Paper short abstract:

This paper presents evidence from a donor-driven pilot of beneficiary feedback mechanisms implemented by NGOs. It considers whether NGOs can use BFMs to play more meaningful and legitimate roles as intermediaries, and through this strengthen accountability between those with power and those without.

Paper long abstract:

This paper draws on evidence from a donor-driven pilot of beneficiary feedback mechanisms (BFMs) that were implemented by a mix of national and international NGOs across a range of country and social contexts. The BFMs commit NGOs and donors to 'closing the feedback loop' by demonstrably responding to feedback, thus giving project 'beneficiaries' greater voice and control. In this paper we examine findings of relevance to this panel. While the research revealed weaknesses in existing accountability chains, the pilots did trigger interesting dynamics, including offering an avenue for citizen-state accountability at local levels in environments where civil society space is limited or under threat. Despite suspicions at the outset, some government authorities in different project sites engaged well with the feedback and process.

The pilot also produced valuable findings around individual and community empowerment. With some donors considering introducing BFMs as mandatory for certain funding streams, there is a risk that feedback becomes (or remains) tokenistic rather than meaningful, resulting in a process that is potentially more disempowering than empowering.

The findings highlight challenges that NGOs need to address, including their claims to meaningful engagement with beneficiaries. This sits at the heart of the current dilemma for those NGOs who draw legitimacy from representing the interests of the powerless. However, the findings also offer important insights into how NGOs can play more meaningful roles in strengthening accountability between those with power and those without, by acting as legitimate multi-dimensional intermediaries between citizen and state, and between individuals/communities and donors.