growing involvement in international issues the need of promoting accountability was highlighted. The Hauser Center for Non-Profit Organisations at the Harvard University was asked for a research paper on the topic to provide a foundation for following discussions.
At the following annual meetings in 2004 and 2005 the participants analysed their own concepts of accountability, set up an initial draft and with the help of independent consultant specialists revised the draft until a final version was ready to launch.
international NGO
An international non-governmental organization (INGO) is an organization which is independent of government involvement and extends the concept of a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an international scope. INGOs can admit members affiliated t ...
s active in the area of
human rights
Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
, environment and social development, set the course for the establishment of Accountable Now (then known as the INGO Accountability Charter) and it has been referred to as "the first ever set of international and cross-sector guidelines for the NGO sector"Lael Brainard, Derek Chollet (editors): ''Global development 2.0: can philanthropists, the public, and the poor make poverty history?'', The Brookings Institution, , 2008 p. 175 /ref> and the "first global accountability charter for the non-profit sector".
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
, CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation,
Consumers International
Consumers International is the membership organization for consumer groups around the world. Founded on 1 April 1960, it has over 250 member organizations in 120 countries. Its head office is situated in London, England, and has numerous region ...
,
Greenpeace International
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by a group of environmental activists. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity" and focuses its ...
,
Oxfam International
Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent non-governmental organizations (NGOs), focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International. It began as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief ...
,
International Save the Children Alliance
Save the Children International, formerly known as the International Save The Children Alliance, is a worldwide non-profit organization that aims to improve the living of children. There are 30 Save the Children member organizations around the wo ...
,
Survival International
Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969, a London based charity that campaigns for the collective rights of Indigenous, tribal and uncontacted peoples.
The organisation's campaigns generally focus on tribal people ...
Transparency International
Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil s ...
and
World YWCA
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries.
The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swit ...
.
Articles
The charter is ''based on ten core principles and aimed at enhancing respect for human rights, good governance, accountability and transparency, encouraging stakeholder communication, promoting inclusion and environmental responsibility, and improving organisational performance and effectiveness''. It documents the commitment of
international NGO
An international non-governmental organization (INGO) is an organization which is independent of government involvement and extends the concept of a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an international scope. INGOs can admit members affiliated t ...
s to these aims.
Organisation
In 2008, the signatory-NGOs decided to found an independent organisation of the same name ''International NGO Accountability Charter Ltd'' in order to organise the reporting and vetting process of the member organisations against the charter commitments and develop them further. Today, the organisation operates under the nam Accountable Now and has 29 member organisations.
Related codes of conduct
In 1997, the
One World Trust
The One World Trust is a charitable organization that promotes education and research into changes required in global governance to achieve the eradication of poverty, injustice, environmental degradation and war. It develops recommendations on ...
had created an ''NGO Charter'', a
code of conduct
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the social norm, norms, rules, and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual party or an organization.
Companies' codes of conduct
A company code of conduct is a set of rules which is comm ...
International Aid Transparency Initiative
The International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) is a global campaign to create transparency in the records of how aid money is spent. The initiative hopes to thereby ensure that aid money reaches its intended recipients. The ultimate goal is ...
Transparency International
Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil s ...