Accountability to affected populations in daily work

What does accountability to affected populations mean?

Accountability to affected populations (AAP) is the commitment to use power responsibly: to be answerable to the people you aim to assist. The IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) revised its commitments on AAP in 2017. They say that organisations should adopt mechanisms that inform and listen to communities, address feedback and lead to corrective action, and that they should enable people, including the most marginalised and at-risk, to take part in decisions that affect their lives.

In daily work this comes down to four parts. People are told what is happening. People can have a say. People can raise problems safely. And the organisation changes something as a result.

What are the four parts of AAP?

The IASC task force that preceded the 2017 commitments listed five earlier ones: leadership, transparency, feedback and complaints, participation, and design, monitoring and evaluation. You can see the same ideas in the table above.

How do I build AAP into daily work?

Follow this routine for any project.

1. Tell people the basics before you start. Share your name, the purpose, who is eligible, what people will receive, when and what is free. State what you cannot do, so you do not raise false hopes.
2. Ask who might be left out. Think about women, older people, people with disabilities, minority groups, and people who cannot read. Use channels each group can use.
3. Open at least two feedback channels. Offer one confidential and one easy route, for example a hotline and a volunteer. People choose the safest option for them.
4. Log every piece of feedback. Record the date, the topic, the channel, who dealt with it and the result. A simple spreadsheet is enough.
5. Respond within a set time. Agree, for example, that urgent matters are answered in two days and others in seven. Tell people the limit.
6. Close the loop. Tell people what you did, or why you could not act. Do this in public meetings or by notice, without naming those who complained.
7. Review monthly. The project team looks at patterns and decides what to change.

Our guide on complaints and feedback mechanisms goes deeper on steps 3 to 6.

How do I reach people who are usually missed?

Gaps appear when only one channel exists. Examples:

• A hotline excludes people without phones or credit.
• A written form excludes people who cannot read.
• A meeting at midday excludes people who work or care for children.
• A mixed meeting may silence women or young people.

Fix this by using several formats: spoken information in Burmese and local languages, pictures, separate group discussions, and visits to people who cannot travel. See also community engagement for approaches to working with local leaders and groups.

In places with limited access or low connectivity, train community volunteers to receive feedback and pass it on. Agree on safe ways to do this, and protect the volunteer's own safety.

What does a good response look like?

A common weakness is that feedback is collected but nothing visibly changes. People then stop giving it. A good response:

• Is timely. People hear back within the time you promised.
• Is honest. If you cannot do something, say why.
• Leads to change where possible. Move a distribution point, change a time or fix a process.
• Is recorded. Keep a short log of "feedback received, change made".
• Protects the person. Do not share names or details without consent.

Complaints about sexual exploitation or abuse need a separate, confidential route. The IASC commitments say that organisations should establish mechanisms for reporting and handling complaints about sexual exploitation and abuse. Staff must know that these reports go straight to a designated focal point, not through the usual programme channel. Our article on safeguarding basics explains this.

How do I know AAP is working?

Measure it simply. Ask a sample of people:

• Do you know what we offer and who qualifies?
• Do you know how to make a complaint?
• Do you feel safe doing so?
• Have you seen changes after people spoke up?

Track the answers over time, with the numbers disaggregated by sex, age and disability where you can. The IASC commitments also say that AAP results should be measured, including through standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a trusted, Yangon-based training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) is one of our training topics. We deliver it online over Zoom or in person in Yangon and across Myanmar, in English and Burmese. See our training services or contact us to plan a session.

Sources

• IASC Revised Commitments on Accountability to Affected Populations and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, 2017 — IASC, 2017
• The CHS: Nine commitments to people affected by crises (CHS 2024) — CHS Alliance, 2024