AASL and CIVICUS: Working Together to Build an Effective and Efficient NGO System in Sierra Leone through Accountability

10-11th November 2010

A raft of constructive proposals marked the success of this event. Participants called for clear strategies for community participation, greater ethical leadership and more donor support for NGOs. They agreed that there is a need for easier information flow from the bottom upwards and top down, and that beneficiaries themselves need to act in a responsible and accountable manner. It was emphasized that internal transparency and accountability is a pre-condition for a stronger sector. A range of practical measures were proposed, from having an open door policy to practicing internal codes of conduct to collaboration with the media.

There was consensus on a number of issues for joint action to enable the sector to self-regulate
and command respect among all stakeholders. Participants prioritized the following key recommendations:

• Establishment of a working group on accountability of the NGO sector to spearhead strategies for improvement
• Securing the potential member organizations’ management buy-in in the concept  and function of a working group for accountability
• Organizing an Open Day for NGOs to promote their work and provide public  information
• Development of a code of conduct for NGOs
• Mapping out of best practices in Sierra Leone

http://civicus.org/index.php/en/