Social accountability refers to a range of mechanisms that can help ensure people have more opportunity to influence those in positions of power who make decisions that affect them.
Sarah Lister, director of the U.N. Development Program’s Oslo Governance Center told Devex what this looks like in practice.
The power dynamics that take place in any political context also operate when social accountability mechanisms are being used, she said. “But they do provide one other avenue that can add up with formal horizontal, vertical and other types of accountability mechanisms to ensure democracy is functioning more effectively.”
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About the author
Helen Morgan
Helen Morgan is a journalist and editor, primarily focusing on climate change, migration, humanitarian crises, and human rights. She was previously an Associate Editor at Devex, where she managed the op-eds section and led a project covering climate resilience in small island developing states. Helen was also features editor at World Politics Review, and editor and writer at the environmental think tank WRI, as well as editing for The New Humanitarian. She lives and works in Barcelona, Spain.
