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The Latest Issues and Trends in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance

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Accountability
December 2007
Vol. 25, No. 12
InterAction
 Features
03 Inside this Issue
04 Making Accountability Work: A
Constructive Role for Donors
06 The HAP Standard: Triple Distilled for
Humanitarian Program Quality
09 New Reproductive Risk Index from
Population Action International
10 Listening to Improve Accountability
13 Program Evaluation Standards: Raising
the Accountability Bar
14 Self-Certification Plus: Accountability,
Transparency, Effectiveness
16 Child Sponsorship Certification: Getting
it Right
17 Post-Crisis Community Recovery and
Renewal: Accountability Invisibility
18 Member CEOs Discuss Accountability
Challenges
21 Well-Being in Emergencies: The IASC
Guidelines on Mental Health and
Psychosocial Support in Emergency
Settings
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
22 Building Safer Organizations and
Managing Editor Monday Developments is published Accountability to Disaster Survivors
Julie Montgomery 12 times a year by InterAction, the largest
alliance of U.S.-based international 24 Code Blue: Non-Governmental
development and humanitarian
Editor
nongovernmental organizations. With Organizations Uniting to Support Public
Kathy Ward more than 160 members operating in Sector Health Services
every developing country, we work to
Copy Editor overcome poverty, exclusion and suffering 28 Accountability in Fleet Management
Nia Davis by advancing social justice and basic
dignity for all. 29 NGO Downward Accountability to Their
Advertising & Sales
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Josh Kearns
articles, opinions and announcements.
Article submission does not guarantee
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Also in this Issue
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Tony Fleming, New Media any reason. It is at the discretion of our
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Julie Montgomery, Publications published in individual issues. 33 CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Turning Love Into Work
Editorial Committee All statements in articles are the sole
Taina Alexander
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Luisa Cordoba
Articles may be reprinted with prior 36 Inside InterAction
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Inside this Issue: Tackling Accountability

T
housands of people in our community are engaged in the day-to-day work of reducing
the devastating impact of poverty, providing humanitarian relief and responding to
natural and man-made disasters in every country of the world. Their direct experience
of the wide variety of conditions and circumstances in which our work takes place
provides a valuable advantage in meeting the challenge of developing evolving standards of
accountability for our sector.

Our unique perspective from this direct engagement with local communities in the expansion
of opportunities for the poor, and supporting access to education, health care, livelihood,
economic opportunity and other areas gives us the opportunity and the responsibility to define
the parameters and raise the bar on accountability.

Since 1994, our members have certified their compliance with InterAction’s Private Voluntary
Organization (PVO) Standards. Over the years these standards have been expanded and
adjusted as the sector’s examination of what it means to be accountable to partners, local
populations and donors has evolved.

The U.S. public shows its support for advancing human dignity and peace in the world through
contributions to InterAction members totaling around $7 billion annually. And as a result
of the tsunami, the public gained significant understanding of the need to further advance
humanitarian accountability.

InterAction leverages the impact of this

private support by advocating for the
expansion of U.S. government investments
and by insisting that policies and programs
are accountable to the realities of the world’s
poorest and most vulnerable populations.
Neither InterAction nor its members bear
lightly the responsibility of the trust the
American people place in us.

In this issue of Monday Developments, we

explore current thought on accountability.
To whom are we ultimately accountable
and for what? Is there a tension between
the expectations of our donors and those
of the recipient partners of our programs?
We explore the conflicts organizations face
with scarce resources, demanding missions
and the need to evaluate progress and
effectiveness. We hope that this issue’s
exploration of accountability will stimulate
an ongoing dialogue

Sam Worthington
President and CEO, InterAction

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 

Making Accountability Work:
A Constructive Role for Donors
By Lisa D. Jordan, Deputy Director, Governance and Civil Society Program, The Ford Foundation
I
n the final decade of the twen-
tieth century, there seemed to
be a broad-based consensus
that non-governmental organi-
zations (NGOs) were a good thing:
as shepherds of development, as
democratic agents and in making
sense of globalization. NGOs were
seen as the core of active civil so-
cieties, supporting the delivery of
public services and contributing to
an ever-stronger wave of democra-
tization. By 2000, many NGOs were
no longer fledging organizations
but multi-million dollar enterprises
with increasing power and stature
affecting relationships between
states, shaping markets and busi-
ness practices. With this growing
influence came increased scrutiny
and increased attention to ques-
tions of NGO accountability.
NGOs have responded to these
questions by examining their own
practices, developing codes of
conduct, launching certification
schemes, increasing independent
audits, developing sector-wide
standards for best practice and
tightening management practices
that improve performance. Univer-
sities and think-tanks are enhanc-
ing the field by researching how to
measure success in advocacy, com-
munity empowerment, improving
race relations and a wide variety of
social justice outcomes that count
but are not easily countable. Be-
yond the university-based research,
an entire industry has developed to
service the call for greater NGO ac-
countability. Certification and rat-
ing systems, transparency mecha-
 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
nisms, evaluation techniques and
audit mechanisms are proliferating
across the world. There is tremen-
dous competition in some fields
amongst would be auditors and in
some countries between certifica-
tion and rating regimes. From a de-
cidedly scarce array of options five
years ago, today the average NGO
is dizzy with the possible ways in
which to embrace accountability.
Sorting through the many mecha-
nisms and approaches on offer is a
time-consuming process. Many of
the accountability services on offer
carry a hefty price tag. Some NGOs
are reluctant to embrace those costs
because they are not directly relat-
ed to the core missions of say, sav-
ing lives, educating children, de-
fending rights or conserving nature.
They fear donors and the donor
public will count the accountability
regime as an administrative burden
or cost. This fear is not unfounded
when some of the very transpar-
ency measures publicize only the
ratio of costs and not quality of ser-
vice delivered. Even when the fi-
nances are available, accountability
equations (the total accountability
practice embraced within an NGO),
when they are good, can and often
do point to weaknesses in practice
that need to be addressed. Change
in practice is never easy to embrace
for any organization. The whole is-
sue can seem to be time consuming,
a deviation from mission, threaten-
ing and expensive. For small NGOs
relying predominantly on volunteer
power and budgets of less than
$5,000, some of the accountability
mechanisms with high price-tags
act as barriers to entry. A required
certification brand would make it
difficult for fledgling organizations
to gain wider recognition amongst
the public and donor organizations.
In spite of these challenges, it is
critical for NGOs to sort out their
accountability equations given the
importance of NGOs in address-
ing some of our greatest collective
challenges. Institutional donors can
help. They have key roles to play
in encouraging NGOs to embrace
accountability, but it is not the role
often foreseen for these donors.
Would-be auditors and other ac-
countability service providers have
gone straight to the donors who
have the power and the resources
to create industry leaders and cut
out the competition. Donors have
the opportunity to favor one mecha-
nism, to insist upon the use of one
approach, and to increase the mar-
ket for one service provider over
another. Donors should resist this
temptation.
The growing field or market in
NGO accountability is very healthy.
While it is tempting to “clean up
the field” and make accountability
choices for NGOs through report-
ing requirements, at this early stage
of development it may be better to
allow innovation to flourish and to
seed many approaches.
After all, all NGOs are not created
equal. All fields (education, emer-
gency relief, conservation, rights
defense and poverty alleviation)
have unique challenges that NGOs
must grapple with, beginning with
a multiplicity of stakeholders. What
works for the institutional donor may
not always work for the NGO itself,
the individual donor, or the ultimate
beneficiaries. On the global level,
it is hard to imagine an NGO ac-
countability regime that could take
into account the myriad of differing
political contexts in which NGOs
work, the increasingly hostile le-
gal frameworks to which NGOs
must adhere, the needs of different
types of donor organizations, and
the needs of the beneficiaries. Even
very simple things like requiring
transparency can be highly prob-
lematic in situations where basic
rights are not respected.
In this period of burgeoning inno-
vations, donors can play three roles.
The first is to continue to encourage
a multiplicity of approaches. Provid-
ing the resources and the space for
NGOs to experiment with different
accountability techniques will in-
evitably result in a richer field of in-
quiry. This is a stage where patient
provision of capital will pay off.
The second role donors can play is
to support analysis on the pros and
cons of different approaches that
are on offer to NGOs. Where can an
NGO go to compare the approaches
undertaken by other NGOs in their
field or innovations in other fields?
The small voluntary organization
and the large professional agency
should have access to a resource
that helps them choose from the
many available accountability ser-
vices and approaches before choos-
ing the accountability equation that
works for their organization.
A third role for donors is to help
embed the concept of accountabil-
ity in a deep and sustainable way
by aligning their own needs with
the needs of the beneficiaries at
the operational end of an NGO’s
work. If an NGO exists to provide
services, its accountability equation
should be deeply informed by the
stated needs of the beneficiaries.
Today, very few of the accountabil-
ity mechanisms on offer reflect the
experiences or the voices of benefi-
ciaries. Generally the mechanisms
are donor-oriented. This third role is
critical to the future of NGOs. Giv-
en the complexity of the goals and
missions that NGOs pursue – often
going where governments fear to
tread and where the private sector
cannot make a profit – aligning ac-
countability mechanisms with the
goals of the NGO and the needs
of the beneficiaries will further the
quest for solutions to some of our
most intractable global problems.
Donors can encourage NGOs to
develop accountability equations
that reflect their missions, the con-
text in which they operate and the
beneficiaries they wish to serve. It
is in our collective interest to make
sure that NGOs are learning orga-
nizations, concentrating on improv-
ing their actions toward more ef-
fective outcomes, and focusing on
greater responsibility toward core
missions and populations served.
NGO efforts to empower those that
they serve by developing account-
ability mechanisms that respond to
the beneficiaries stated needs can
only deepen participation in de-
velopment practice, strengthen the
NGO and service the goals of the
organization. When donors – in an
understood need for efficiency – ex-
pect an emergency relief organiza-
tion and a child sponsorship agency
to use similar impact indicators, to
deliver in the same timeframe, or
to even be structured organization-
ally in the same way, it can create
a secondary paper trail that is ex-
pensive to maintain, weakens the
focus on mission, and undermines
the responsibility of the NGO to
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
its mission. Environmental sustain-
ability, public policy changes, and
systemic poverty alleviation require
accountability mechanisms that re-
spect the time frames for sustain-
able outcomes – something that is
almost impossible to depict in short
term increments. It is exciting to see
NGOs developing accountability
equations in these fields that fully
reflect the complexity of operations
and respect the needs of multiple
stakeholders.
The proliferation of accountability
experiments amongst NGOs is a
cause for celebration. The robust en-
ergy coming from the NGO commu-
nity in response to greater demands
for accountability has sparked some
remarkable innovations which ser-
vice the beneficiaries first and put
the mission of an NGO at the heart
of its accountability equation. These
mechanisms service not only the
specific goals and beneficiaries of
NGO action, but also greater goals
of participation and strengthening
democratic practice. There are hun-
dreds of sector specific approaches
today that did not exist five years
ago, many of which recognize the
need to put beneficiaries first and
take into account the context within
which NGOs actually work. Inno-
vation in this direction is still in its
infancy and donors would serve all
nonprofits well by encouraging it.
In the end, as NGOs embrace the
accountability challenge, we will all
be able to rely on NGOs to continue
to fulfill their promise as agents of
welfare delivery, social change and
innovators in public policy – helping
us find effective ways to approach
complex local and global problems
with lasting solutions.
The views expressed are those of the author
and do not necessarily represent those of the
Ford Foundation.

The HAP Standard: Triple Distilled for
Humanitarian Program Quality
By Nicholas Stockton, Executive Director, HAP-International
W
hile quality assurance
regimes have become
familiar components of
most commercial and
social markets, the international
humanitarian system has remained
largely unregulated either by it-
self or by statutory authorities. Of
course, effective statutory regula-
tion is more difficult when the sys-
tem in question is a genuinely foot-
loose, global enterprise played out
across a multitude of jurisdictions.
However, this merely emphasizes
the case for self-regulation and
deepens the mystery surrounding
the very slow progress in establish-
ing voluntary program quality as-
surance as an accepted central part
of the infrastructure of the inter-
national humanitarian system. So
what is the cause of this dawdling
in a system that normally prides it-
self on its dynamism?
In 1998, while chairing the Sphere
Project Management Commit-
tee, it became clear that the loose
coalition of agencies involved in
writing the minimum standards for
humanitarian response could not
hold together if the project were to
venture into the quality assurance
or compliance verification domain,
as had been envisaged in the proj-
ect proposal. The disquiet about
compliance mechanisms voiced
at that time boiled down to three
major concerns expressed by three
distinct constituencies: a normative
objection, as articulated by the In-
ternational Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans
Frontières International (MSF); a
juridical objection, as voiced by In-
 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
terAction; and a process objection
expressed most often, but not exclu-
sively by, Southern NGOs.
The normative issue raised by MSF
and the ICRC centered upon the
threat that a technical standards
compliance scheme might pose to
the fundamental principles of the
Red Cross movement. In a letter to
the Sphere Management Commit-
tee, MSF argued that the essential
nature of humanitarian action is
contained in the personal relation-
ship between the recipient and the
helper, and because this is rooted
in the spirit of voluntarism and the
ethos of human solidarity, it simply
cannot be reduced to a contractual
service delivery relationship gov-
erned by “industry standards.” Sec-
ond, the MSF letter suggested that
states might attempt to manipulate
a standards compliance verification
system for political ends, thereby
compromising the fundamental
humanitarian principle of indepen-
dence.
The juridical critique, aired by Inter-
Action, concluded that the Sphere
Standards should only be aspira-
tional, because to make any sort of
binding compliance commitment
would present an open invitation
to ne’er-do-wells and opportunis-
tic lawyers to launch hostile litiga-
tion against NGOs. An interesting
consequence of this fear is that
the Sphere Humanitarian Charter
concentrates, rather paradoxically,
upon the duties and responsibilities
of states, while studiously avoiding
any reference to the “duty of care”
borne by humanitarian agencies.
Although the Sphere Humanitarian
Charter concludes with an under-
taking “to develop systems for ac-
countability within our respective
agencies, consortia and federations”
and an acknowledgement “that our
fundamental accountability must
be to those we seek to assist,” no
register has ever been created to
record exactly who is making this
commitment. This has inevitably
prevented further progress on de-
veloping a system for accountability
to “those we seek to assist” within
the Sphere coalition, in large part
because of the perceived juridical
risks so entailed.
The critique of the process through
which Sphere developed the mini-
mum standards was linked to the
project’s initial difficulty in engag-
ing Southern NGOs and disaster
survivors in the consultation pro-
cess. Although a growing number
of Southern NGOs did participate
in Sphere’s “institutionalization”
phase, the project never did find
a satisfactory method of including
disaster survivors in the standards
development process. Hence it was
possible without too much fear of
contradiction to suggest, on behalf
of disaster survivors, that a com-
pliance monitoring or verification
scheme would be damaging to their
interests.
As the Sphere Project did not de-
velop a compliance verification
mechanism it is difficult to establish
whether or not these various anxiet-
ies were justified. Even so, as MSF
and the ICRC were more concerned
with their fears that technical stan-
 In late 2003, a core group of eight agencies founded a new independent
organization, set up inter alia to “monitor and report on the implementation of
HAP-International’s principles of accountability to beneficiaries and to accredit its
members accordingly” thereby establishing the humanitarian community’s first
dards might displace ethical prin-
ciples, it does seem that the process
of standards compliance verifica-
tion per se was not the primary
issue for these agencies. Rather,
their concerns were founded upon
the perceived inadequacies of the
substantive content of the Sphere
standards, which were then further
provoked by the spectre of a com-
pliance scheme. Thus, provided
that a compliance verification or
quality assurance system actually
encourages human solidarity and
voluntary humanitarian action, and
that it is administered in a strictly
independent manner on an entirely
elective basis, it should surely be
possible to allay their fears.
However, the nightmare scenario
of large NGOs being held legal-
ly liable for millions of avoidable
deaths in foreign public health di-
sasters seems to have held the body
politic of U.S. NGOs in thrall and
to date humanitarian quality assur-
ance has remained almost as dis-
tant a prospect in the United States
as it seemed back in 1998. This in
spite of President Clinton’s strongly
worded proposition in 2006 that the
system is actually very vulnerable to
mistakes and thus also to legitimate
claims for redress, while it continues
to operate without a robust volun-
tary quality assurance scheme able
to confirm that its major actors are
operating their field programmes
with due diligence.
The Humanitarian Ombudsman
Project was the brainchild of a
group of agencies (including the
British Red Cross, Oxfam GB and
Save the Children UK) determined
to follow through the compliance,
international self-regulatory body.
complaints handling and redress
dimensions of the quality assurance
agenda outside the Sphere coalition
once it became clear back in 1988
that these matters could not be tak-
en forward inside Sphere. But as a
London-based research initiative,
the Humanitarian Ombudsman
Project also encountered practical
difficulties in conducting consulta-
tions with disaster survivors; and in
2001 the initiative was superseded
by the Humanitarian Accountabil-
ity Project (HAP) hosted by the In-
ternational Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies. In an
attempt to address the challenge
of including disaster survivors in
consultations, HAP set up and ran
action research projects in Afghani-
stan, Cambodia and Sierra Leone.
The need to strengthen account-
ability practices within the humani-
tarian system was reaffirmed with
the exposure of sexual exploitation
and abuse of beneficiaries by aid
workers in west Africa. Such egre-
gious examples of an accountabil-
ity deficit within the international
humanitarian system spurred the
Inter-Agency Standing Committee
to develop and issue guidelines in-
tended to prevent further cases, and
to establish a new initiative called
“Building Safer Organisations”
(BSO) hosted by the International
Council of Voluntary Agencies
(ICVA). BSO’s aim was to develop
capacity within the humanitarian
system at large to investigate alle-
gations of sexual exploitation and
abuse. This paralleled develop-
ments by leading child sponsorship
agencies within InterAction to de-
velop a more rigorous self-regula-
tory scheme to protect children. As
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
these agencies clearly appreciated,
a quality assurance scheme simul-
taneously provides enhanced risk
management.
Meanwhile in Geneva, the Human-
itarian Accountability Project gave
way to the Humanitarian Account-
ability Partnership (known rather
confusingly as HAP-International).
The Project’s action research in the
field had demonstrated that in most
humanitarian contexts self-regula-
tion was the only realistic and af-
fordable option for humanitarian
quality assurance. In late 2003, a
core group of eight agencies found-
ed a new independent organization,
set up inter alia to “monitor and re-
port on the implementation of HAP-
International’s principles of ac-
countability to beneficiaries and to
accredit its members accordingly”
thereby establishing the humani-
tarian community’s first internation-
al self-regulatory body. However, in
early 2004, the new board of HAP-
International recognized that the
task of monitoring compliance with
the accountability principles that its
members commit to upon entry was
a sensitive, complex and potential-
ly expensive matter. In response,
HAP-International embarked upon
a consultation process to develop an
accountability and quality manage-
ment standard that could be used
in assessing compliance with its ac-
countability principles in a fair and
consistent manner.
However, HAP-International’s stan-
dard development project soon en-
countered the same challenges that
have so often hampered the involve-
ment of disaster survivors in other
humanitarian standards setting
continued on next page

continued from previous page
processes. However, not consulting
with humanitarian aid recipients
was not an option and eventually a
diverse group of disaster survivors
willing to participate in develop-
ing the HAP-International standard
were identified. While the people
selected were not demographically
or democratically representative
of disaster populations as a whole,
it was possible to ensure that the
group of disaster survivors was bal-
anced with regard to gender and
geographical representation and,
most crucially, they brought to the
process authentic experiences of di-
saster survival and the work of hu-
manitarian agencies.
Once underway, the HAP-Inter-
national standard development
process involved hundreds of aid
workers, specialists and disaster
survivors. Throughout 2006 an in-
tensive series of workshops and
field trials were conducted in Eu-
rope, Africa and Asia, culminating
in a final drafting workshop in Ge-
neva in December of that year. This
elaborate consultation process fo-
cused upon three crucial questions:
1. What matters most in an agen-
cy’s management system with re-
gard to influencing humanitarian
outcomes?
In other words, which factors con-
trolled by the agency have the
greatest potential impact upon the
well-being of disaster survivors,
with well-being defined as a func-
tion of mortality, morbidity and dig-
nity? Together, these functions and
processes constitute an agency’s
humanitarian quality management
system.
2. Which elements of the agency’s
humanitarian quality management
system can be measured either di-
rectly or through proxy indicators
within reasonable parameters of
complexity and cost?
 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
3. Which of the measurable prac-
tices of humanitarian quality man-
agement identified by this process
are, by general consensus, afford-
able and practicable in the great
majority of circumstances?
Drawing upon the collective wis-
dom of aid workers, disaster survi-
vors, academics and other stake-
holders, the HAP Standard is their
answer to these questions. Like a
good whisky, the HAP Standard is
triple distilled: first, to isolate the es-
sential practices that determine the
quality of humanitarian work; sec-
ond, to retain just those practices
that are verifiable and measurable;
and third, to produce an end distil-
late that is affordable and applica-
ble in all but the most exceptional
situations. However, because such
circumstances do prevail in human-
itarian theatres from time to time,
the HAP Standard also incorporates
a compliance exoneration facility
for those special cases when the
Standard should not be applied.
Of course the development of the
HAP Standard was just the first step
towards establishing a complete
humanitarian quality assurance
system. The Humanitarian Ac-
countability and Quality Manage-
ment certification scheme is per-
haps the most prominent element
in the system, as it represents the
culmination of a process whereby
an independent audit of an agen-
cy’s programme quality manage-
ment system has confirmed that it is
compliant with the HAP Standard.
However, HAP-International also
provides an organizational base-
line analysis service (to assess what
organizational development is re-
quired to achieve compliance with
the HAP Standard), and mid-term
improvement plan reviews (to con-
firm that agreed organizational de-
velopment plans have actually been
implemented). In addition, since
the BSO project was transferred
from ICVA in April 2007, HAP-In-
ternational now has the skills and
experience to train investigators to
examine allegations of sexual ex-
ploitation and abuse. The BSO proj-
ect has greatly strengthened HAP-
International’s complaints-handling
service, making it better equipped
to deal with a broader range of is-
sues stemming from malfeasance,
negligence or improper conduct.
As the HAP-International humani-
tarian quality assurance service is
rolled out more widely, we expect to
be able to tell of a growing number
of HAP-certified agencies that can
be expected to deliver consistently
high quality and cost-effective hu-
manitarian work. We are sure this
is information that will help inform
important decisions made by disas-
ter survivors, aid workers, job seek-
ers, volunteers, private donors and
officials.
As in other sectors of human endea-
vour with the potential to both help
and to harm intended beneficiaries,
we may soon find legal opinions
concluding that serious engage-
ment with a self-regulatory body
is a sign of due diligence, making
humanitarian organizations less,
rather than more, vulnerable to the
predatory attentions of opportunis-
tic claims seekers.
But more importantly, we believe
that the HAP-International humani-
tarian quality assurance scheme has
greater potential to improve the im-
pact and outcome of the humanitar-
ian system than any other humani-
tarian reform package currently on
offer.
For more information on the HAP Standard,
baseline analysis, certification scheme and
complaints handling support, please visit
www.hapinternational.org or email the
author at nstockton@hapinternational.org.
New Reproductive Risk Index from
Population Action International
By Sarah Haddock, Research Assistant, Population Action International
W
hen a woman is health-
ier so are her family,
community, her coun-
try and our world.
However, the bitter truth is that
poor reproductive health threatens
the well-being and, in many cases,
the very survival of women around
the world. Indeed, more than half a
million women (typically poor, un-
educated and living in rural areas or
urban slums) die during pregnancy
and childbirth worldwide every
year. Despite 20 years of campaign-
ing to improve the reproductive
health status of women, the risk of
dying in pregnancy or childbirth
still shows the largest gap between
the rich and the poor of all develop-
ment statistics.
Working to improve these tragic
health outcomes and place women
firmly at the center of development
initiatives, Population Action Inter-
national (PAI) has a long, success-
ful history of developing evidence-
based advocacy tools. In October
2007, PAI released a new index that
gauges the current status of repro-
ductive health at the country-level
in 130 countries.
The study, A Measure of Survival,
is organized around the concept of
a woman’s sexual and reproduc-
tive lifecycle, considered in terms
of four stages: sex, pregnancy,
childbirth and survival. Each stage
of a woman’s sexual and reproduc-
tive lifecycle is measured in terms
of how healthy and how voluntary
each is.
The indicators of access to services
and health outcomes reflect the di-
rect causes of vulnerability to death
and injury for women around the
world. However, recognizing that
reproductive health outcomes are
influenced by broader issues of in-
equity in income distribution, ac-
cess to social services, and gender
relations, the study discusses the
linkages between these issues and
reproductive risk.
A single reproductive risk index is
constructed from this range of in-
dicators, and the 130 countries are
then ranked from highest to lowest
risk and grouped into five risk cat-
egories.
The report is an important advo-
cacy tool, showing that the risks
associated with childbearing vary
tremendously among countries
around the world. All of the 26
countries at highest reproductive
risk have low-incomes and all are
in sub-Saharan Africa except Hai-
ti, Laos and Yemen – the poorest
countries in their respective regions
– and Bangladesh. In the majority of
these countries, levels of HIV infec-
tion range between moderate and
high. Adolescent fertility is high
and very early marriage is common;
in one-third of the countries, more
than half of girls are married before
the age of 18. Skilled care during
pregnancy and childbirth is gener-
ally limited, with Ethiopian women
having the least access to such care
in the world. Contraceptive use is
generally low, at about 40 percent.
Yemen, Rwanda, Laos and Haiti
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
have the highest unmet need for
contraception. Abortion policies are
restrictive, and infant and maternal
mortality are high or very high. In
Niger and Sierra Leone, a woman’s
lifetime risk of maternal death is
one in seven and one in eight, re-
spectively.
On the other hand, countries at low-
est risk are industrialized countries
with high incomes; China., Cuba
and Singapore are the only devel-
oping countries in this category.
HIV/AIDS prevalence is low and
early marriage is rare. Adolescent
fertility is generally low, although
Cuba and the United States have
the highest adolescent fertility lev-
els of countries in this category.
Skilled care during pregnancy and
childbirth is universal and contra-
ceptive use is high. Abortion is gen-
erally not restricted, and infant and
maternal mortality are rare.
PAI has conducted three similar
indices of women’s reproductive
health status since 1995, all of which
unfortunately showed the same
general clusterings of countries ac-
cording to reproductive risk levels,
particularly at the highest risk level.
continued on page 20

Listening to Improve Accountability
By Mary Anderson, Executive Director, CDA Collaborative Learning Projects and Dayna Brown,
Director, Listening Project
O
ver years of organizing
collaborative learning
projects (Do No Harm,
Reflecting on Peace
Practice, and others), questions
have arisen about the cumulative
effects of international assistance on
people, their communities and their
societies. So, in 2005 we launched
the Listening Project to explore the
ideas and insights of people who
live in societies on the recipient side
of international assistance efforts
such as humanitarian assistance,
development and peacebuilding.
It is based on the belief that those
who have intentionally crossed bor-
ders to attempt to help other people
– and those who work with them
– must both listen carefully to the
wise judgments of people in those
societies about how these efforts
have gone and be accountable to
them.
The Listening Project has facilitated
listening exercises in Aceh (Indo-
nesia), Angola, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Kosovo, New Orleans, Sri
Lanka, Thailand and Zimbabwe.
Over 225 staff members from more
than 60 local and international
NGOs have participated in the lis-
tening exercises to date, holding
about 1,300 conversations with ap-
proximately 3,000 people. In each
location, teams listened to a broad
range of people, including those
who have directly received assis-
tance, people who have not received
assistance but have observed it, and
those who have been a part of the
chain of delivery. The reports from
these listening exercises capture
what we have heard from people as
10 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
they reflected on and analyzed the
impacts of international assistance
for their societies, and provide the
evidence for the following initial
findings.
The systems and structures of in-
ternational assistance limit oppor-
tunities and incentives for listening
in open-ended ways to people in
recipient societies.
The evidence seems to show that
international assistance agencies
have developed often efficient de-
livery systems that are often more
concerned with getting services and
goods to people than with getting to
know and respect them.
In the places we visited, many
people referred to international as-
sistance as “an industry” that is
professionalized to meet delivery
standards by employing certain
kinds of people, organizing needs
assessments, planning and proj-
ect activities according to specified
systems, and reporting on pre-de-
termined indicators (often related
to what is delivered at what cost).
More and more, NGOs are using
the terminology of “customers” or
“clients” (i.e., “industry” language)
rather than “beneficiaries” to de-
scribe those whom their efforts are
intended to help. Donors also focus
on results-based management, a
concept borrowed from the private
sector.
People tell us that they do not get
to select the agencies that work in
their communities, and that they of-
ten have no way to hold the agen-
cies accountable when the work
is badly done or, worse, when it
does harm. Local people know that
agencies provide reports to donors,
but many question why they do not
get to see these reports and why do-
nors often do not check whether the
assistance they have provided has
made a positive difference in recipi-
ents’ lives.
Why is this important?
If this evidence is borne out in future
conversations, the challenges to the
international community cannot be
over-stated. It suggests the need
for a fundamental rethinking of
the purposes and values of interna-
tional assistance and, subsequently,
a redesign of our systems to re-in-
tegrate the importance of building
relationships (as well as delivering
goods and services).
The systems of international assis-
tance bias the ways that agencies
and aid workers listen and do not
listen, what they listen to, where
and when they listen, and to whom
they listen.
This is related to the first finding.
If the system is designed to deliver
goods and services, the point of lis-
tening to people in communities is
to determine whether the goods and
services have been delivered well:
Were they the right amount, of the
right quality, delivered to the right
people and on time? Often the focus
is on gathering this information in
an “efficient” way to reduce costs of
delivery and to ensure speed, leav-
ing less and less time to listen to
what people think about the effects
of the assistance they received.
When aid agency staff are listen-
ing for assessments of their service
delivery performance, they listen to
people who are in (not outside of)
the chain of delivery and they lis-
ten primarily for assessments of the
efficiency or effectiveness of their
projects. They often do not see the
importance of, and are not encour-
aged or rewarded for, taking the
time to talk to broader groups of
people about a broader range of is-
sues.
As a result, most aid workers hear
a lot about the problems of proj-
ects that fail to deliver what people
want. Through the Listening Proj-
ect, we also hear many comments
about this, some appreciative and
many critical. Some of the com-
ments are familiar and have been
around for many years: “The wrong
people got the aid,” “you have to
know somebody to get aid,” “the
agency sent food we could not
use,” “the seeds got here too late to
plant,” and so on. What has become
clear is that the specific mistakes
these comments highlight add up
to a much larger issue that cannot
be addressed through better project
planning or tinkering with aspects
of delivery.
The larger issue has to do with how
to relate to people in the countries
where agencies work. The evidence
seems to show that the bias of lis-
tening to people involved in proj-
ects about these projects leaves out
a very large part of what is required
to understand the larger context
that people live within, and to work
with local people to diagnose and
thus find ways of addressing the
circumstances that perpetuate their
poverty or marginalization.
With remarkable consistency across
many locations, including areas
that have experienced disasters
such as the tsunami in 2004, people
say that aid agencies should “take
more time,” “invest the necessary
time” and “go more slowly” be-
Photo: courtesy of Diego Devesa Laux, The Listening Project.
cause time is necessary in order to
“listen to people,” “learn about the
real circumstances,” “get to know
people,” and “show respect for
people’s ideas and opinions.”
Why is this important?
If we listen to a wider range of peo-
ple about a broader range of issues,
we hear very different things. And,
if we hear these things clearly, we
will be more likely to create mecha-
nisms and systems for addressing
basic issues, rather than perpetu-
ating broad disappointment that
“international assistance saves our
lives, but it does not change them.”
In many cases, the amount of aid
and of money is not seen as the
problem.
In one area, people spoke of the
“excessive generosity of interna-
tional agencies” noting that they
received “too much.” In every loca-
tion the Listening Project has visit-
ed people talk about the significant
amounts of waste and mismanage-
ment of resources, noting, for in-
stance, that “with all of the aid that
has come into Kenya, it should be
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
a heaven!” They continually note
how little has been accomplished in
relation to the resources that have
been provided.
People tell Listening Project teams
their ideas about how the “massive
funds” of outsiders could be bet-
ter spent. For example, some point
out that if agencies could analyze
the situation with local people, they
could pool their funds for greater
impact. One example concerned
a drought-prone location where
separate agencies undertook small
water projects. People suggested
that if these agencies had combined
their resources, they could have de-
veloped a comprehensive, lasting
water system. In other countries,
Listening Project teams have heard
similar comments that the available
(and abundant) resources of aid
could do more to address deeper,
systemic problems if aid agencies
would analyze the situation with lo-
cal people and combine resources,
rather than each running its own
projects.
There are two interesting aspects
of this commentary. The first has to
continued on next page
11
continued from previous page

The Top Ten

do with waste. In several different countries,
people have described the “water bottle”
effect where assistance is passed from donors
to international NGOs or contractors to local Best Corporations in Global Development
NGOs or sub-contractors to community-based
organizations and finally to people in the Corporations have become important partners in
community, so that the last in line gets only a addressing global poverty – improving the lives of people
around the world by creating jobs, livable communities,
very small amount of the water after so many
educational opportunities and access to medical care.
have taken a sip. Even with this “wastage,”
however, people talk more often about how The InterAction Best Corporations listing will recognize
little has been accomplished with all of the companies that prioritize investment in people and
money that has been spent rather than about demonstrate a commitment to the fight against global
poverty.
the importance of having more.
Is your corporate partner making a difference in your
Second, the Listening Project has heard very program or the communities in which you work?
few complaints about the quantity of resources
available. Of much greater concern to people Nominate them to InterAction’s Top Ten Corporations in
is how aid is given. Many resent what they Global Development List!
call “pre-packaged” projects because these, The application is available online at www.interaction.org.
they say, signal arrogance and disrespect by Nominations will be accepted through December 31, 2007.
international agencies acting as if local people
do not have the analytic ability and wisdom to
engage on major issues affecting their lives.

Why is this important?

There is much discussion among donors and
NGOs about “coherence” and “coordination”
as solutions to international aid’s ineffective-
ness. Both of these ideas presume that it is
possible to establish an overall strategy or ap-
proach that will bring desired results. While
the idea that aid agencies should work with
each other, rather than each designing and
implementing its own projects, is appreciated
by local people, they also emphasize the cen-
trality of their own roles in this “working to-
gether” approach. If we listen to the insights
of people in recipient societies, any attempts
to coordinate or achieve coherence must start
with and totally respect their analyses.

Further, many of us who work internationally

continually try to raise more money, increase
our donor bases and provide more resources.
If we listen to the ideas coming from people in
recipient societies, we must adjust our think-
ing about the relative importance of getting
more money and instead find better ways of
responding to local capacities and insights InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international
and to be accountable to them. development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. Our
165 members operate in every developing country, working with local
communities to overcome poverty and suffering by helping to improve
More information and reports are available at their quality of life.
www.cdainc.com.

12 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

Program Evaluation Standards: Raising the
Accountability Bar
By Juan Carlos Alegre, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Save the Children Federation, Inc.
There is an increasing demand for greater accountability
in foreign assistance, and international non-governmental
organizations (INGOs), along with other players in the provision
of foreign aid, are pressed to provide credible evidence
demonstrating achievement of program results. As part of
InterAction’s effort to help its member organizations increase
their accountability to a variety of stakeholders including
program participants, partners and donors, InterAction’s
Evaluation and Program Effectiveness Working Group (EPEWG)
recently submitted evaluation standards to InterAction’s
Standards Committee. These standards are now part of both
the Self-Certification Plus (SCP) process and InterAction’s
Recommended Standards and Guidelines. (See separate article
by Barbara Wallace on page 14.) The standards are intended
for all InterAction member organizations regardless of their
scope and size of operations. The revised evaluation standards,
recently approved by InterAction’s board of directors for
incorporation into the SCP process, are defined as follows:
1. The organization incorporates relevant monitoring
and evaluation practices in its policy, systems and cul-
ture. This standard aims to assess design, monitoring
and evaluation standards and policies that are in place
for programs and projects. It also seeks to ensure adher-
ence to professional principles and standards to foster
program effectiveness.
2. The organization conducts regular and deliberate
evaluative activities to examine progress toward its
goals and mission. Regardless of the size and scope of
operations, the member organization will show how it
regularly assesses whether or not it is on the right track
for achieving its intended goals and overall mission.
3. The organization applies adequate financial and hu-
man resources for monitoring and evaluation. This stan-
dard aims to ensure that the member organization not
only allocates sufficient resources for program moni-
toring and evaluation activities, but also uses those re-
sources as planned/intended.
These new SCP process evaluation standards emerge from
three years of work that began when InterAction’s Board of Di-
rectors created the EPEWG to survey members’ evaluation ca-
pacities, support members’ needs for effectively using system-
atic evaluative strategies and practices, and create standards
by which organizations can assess their work. Drawing upon
InterAction member organizations’ diverse experience base
in order to achieve broad relevance for the community, the
EPEWG produced the “Position Statement on Demonstrating
NGO Effectiveness,” which the InterAction board of directors
approved on September 20, 2005. It is this position statement
that provided the foundation for the SCP’s revised program
evaluation standards.
With the new SCP process evaluation standards now ap-
proved, the EPEWG will provide further guidelines to clarify
and illustrate the revised standards. Additionally, to help In-
terAction member organizations respond to these new stan-
dards, the working group will prepare presentations on major
topics related to demonstrating effectiveness and will compile
a list of resources for program effectiveness and accountability.
The EPEWG will also issue recommended program evaluation
standards to complement the revised SCP standards. All will be
available on InterAction’s website.
This effort revises InterAction’s evaluation standards and devel-
ops and highlights resources that can help InterAction mem-
bers comply with those standards. In so doing, it responds to
one of the EPEWG’s two objectives, namely, to build the ca-
pacity of InterAction and its members to demonstrate effec-
tiveness by: (a) serving as a practical resource for InterAction
members and InterAction itself in monitoring, evaluation, and
program effectiveness; and (b) acting as a platform and a think
tank in which InterAction and its members can develop new,
creative ideas for evaluation and program effectiveness. The
EPEWG’s second objective complements the first: to inform
communications and advocacy initiatives to influence the U.S.
and global aid effectiveness discourse.
As the EPEWG begins taking on bigger tasks related to these
two objectives, it is eager to expand its membership to ensure
that it represents the full range of InterAction members,
drawing on InterAction members’ breadth of knowledge and
experience and effectively responding to InterAction members’
needs related to evaluation and program effectiveness. To
join the EPEWG, please contact Hilary Nalven at HNalven@
interaction.org.
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 13
Self-Certification Plus: Accountability,
Transparency, Effectiveness
By Barbara Wallace, Vice President, Membership & Standards, InterAction
I
nterAction members do not take
lightly the trust placed in them
by the American public through
direct donations, and, for some
members, through government
funding fueled by taxpayer dollars.
Accountability is not only our re-
sponsibility, it is inherent in the mis-
sions and the core values that drive
our organizations and the individu-
als working in them who strive to
save lives, alleviate suffering and
support the world’s poor in devel-
oping the capacity to thrive in self-
sustaining communities around the
world. Because we are social profit,
rather than for-profit organizations,
the measure of our success is not
measured by earnings, but by our
accountability for the accomplish-
ment of our purposes and missions.
Ultimately accountability to the
public, our funders, our boards and
staffs, and, perhaps most impor-
tantly, to the people we serve is the
foundation upon which all of our ef-
forts are built.
Since 1994, each InterAction mem-
ber organization has agreed to be
bound by InterAction’s Private Vol-
untary Organization (PVO) Stan-
dards, a system of standards in the
areas of governance, finance, com-
munications with the U.S. public,
management practice, human re-
sources, program and public policy.
The PVO Standards are continually
reviewed, added to and strength-
ened. Over the years, significant
changes have been made such as:
a the addition of gender and
diversity amendments and
guidance for child sponsorship
programs in 1998;
14 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
a the broadening diversity
amendments to include people
with disabilities in 2000;
a the adoption of standards of-
fering guidance in the pro-
tection of beneficiaries from
sexual exploitation and abuse
and guiding NGOs in the ap-
propriate use and movement
of pharmaceutical and medical
resources in 2003;
a the adoption of standards
covering whistleblower and
document destruction policies
in 2005;
a the inclusion of Minimum
Operating Security Standards
offering guidance on providing
staff security in 2006; and
a further refinement of standards
for program monitoring and
evaluation in 2007.
Building on this tradition, all mem-
bers and InterAction itself now un-
dertake a rigorous self-certification
called Self-Certification Plus every
other year, using various types of
documented “evidence of compli-
ance,” to re-certify their compliance
with the Standards.
Intended to ensure and strengthen
public confidence in the integrity,
quality and effectiveness of mem-
ber organizations and their pro-
grams, the Standards were created
when the overseas work of U.S.
NGOs was dramatically increasing
in scope and significance. Defining
the financial, operational, program-
matic and ethical code of conduct
for InterAction and its member
agencies, these high and objective
standards set InterAction members
apart from many other charitable
organizations.
The current Self-Certification Plus
process of validating compliance
with the Standards became man-
datory for all members in 2006. It
encourages organizational learning,
advances best practices and helps
ensure that InterAction members
meet the highest standards of the
international non-profit community.
The Standards further public trust
and confidence in InterAction mem-
bers. Indeed, in various aspects, the
InterAction PVO Standards exceed
the prevailing standards of the Bet-
ter Business Bureau and the Nation-
al Charities Information Bureau.
Through the Self-Certification Plus
process, members explore their or-
ganizations’ compliance with each
standard by examining organiza-
tional documents such as articles
of incorporation and by-laws, staff
and board of directors policies, and
operational practices. The organi-
zation then completes a checklist
through which it certifies that it is in
compliance with each standard and
states the evidence used for its de-
termination, or declares that it is not
in full compliance and provides its
plan for achieving compliance with
the standard in question.
Any member that does not com-
plete the Self-Certification process
verifying compliance with the PVO
Standards is suspended from mem-
bership until it is completed. Any
member that identifies a standard
with which it is not in compliance
and does not create and fulfill a
plan to satisfy the compliance re-
quirement is also subject to suspen-
sion from membership.
The Self-Certification Plus process
incorporates three sets of standards:
core standards for governance and
administration (Category I), core
universal program standards (Cat-
egory II), and organizational com-
mitment standards (Category III).
Core Standards apply to all mem-
ber agencies, large and small and
regardless of mission or program
focus. In Categories I and II, these
include:
Governance and Administration:
a governance and board respon-
sibility,
a fiscal management and ac-
countability,
a equal access rights,
a organizational integrity, and
a management and human re-
sources.
Universal Program:
a program development,
a monitoring and evaluation,
a accountability, and
a fundraising and public disclo-
sure.
While every effort was made to
include in Self-Certification Plus
only those program standards that
should apply to all agencies, some
program standards considered here
to be “universal” may actually not
apply to every agency, particularly
those that do not operate programs
in the field. In such instances, the
agency need not self-certify compli-
ance with those standards, but must
explain briefly why those standards
are not applicable.
Agencies that have field operations
must also demonstrate that the
policies and procedures defined by
these Core Standards are reflected
in field manuals and other program
documentation.
Self-Certification Plus will also ap-
ply to Category III PVO Standards
that reflect institutional commit-
ments made by the InterAction al-
liance, but which do not yet lend
themselves to clear or definitive
measures of compliance or to uni-
form or identical application by each
member. At this juncture, a mem-
ber agency’s ability to demonstrate
an organizational commitment to
make regular, deliberate progress
toward meeting these broader in-
stitutional objectives over a reason-
able but defined period of time is
more important than defining an
absolute measure of compliance to
these standards.
These organizational commitment
Standards include most of the diver-
sity amendments and several stan-
dards that deal with administration,
management, fundraising and pub-
lic policy. Whenever and wherever
a member agency determines that
it has not met a Category III Stan-
dard, it should develop an action
plan for becoming compliant with
these institutional commitments
by 2009. The action plan should
identify milestones and markers by
which it can effectively measure its
annual progress.
For many of our member organiza-
tions, the initial Self-Certification
Plus (SCP) process was time con-
suming. Many found that complet-
ing it the first time required choos-
ing a member of staff who could
dedicate a fair portion of his or her
time to gathering organizational
documents, analyzing these materi-
als against the standards, and doc-
umenting the evidence gathered.
Given the urgent need for our work
to alleviate suffering, end poverty
and literally save lives, and the
pressure by funders to minimize
management costs, there is little
room in the day-to-day functioning
of non-profits to step back and in-
vest scarce resources on reviewing
policies and documents; yet many
found the process very rewarding
and to be a stimulus for updating
policy and practice. In completing
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
the 2006 SCP process 93 percent of
those who completed a question-
naire about the process gave posi-
tive responses about the usefulness
of the process to their organiza-
tions.
Amelia Kendall from the American
Refugee Committee International
gave a typical response. She called
the process, “Very useful – espe-
cially as a yearly exercise.” She
explained, “The process gives us
a forum to discuss accountability
with all departments within the or-
ganization and to establish a point
person in each department. … We
were able to pinpoint where some
policies need to be updated and/
or strengthened; some still need to
be created and implemented. We
were also able to see where we are
lacking in systems and to prioritize
investments in organizational ac-
countability.”
In response to a question asking
whether the SCP has meaning for
the organization even though it
remains a self-regulatory process,
she responded: “Absolutely. It’s a
track record of our internal efforts
to improve organizational account-
ability.”
The next year for mandatory com-
pletion of the Self-Certification Plus
process is 2008.
The logical next step in the evolu-
tion of accountability standards
is independent verification of ac-
countability. The Child Sponsorship
Certification Project (see separate
article by Kenneth Giunta on page
16) is an example of this process, but
hiring a social auditor to provide this
type of independent review can be
very expensive, particularly for the
smaller members of our community.
In 2008, InterAction will pilot a peer
review process with a variety of our
members, which will provide an in-
dependent assessment with mini-
mal financial investment.
15
 Child Sponsorship Certification: Getting it Right
By Kenneth Giunta
InterAction’s work on standards, accountability and program ef-
fectiveness directly influences how its member NGOs manage,
govern and evaluate their programs and their outcomes. It is
designed, in part, to help member agencies determine how best
to define success, how to design constructive strategies and
mechanisms for evaluating what they do, and how to improve
results reporting.
InterAction’s on-going child sponsorship certification project
demonstrates in tangible terms that sincere, constructive collab-
oration can take place and that NGOs can establish a community
of practice to improve transparency and program outcomes.
While they share common program goals and their member-
ship in InterAction, the five well-established member agencies
that run child sponsorship programs are essentially competitors.
They compete in the same markets for the same donor public fi-
nancial support, as well as in many of the same countries for the
delivery of program services to essentially the same beneficiary
communities. They also share the same skeptical media report-
ing that often questions the way child sponsorship programs
operate.
Collectively, their common goal has become to strengthen their
systems and program outcomes, and to develop a system of
externally verified compliance with established standards that
could definitively assure a weary public and donor community
that, as service providers to children, they are indeed “delivering
the goods” as promised.
The process of developing a certification process that they all
could agree to and feel comfortable with took over five years.
Among the first challenges was the need to tackle the often am-
biguous and un-auditable language contained in InterAction’s
standards. The certification project forced the first real, in-depth
reading of the standards since their inception in 1992. In many
instances the standards referred to other guidelines, merely sug-
gesting that InterAction members “should be guided by them”
rather than requiring that they “shall” follow those guidelines.
Through several years of countless meetings and conference
calls with agency representatives and their attorneys, the stan-
dards were rewritten in many places, substituting “shoulds” to
“shalls” and defining the types of evidence that would be need-
ed to demonstrate compliance with each standard to an inde-
pendent auditor.
Sitting around the same table and working toward a common
goal, led ultimately to collaboration among these five agencies.
Even before the first certification audit was launched in October
2004, the agencies met, developed and shared a comprehensive
set of child protection standards that each agreed to adopt and
enforce.
Following the audits, to an agency, they each found that the
learning that took place as a result of their required self-stud-
ies that preceded the audits, as well as the observations made
about their programs by the audit teams was even greater than
any benefit that might result from donor and public knowledge
of their certification. Indeed, the process of gathering the evi-
16 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
dence of compliance for each standard led to important self-as-
sessments that have fostered on-going internal dialogue among
their staff and boards about the standards and the way each
agency monitors the effectiveness of their programs. Each of the
agencies readily admitted that knowing that an external party
was going to review their policies and procedures led them to
complete a more thorough self-assessment than would have
otherwise been the case.
As a direct result of observations made by the audit teams, plans
are now under way among these five agencies to meet shortly
to share their experiences and to make more uniform and com-
prehensive their program monitoring and evaluation systems
and their methods for tracking the benefits received by spon-
sored children.
Perhaps the most exciting evolution in this initiative has been
the shared recognition among the five agencies that compli-
ance with standards, while important, does not assure effective
program delivery or guarantee positive outcomes. Each of the
agencies rightfully asked that if developing and implementing
the systems and policies needed for standards compliance does
not lead ultimately to sustained, positive program outcomes,
then why have standards at all? This was a revelation and an
evolution in thinking among these five agencies that never
would have taken place before the process began in 1998. Only
through sustained work examining their systems of operation
and the meaning of the standards did these agencies come to
understand and appreciate that accountability to an established
set of guidelines cannot and must not be the end in itself. Rather,
having standards and subscribing to a more rigorous compli-
ance system must be part of a systemic commitment to trans-
parency and to an ongoing, regular institutional self-examina-
tion of the systems, policies and procedures needed for each
agency to provide appropriate, consistent and effective services
to the children and families being served.
All now agree that it is a wasted opportunity to limit audit teams
to simply assessing compliance with standards. When audit
teams are in the field visiting program sites and speaking to
beneficiaries, child sponsorship agencies are increasingly asking
them to also assess program effectiveness and share their ob-
servations with them. At the end of each audit cycle, it has been
suggested that these assessments and observations be shared
with the other agencies and the broader InterAction community
in order to assist child sponsorship programs and overall NGO
effectiveness.
These five agencies continue to push the accountability enve-
lope, offering themselves up to increased scrutiny and external
assessment. By their example they repeatedly demonstrate that
NGO community practice for accountability, transparency and
program effectiveness is not only possible but also necessary if
the sector is ever going to get it right.
Kenneth Giunta is a private consultant and the former Senior
Director for Membership and Standards at InterAction. He staffed
this project for seven years from 2000-2007.
Post-Crisis Community Recovery and Renewal:
Accountability Invisibility
By Victoria Dunning, Vice President, Grantmaking Program, The Global Fund for Children

Natural disasters are typically times of great chaos and uncer- claims the unique role and value of CBOs in post-disaster sce-
tainty. Systems and infrastructure often fail under stress. Coor- narios, and instructs the funding and NGO community on better
dination, always a challenge, can sometimes collapse. In these practices for community recovery.
times, effective coordination and response are particularly
In some ways, the manifesto simply reiterated long-held tenets
difficult to tease out. Who is in charge? Who is answerable to
and principles elaborated on in other emergency and relief doc-
whom? Will people and communities be let down or will they
uments such as the Code of Conduct of the International Red
be effectively and equitably served as massive relief efforts un-
Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief,
fold? And as individuals’ lives move forward, is there a defined,
and the Council on Foundation’s Disaster Grantmaking: A Prac-
accountable party or parties that meet their rebuilding needs or
tical Guide for Foundations and Corporations. The manifesto
are they faced with a bureaucratic, exasperating game of “pass
repeated the appeal for collaborative efforts and coordination
the buck?”
between civil society and government at both central and local
Following a natural disaster, community-based organizations levels. It also underscored the importance of meeting the needs
(CBOs) play a distinct and valuable role in a community’s recov- of women, children, and vulnerable populations as a central te-
ery and renewal. The CBO is often the first responder to offer net of relief, rebuilding, and recovery efforts, and attested to the
relief to its community in a disaster, but moreover, it is the last- importance of respect for and adaptation to local culture and
ing responder as community members move back into routines context of the affected community.
after emergency, relief and even rebuilding efforts have ended.
At first blush, the workshop and the manifesto may seem to have
In recognition of this critical role of re-knitting the fabric of com-
merely re-created a process typical of what is undertaken by the
munity life, The Global Fund for Children established dedicated
UN, multinationals and civil society at a global level and with
funding for community-based organizations in the recovery and
similar outcomes. Yet the workshop and the document have a
renewal process following disaster and crisis. Relatively new to
more subtle and implicit power. It is generated from the voice
funding relief and development work, The Global Fund for Chil-
and immediate witness of the community-based organizations
dren strategically established its grant criteria and has thus far
themselves. Further, the manifesto brings attention to the sec-
committed over $600,000 to 22 community-based organiza-
ondary, unintended effects of post-disaster programming and
tions affected by and supporting those affected by the 2004 In-
funding (such as mission diversion and funding skews). This
dian Ocean Tsunami, the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the
highlights the central importance of sustainable and integrat-
Gulf Coast and the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.
ed planning and funding for effective transitions from relief to
The learning from these organizations is not bounded by geog- recovery and, ultimately, to renewal of communities following
raphy, nor type of disaster. In response, The Global Fund for Chil- disaster.
dren convened twenty-two of its grantee partners from India,
The 22 CBOs that participated in the workshop were not timid in
Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the U.S. Gulf Coast in
demanding accountability of both governments and funders in
May 2007, in Mahabalipuram, India for a post-disaster recovery
supporting them in times of disaster. They declared that the im-
and renewal knowledge exchange workshop. While nearly two
plementers themselves are best qualified to make critical deci-
years had elapsed since the most recent tragedy (the Pakistan
sions on the use of funds. And they underscored the importance
earthquake in October 2005), emotions ran high, as participants
of fluid and flexible funding to adapt to changing needs. These
found both wonder and solace in common experiences. Today,
tenets require trust and transparency on the part of funders and
with the evocative third anniversary of the tsunami upon us, the
grantee partners.
fading memory of the Pakistan earthquake, and the failures of
emergency response in the Gulf Coast still readily apparent, we Perhaps, most importantly, the lessons from the workshop and
can examine with growing perspective the accountability chan- the manifesto remind us that particularly in times of disaster and
nels, or lack thereof, of each episode. distress, accountability is in itself a goal that must be integrated
in disaster prevention and preparedness. It is the mutually ac-
The four-day workshop focused on CBO experience and practice
countable relationships and partnerships established long be-
in implementing effective post-disaster programming. It culmi-
fore the chaos ensues that will carry those involved through
nated in the development of the participant-written Commu-
relief and rebuilding.
nity-Based Organization Post-Disaster Manifesto that powerfully

Perhaps, most importantly, the lessons from the workshop and the manifesto remind us that particularly
in times of disaster and distress, accountability is in itself a goal that must be integrated in disaster
prevention and preparedness. It is the mutually accountable relationships and partnerships established
long before the chaos ensues that will carry those involved through relief and rebuilding.

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 17

Member CEOs Discuss Accountability
Challenges
As part of this edition’s focus on accountability, we asked InterAction member CEOs for their
thoughts on the challenges they face being accountable to multiple stakeholders (beneficiaries,
donors, partners, policy-makers and the U.S. public) and how they have addressed those
challenges.
Too Many Standards
The new outcry regarding
accountability for results is, in
effect, “the other shoe dropping”
in the wake of tightened financial
accountability required by the
partial adoption by the NGO
sector of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Beneficiaries, donors, partners,
boards and other stakeholders are
no longer content with being told
by an organization that “we are
doing good work here.” They also
want verifiable evidence (parallel to
an independent audit for financial
purposes) that programmatic
progress (i.e. “impact”) which can
be linked to the organization’s
activities is demonstrable and
measurable. This is a reasonable
requirement.
Unfortunately, unlike the account-
ing side, there is no one body em-
powered to determine the pro-
grammatic equivalent to GAAP
(Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles), nor can independent
evaluators and impartial observers
even agree upon the evidence each
will accept in making their indi-
vidual determinations. As a result,
organizations like Pathfinder are
investing heavily and reluctantly
in building multiple monitoring
and evaluation frameworks, paral-
lel systems of indicators and huge
databanks to hold the differently
“sliced and diced” information re-
quired by conflicting and confusing
reporting requirements. Just as the
18 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
Financial Accounting Standards
Board has adopted a variety of stan-
dards for differing entities (colleges
and universities account for things
differently from health care organi-
zations or public welfare charities),
standards appropriate to each type
of NGO should be developed and
agreed upon. When agreed upon,
these standards should be consis-
tently implemented thus reducing
parallel and duplicative require-
ments that negatively impact direct
and indirect costs.
Daniel Pellegrom, President,
Pathfinder International
Building a Comprehensive
Internal Framework for
Accountability
Though Save the Children is ac-
countable to multiple stakeholders,
we recognize that our primary ac-
countability is to produce positive
and sustainable results for the chil-
dren we serve. In assessing the ef-
fectiveness of our programs, we pri-
oritize listening to our beneficiaries
and measuring impact and outputs
– especially for children – to help us
understand not only whether our
programs have achieved impact but
whether we have done so in a man-
ner satisfactory to those we serve.
Save the Children is committed to
accountability not only to our ben-
eficiaries but to ourselves as an
agency and to all of our external
stakeholders – donors, partners,
policy-makers and the general pub-
lic. We align our guidelines, suc-
cess measures, resources and deci-
sion-making to our ultimate goal of
ensuring that children in need are
safe, educated, healthy and better
able to attain their rights.
Currently, Save the Children is de-
veloping an agency-wide account-
ability framework for all program-
matic areas and operating contexts
in which we work – emergency, tran-
sition and development. This frame-
work will help us to assess program-
matic and administrative strategies
to achieve our goals with quality
programs and determine whether
we have sufficient quality assur-
ance efforts in place. The develop-
ment of this framework is a priority
at Save the Children to strengthen
our current efforts towards account-
ability to multiple stakeholders and
to develop a culture of accountabil-
ity for quality results at all levels
within the Agency.
Charles F. MacCormack, President &
CEO, Save the Children
Accountability Through
Collaboration With
Communities
Sometimes global conservation can
be overwhelming: there is so much
to do, the needs are so pressing,
and, to make it work, the needs of
so many different individuals and
groups have to come into align-
ment. Rather than get discouraged
by this reality, WWF’s approach is to
roll up our sleeves and start looking
for common ground. Collaboration
in the name of conservation is how
we’ve always worked.
I was recently in Mozambique and
saw how collaboration in action
produces meaningful change. The
country is a study in contrasts. It
is one of Africa’s fastest-growing
economies, and also one of the con-
tinent’s poorest countries. Along the
coast, fishing has been a way of life
for generations, but bad practices
and overfishing had drained fish-
eries and many people didn’t have
enough to eat.
To help find a solution, local fish-
ermen and the government of Mo-
zambique turned to WWF. We took
the broadest view possible of the
issue by involving local stakehold-
ers every step of the way. The result
met the needs of all involved: a sys-
tem of marine protected areas man-
aged by the local communities with
fishing zones for resident fishermen,
commercial fishermen and for high-
end, low-impact tourism. What’s the
measure of success? Quite simply,
when the local fishermen hit the
water now, they’re catching enough
fish to sustain their families.
Carter S. Roberts, President & CEO,
World Wildlife Fund
Educating Constituencies
Our greatest accountability chal-
lenge is balancing public expec-
tations of what results of what
stakeholders want delivered, with
realities of what is possible. Human
reality is that most people have
opinions, but fewer know what they
are talking about or seek further
elucidation. Unfortunately, we do
not have financial or H.R. resources
to help resolve this problem with
many of our stakeholders, in spite
of our marketplace experience.
Even when dealing with major do-
nors with program sophistication,
performance expectations often go
beyond what might be reasonable
for the scope of their investment.
Three years ago, a major donor of-
fered us $5 million to absolutely end
world hunger (his explicit expecta-
tion). Three years later, he remains
a generous supporter of our work,
but also has far better-formed ex-
pectations of what $5 million might
do.
Regulators, media, professionals
(auditors and legal) and watchdogs
are part of our accountability chal-
lenge. They also need education to
help balance their non-expert ex-
pectations. Right now we are chal-
lenging a major watchdog on their
accountability standards for inter-
national NGOs. Likewise, a few
NGO auditors are suggesting that
Standard 157 of the Financial Ac-
counting Standards Board should
apply to gifts-in-kind as well as its
intended target (securities); educa-
tion is needed for this type of ac-
countability as well.
Lastly, transparency is inherent
to this challenge. It brings its own
multiple levels of risk and reward,
and often is viewed as synonymous
with accountability – an incorrect
understanding of the first order.
Joel MacCollam, Chief Executive,
World Emergency Relief
Accountability to Board
Members
Achieving accountability with multi-
ple constituents in any not-for-profit
organization is a never-ending task.
There are, of course, the usual tools
that honor this requirement: an-
nual reports and audited financial
statements, regular CEO reports to
the board of trustees, periodic mes-
sages to all staff, updates to donors
and involvement of all key players
in strategic and budget planning.
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
Far more than that, accountability
must be innate to the management
style of the CEO and other organi-
zational leaders and woven into ev-
ery day-to-day activity and decision.
Absolute honesty, a commitment
to transparency of all information
(with the exception of appropriately
confidential legal or personnel mat-
ters) and a communication style
that is clear, simple and accessible
to all audiences are at the heart of
accountability.
As a new CEO in 2004, I faced a
particular challenge in reporting
to our board of trustees. The board
was hungry for information about
the organizational life of World
Neighbors and felt closed off from
news and operational activities. I
had to balance this against the valid
policy/operations line between my
responsibilities and the role of the
board. I opted for greater openness
and crafted a comprehensive CEO’s
report format that was built with
input from all vice presidents and
field offices. While this may be seen
as risky in drawing trustees into op-
erations, it has, in fact, had the op-
posite and very positive effect. The
trustees now trust that I am open
with them, that secrets will not be
kept and that they have full knowl-
edge of our life.
Melanie Macdonald, President & CEO,
World Neighbors
Accountability and
Overhead Costs
One of the greatest challenges
faced by NGOs when working
with multiple donors is that many
“cap” allowable indirect charges
to an award. NGOs have always
struggled to find money to pay for
administrative overhead costs – a
term often undefined, but gener-
ally contrasted with expenditure
going directly to programming. The
increasing trend amongst funders
continued on next page
19
continued from previous page
other than the U.S. government of
limiting administrative costs to a set
percentage is disturbing and coun-
terproductive.
NGOs that have negotiated an in-
direct cost rate agreement (NICRA)
with an agency of the U.S. govern-
ment are required to allocate orga-
nizational indirect costs to all “cost
objectives” (projects) using the
same rules. Limiting a recipient’s
ability to recover costs through in-
direct allocation diverts rather than
increases money going to program.
It forces the recipient to raise funds
from other donors, cut essential
costs, or, in some cases, makes it
impossible to accept the limited
award.
Administrative costs have always
received bad press. The criticism
rests on four false premises:
1. Expenditure on adminis-
trative overhead is wasteful
compared to programmatic
spending;
2. The ratio of indirect to direct
costs is inversely proportionate
to an NGO’s efficiency;
3. NGOs spend excessive
amounts on administrative
costs; and
4. Administrative overhead
costs in NGOs are unnecessary.
Contrary to public opinion, money
spent on information technology,
human resources, finance, planning
and governance both support and
underpin the programmatic work
of NGOs. Greater investment in
administration is likely to increase
NGO efficiency rather than de-
crease it.
The premise that all spending on
overhead represents poor value for
money must be challenged. NGOs
and other non-profits have failed to
20 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
provide a strong explanation of how
investment in overhead can add val-
ue to an organization’s work. Some
make it a virtue to minimize admin-
istrative expenditure by stressing in
solicitations or proposals that only
five or eight percent of a contribu-
tion or award goes toward adminis-
trative costs.
Many NGOs work with very limited
access to unrestricted funding and
rely heavily on the ability to recover
all costs of operations from our proj-
ect-specific grants. The concept of
“full cost recovery” is vital to our
survival, and we need to find ways
to convince our non-federal funders
of the importance of supporting
our work in this way. Promoting
desirable levels of investment in
operations requires a new ap-
proach. Toward that end, the Asso-
ciation of PVO Financial Managers
(APVOFM) has established a work-
ing group that hopes to change the
attitude, over time, of some key do-
nors to international programs. We
would welcome your involvement
in creating materials, mechanisms
and procedures to educate funders
on this matter.
By focusing on staff in the areas of
finance, grants, contracts, human
resources, information technol-
ogy and administration, APVOFM
works toward providing NGOs with
the tools, information and support
to build successful infrastructures
within their own organizations. We
do this through training, network-
ing, shared resources, good prac-
tices, benchmarking surveys and
advocacy that assist our members
in building and leading teams who
will become essential partners in
accomplishing the mission of their
organizations.
Alison Smith, Executive Director,
APVOFM
continued from page 9
Despite the many successes made in
recent decades, stark disparities per-
sist between the countries at highest
reproductive risk level and those at the
lowest.
Aiming to improve women’s health and
reduce these inequities, PAI launched
an advocacy campaign called What’s
Your Number? to encourage advocates
to use the reproductive risk rankings
to lobby their country officials, donors
and other influential actors.
One key recommendation of the report
is to design health interventions ac-
cording to the local context. While the
Reproductive Risk Index points to the
national-level reproductive risk, the
factors influencing reproductive risk
vary from one community to another.
Therefore, efforts to reach women, men
and youth with comprehensive sexual
and reproductive health information
and services must be locally led and
implemented.
The study also recommends increased
focus on the distribution of reproductive
health services. Because poor reproduc-
tive health and inadequate access to
services are concentrated among poor
people, focusing on the distribution of
services is paramount. Ensuring access
to skilled care before, during and after
childbirth will save the lives of women
and their babies.
PAI hopes that A Measure of Survival
will serve as an important tool for ad-
vocates to make the case for increased
funding and strong policies for sexual
and reproductive health and rights.
Knowing each country’s reproductive
risk is an important step toward achiev-
ing safe, healthy and informed policy
and program decisions that can protect
the world’s poorest women.
For a free copy of the report, visit PAI’s website
at www.populationaction.org/order, or view and
download it at www.populationaction.org/mos.
Well-Being in Emergencies: The IASC Guidelines on
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency
Settings
By Mike Wessells, Senior Child Protection Advisor, Christian Children’s Fund, and Mark van
Ommeren, Scientist, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization
Traditionally, humanitarian interventions in emergencies fo-
cused mostly on meeting basic physical needs and establishing
security. In the past two decades, humanitarians have increas-
ingly recognized that emergency affected people suffer signifi-
cantly due to: the mental anguish of losses, deaths, attacks and
displacement; the loss of social supports and familiar routines;
and ongoing protection threats. As one conflict-affected elder
said, “the NGOs came and gave us food and shelter, but who
helped our spirits?”
The sources of mental and psychosocial distress in emergencies
are diverse and reflect problems that arise before, during and af-
ter an acute event such as a tsunami or an armed attack. Numer-
ous individuals suffer from pre-existing psychological problems
(such as severe mental disorders) or social problems (such as po-
litical discrimination and oppression). During emergencies, new
problems arise due to losses, displacement, family separation,
and protection threats such as recruitment and trafficking. After
emergencies, affected people suffer from social effects, includ-
ing being discriminated against as displaced people, being de-
tained illegally, or being stigmatized as “rebels” or “rape victims.”
Moreover, many people experience psychological effects, such
as problems with anxiety and depression, which for many – but
not for all – decreases with time. In addition, some issues arise
due to unintended side effects of humanitarian efforts. Harm
may be caused by poorly coordinated humanitarian response,
the labeling of everyone as “traumatized,” failure to inform all
segments of the population about available aid, or harmful in-
terventions.
The breadth of these issues challenges everyone to help orga-
nize a multifaceted, comprehensive response. This response
should go far beyond attention to traumatic stress, which is only
one aspect of a much wider set of issues. Unfortunately, there
has, until recently, been no systematic, consensus guidance on
how to respond effectively and avoid harmful practices.
This gap has been filled by the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health
and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC, 2007).
These inter-agency, global guidelines, which were launched
in Geneva in September and on November 29 at InterAction,
define minimum recommended responses. These are the first
steps to be taken in emergencies and that lay the foundation
for subsequent supports. The Guidelines are the product of col-
laboration among 27 UN agencies, intergovernmental agencies
and international NGOs, including InterAction members such as
American Red Cross, CARE, Christian Children’s Fund, Interna-
tional Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Mercy
Corps and Save the Children.
The heart of the Guidelines are 25 action sheets that cover top-
ics such as coordination, assessment, social and legal protection,
care for humanitarian staff, community self-help, early child de-
velopment, mental health and psychosocial support in the pro-
vision of general health care, care for people with severe men-
tal disorders (including severe presentations of post-traumatic
stress disorder), harmful substance use, non-formal and formal
education, and information dissemination. Overall, the bulk of
the guidance is on social interventions rather than clinical, indi-
vidual interventions. A distinctive feature is the view that all sec-
tors have a responsibility to promote mental health and psycho-
social well-being by virtue of the way in which basic needs are
provided for. For example, how shelter is organized for displaced
people affects mental health and psychosocial well-being since
people living in overcrowded camps may report that lack of pri-
vacy is their greatest concern. This view contrasts with an older
view that mental health and psychosocial support is something
to be done only after basic survival needs have been met.
The Guidelines stand on six key principles: human rights and eq-
uity, participation, Do No Harm, building on available resources
and capacities, integrated support systems, and multi-layered
support systems. These reflect an empowerment model and
emphasize that mental health and psychosocial support is to a
large extent about what affected people do for themselves. A
key point is that the Guidelines move beyond the tired debate
about which is more important: (a) clinical care, or (b) commu-
nity self-help and social support. These are two sides of a coin,
and multi-layered supports require attention to both.
The Guidelines (available at http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/
iasc/content/products) are a useful resource both at the prac-
tice and policy levels. For practitioners, they outline key steps
to be taken during the emergency. Coordination groups may
use them as a checklist to identify gaps in multi-sectoral sup-
port and to guide program development. They can also be used
as a lever in urging governments in emergency-affected coun-
tries to take an appropriate approach and to develop effective
disaster response plans. For donors, the Guidelines offer a set of
benchmarks by which proposals can be judged. The important
task ahead is for all actors, whether practitioners or donors, to
implement these Guidelines to protect the dignity and reduce
the suffering of people living through emergencies.
The authors co-chaired the IASC Task Force that developed the
Guidelines.
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 21
Building Safer Organizations and
Accountability to Disaster Survivors
By Coleen Heemskerk, Radha Ivory and Katharina Samara, formerly of the Building Safer Organizations project
F
or many, the issue of sexual
exploitation and abuse by
humanitarian workers is a
story beginning in West Af-
rica. In Sierra Leone, Liberia and
Guinea, allegations against human-
itarian workers and peacekeepers
scandalized the international com-
munity in 2002 and prompted a ma-
jor re-evaluation of organizational
strategies to prevent and respond
to abuse.
Consultants engaged by Save the
Children UK and the Office of the
UN High Commissioner for Refu-
gees (UNHCR) went to West Africa
in 2001 and 2002 to report on the ex-
periences of children living in situa-
tions of armed conflict. During their
research, the consultants found al-
legations of widespread abuse by
peacekeepers and humanitarian
workers. These workers often used
the very humanitarian assistance
intended to help refugees as tools of
exploitation, extorting sexual “fa-
vors” for small amounts of money,
food stuff, plastic sheeting, educa-
tion and the like. While the prin-
ciple targets were girls between 13
and 18, the consultants also report-
ed cases of abuse against younger
children and suspected unreported
cases against boys. Further investi-
gations indicated that exploitation
of young women was endemic.
Failure of management
systems
Despite the large number of cases
documented by the consultants, no
agency reported receiving com-
plaints from staff or refugees. It
was therefore not surprising that
the consultants cited management
practices as a clear contributing
factor to the occurrence of exploita-
22 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
tion by humanitarian workers, with
an absence of regulation, monitor-
ing and redress for victims creating
practical impunity. The impression
of management inaction was com-
pounded by agency delays in re-
sponding and the dramatic media
coverage in 2002 that unleashed an
international furor.
Unfortunately, when the UN sent
an investigative team to the refu-
gee and displaced persons camps,
witnesses were unwilling to speak
to them. As a result, the team could
not substantiate the cases cited in
the report. However, they did find
other cases and gaps in organiza-
tions’ prevention and response ca-
pacities.
The exposure of abuses in West Af-
rica catapulted the problem of ex-
ploitation and abuse into the public
realm. The first standardized inter-
national policy response was initi-
ated when a joint UN-NGO task
force formulated six core principles
guiding the behavior of humanitari-
an staff. These principles were later
enshrined in a UN bulletin for UN
partners and staff. Furthermore, the
exposure led to activities to spread
good practices in implementing
these principles in different loca-
tions around the world.
In the aftermath of these events, the
Building Safer Organizations (BSO)
project was created as part of a
NGO global partnership to prevent
and respond to sexual exploitation
and abuse by encouraging NGOs
to introduce safer and more acces-
sible complaints mechanisms and
to improve the quality of investiga-
tions when complaints are received.
In 2004, BSO began training staff
on investigating complaints and
designing and implementing safe,
accessible complaints mechanisms.
These learning program workshops
were conducted in six different re-
gions around the world, where they
have been held on a rolling basis
ever since. The workshops have
built skills, changed attitudes and
generated enthusiasm for a more
effective organizational response.
Yet many workshop participants re-
ported challenges in implementing
their new-found skills due to a lack
of understanding from management
and support in the field.
BSO responded with a series of
management workshops to con-
vince managers of the risk of sex-
ual exploitation and abuse by their
staff. At the same time, BSO began
providing expertise and financial
support to field-based networks
tackling sexual exploitation and
abuse of disaster survivors. Manag-
ers and staff expressed support for
further collaboration. Nevertheless,
with some exceptions, the momen-
tum dissipated once participants
were back in their organizations
and the networks were slow to get
off the ground.
There are a number of explanations
for the slow pace of organizational
change. Firstly, organizations are
not easily persuaded to look past
West Africa as the source of the
problem. Similarly, analyses around
solutions rarely look beyond stan-
dard gender-based violence pro-
gramming projects for solutions.
Secondly, there is a tendency to be
overly optimistic in projecting the
pace of organizational change and
about how easily initial enthusiasm
will be translated into transforma-
tive action. A third major stumbling
block has been an inability to per-
suade senior managers that sexual
exploitation and abuse is an ongo-
ing and universal strategic risk re-
quiring strategic solutions.
Managerial courage
Sexual exploitation and abuse is
the end result when organizations
do not hold themselves account-
able to the people they say they are
there to assist. Ongoing engage-
ment with disaster survivors and
local NGO staff over the three-year
life of the BSO project indicates
that preventing and responding to
the most egregious forms of abuse
of beneficiaries cannot be sustain-
able unless exploitation and abuse
are addressed as part of broader
accountability and quality manage-
ment approaches.
Most organizations include a com-
mitment to disaster survivors in
their vision statements, but it is rare
for that to be accompanied by the
managerial courage to be tested
against an objective standard of
accountability to disaster survivor.
Many staff working in the humani-
tarian sector are frustrated by how
few agencies explicitly demon-
strate how they hold themselves
accountable. Over the last couple of
years, Humanitarian Accountabil-
ity Partnership International (HAP)
(see separate article in this issue of
Monday Developments) developed
specific accountability standards in
consultation with disaster survivors
and aid workers. The BSO project
chose to merge with the HAP as the
next logical next step in the process
of creating incentives for organiza-
tional action at the higher levels of
management.
Research and advocacy
strategy: consulting
disaster survivors
In addition to its usual capacity
building activities, in late 2007, the
BSO/HAP team began a research
and advocacy strategy to provide
an indication of where the humani-
tarian community is at in terms of
public commitments to improve
prevention and response to sexual
exploitation and abuse.
BSO/HAP is therefore conducting a
beneficiary-based perception study
in four countries (Bangladesh, Ke-
nya, Namibia and the Thai-Bur-
mese border) to understand what
disaster survivors want from a com-
plaints handling system. Recipi-
ents of humanitarian assistance are
asked whether they feel safer as a
result of NGO activities since 2003
to address the risk of sexual exploi-
tation and abuse by staff. Through
site-based discussions, transect
walks through camps, observation
and random visits to homes and
targeted interviews, we ask ben-
eficiaries the extent to which they
consider mechanisms to be in place
and effective and whether agencies
consulted them when developing
those mechanisms.
Concurrently, BSO is asking local,
national and international organi-
zations around the world to com-
plete a survey, the Sexual Exploi-
tation and Abuse Prevention and
Response Tally Sheet, to evaluate
their prevention and response ca-
pacities and to self-identify weak-
nesses and strengths. After consult-
ing a broad range of stakeholders,
BSO developed this survey for or-
ganizations to reflect on their poli-
cies and processes, awareness rais-
ing, investigations capacities and
consultation and cooperation with
staff, other agencies and, most im-
portantly, beneficiaries.
A comparison of these two studies
will illustrate the extent and points
of convergence and deviation be-
tween organizational and con-
sumer perspectives. Early analysis
indicates that disaster survivors de-
scribe enormous barriers to formal-
ly complain about even the most
basic day-to-day concerns, and
are therefore unlikely to complain
about egregious and dangerous
abuse. They also do not feel that
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
they are systematically consulted
about the issues at the heart of their
survival. Awareness campaigns for
colleagues working in organiza-
tions are on-going, but similar ef-
forts to ensure that beneficiaries
understand their rights and how
to complain when those rights are
violated are less vigorous. As the
perceptions of disaster survivors are
the ultimate measure of whether
or not NGO initiatives to prevent
and respond to sexual exploitation
and abuse are effective, these early
findings indicate that the humani-
tarian community needs to imple-
ment standards on accountability.
We believe that organizations im-
plementing the HAP standards will
find themselves better equipped to
address a variety of issues affecting
the lives of the communities they
work with. We particularly believe
that the standards create a viable
framework for improving programs
to prevent and address sexual ex-
ploitation and abuse.
In conclusion, for BSO, the legacy
of West Africa is a double-edged
sword. On the one hand, the
“shock” of the scandal launched
the problem of sexual exploitation
and abuse by humanitarian work-
ers into the international arena,
persuading major players to take
important policy decisions. On the
other, there is a perception that sex-
ual exploitation and abuse is only a
West Africa scandal, a historically
and geographically isolated case,
and is no longer instructive because
of the policy advances that occurred
in its wake. In reality, exploitation
and abuse are the result of the ex-
treme discrepancies in power be-
tween workers and beneficiaries
– discrepancies that are inherent
in all relief situations. Through our
merger with HAP, BSO hopes to
contribute to the solution that will
lead the humanitarian community
to reform humanitarian action and
inform every aspect of our program-
ming through consistent, respectful
and serious dialogue with the peo-
ple we claim to serve.
23
 Code Blue: Non-Governmental Organizations Uniting
to Support Public Sector Health Services
By Wendy Johnson, Director of New Initiatives, Health Alliance International
Over the last decade, unprecedented
political will has been focused on ad-
dressing the growing and multiple
health crises affecting the developing
world. Funding from bilateral aid pro-
grams like the U.S. President’s Emer-
gency Program for AIDS Relief (PEP-
FAR), multilateral agencies such as the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculo-
sis and Malaria, and private donors like
the Gates Foundation has increased by
tens of billions of dollars.
Sharp increases in available funding, Photo: courtesy of Jiro Ose.
primarily aimed at curbing the HIV
epidemic, have lead to tremendous
growth in the NGO community and a multitude of different
projects and approaches, many with limited and in some cas-
es, wide-spread success. For example, although the ambitious
goals of the World Health Organization’s 3 by 5 campaign (three
million on antiretroviral medicines by 2005) were not realized,
the campaign galvanized diverse governments, organizations
and institutions to dramatically expand treatment access so that
now nearly two million people are on antiretrovirals worldwide.
Despite these advances, consensus is growing that gains in
some areas, like HIV treatment, are severely limited while in oth-
er areas, like maternal child health, ground is being lost due to
weak public health systems and most critically, the severe short-
age of qualified health workers in the poorest countries. Often
donors pressure NGOs to produce short-term gains in a limited
population, creating conflict with the longer-term and more dif-
ficult task of building strong, high-quality national health care
systems able to provide comprehensive health services to an
entire population for decades to come.
National health systems have degraded over the years because
of a lack of basic investment, sometimes due to misplaced pri-
orities or corruption, but often directly attributable to austerity
measures or structural adjustment programs, the burden of high
debt payments, and other conditions imposed by institutions like
the International Monetary Fund designed to reduce public ex-
penditure in social services including health. International NGOs
work in a constrained environment, where governments’ ability
to address their own health problems may be severely curtailed
while NGOs have more flexibility. NGOs can quickly hire more
staff at higher salaries or acquire specialized equipment to sat-
isfy vertical funding demands or create an idealized project serv-
ing one limited population in a small geographic area. The result
is a fragmented and inequitable health care delivery system,
where viral load measurement may be available, but cesarean
sections are not; where one district has a state of the art hospital
while the next district has only an empty cement-block building
without running water or electricity that serves as a make-shift
health post. Recent attention has been focused on the NGO con-
24 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
tribution to the human resource crisis,
dubbed “internal brain-drain,” which
occurs when NGOs and other inter-
national institutions lure government
workers away from front-line clinical,
public health and managerial jobs into
high-paid program administration po-
sitions, thereby exacerbating the very
problems they are attempting to solve.
Some NGOs, aware of these pitfalls, are
exploring and implementing innova-
tive ways to strengthen health sys-
tems and build public human resource
capacity. Clearly, NGOs can have a
positive effect by providing innovative
technical assistance, by directing funding to support the public
system that might otherwise go elsewhere, by training the lo-
cal health care workforce, and by supporting national strategic
plans and monitoring and evaluation systems. Perhaps more
difficult for NGOs is the challenge to “do no harm”: that is, limit-
ing their own potentially negative effects on the public health
system. The process requires NGOs to honestly assess their own
practices and their unintended consequences and to recognize
that working though the public system often takes longer and
requires the NGO to share decision-making power.
As a guide for international NGOs working to limit their harm-
ful effects and maximize their contributions to strengthening
public health systems, several health-focused NGOs including
ActionAid, Health GAP, Partners in Health, Physicians for Human
Rights, Health Alliance International and others are developing
a code of conduct. The code will define and describe specific
actions and practices to be encouraged or avoided for NGOs
concerned about strengthening health systems in the countries
where they work. Although other codes exist outlining ethical
NGO practices, none that we are aware of clearly address NGO
practices and their effect on human resources and national
health systems. The draft, still in development, addresses hiring
and compensation practices, training health workers, the man-
agement burden created by multiple NGO projects, and the role
of NGOs in advocacy and in engaging communities and linking
them to formal health systems.
In recent years, program “sustainability” has become a byword
of international health policy. And yet it is clear that without a
well-funded and healthy state, sustainability will be a mirage.
Through initiatives like the Code of Conduct, we hope to ensure
that “health for all” is not a thousand-year project or forever out
of reach.
For more information about the International NGO Code of Conduct
for Health System Strengthening in Developing Countries, or to
participate in the development and drafting of the Code, please
contact the author at wjohns@u.washington.edu.
New Visions to End Poverty
Participate in InterAction’s Forum 2008
May 6-9, 2008 | Washington, DC
The InterAction Annual Forum is the premier gathering of
international humanitarian and development professionals. More
than 700 leaders and practitioners meet to discuss timely issues
affecting the NGO sector and share best practices and cutting edge
work from the field.
Participate in thematic panels and roundtable discussions
Hear from expert keynote speakers
Join peer-to-peer exchanges
Engage with members of Congress at Advocacy Day
Explore exhibits from vendors, NGOs and publishers

For more information about participating, exhibiting, or sponsoring:

www.interaction.org/forum
Photo: courtesy of Darcy Kiefel
 !
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6ISITWWWAIDANDTRADEORGORTELEPHONE 

Accountability in Fleet Management
By Dante A. Disparte, General Manager, Marketing & Solutions Development, Kjaer Group A/S

T
he humanitarian sector em- spective, by five years or 150,000 Social and Environmental
ploys in excess of 130,000 kms, the typical project 4x4 will in- Accountability
4x4 vehicles, with an an- cur between $56,000 and $80,000 in Financial costs are not the only con-
nual operating cost near- operating costs. cern when it comes to the state of
ing $1 billion. In order to replen- fleet management in the humani-
ish this fleet, approximately 20,000 While there is talk of an accountan- tarian sector. The vast 4x4 fleet
new vehicles are procured annually cy shift in the humanitarian sector enables millions of beneficiaries to
at an estimated $700,000,000. to International Financial Report- be reached. With 65 percent of the
ing Standards (IFRS), which calls fleet deployed in Africa, the region
These vehicles are a vital link in the for vehicles and other assets to be farthest from achieving the Millen-
humanitarian supply chain, yet how depreciated over time, it will only nium Development Goals (MDGs),
they are managed speaks to the ur- serve as a rudimentary form of fleet this particular link must not break.
gent need for greater professional- management. We must remember Yet, at present, the 4x4 link in the
ism and accountability in humani- that for many agencies vehicles humanitarian supply chain is show-
tarian fleet management. represent the second largest oper- ing signs of stress and decay.
ating cost after staff expenses; and
they are more than likely procured
Financial Accountability with donor funding, for which a
While many agencies have ad-
dressed occupational safety using
The prevailing practice in vehicle
greater degree of accountability is mechanisms like insurance and
procurement is that they are ex-
required. other tools, few have taken active
pensed at the moment of purchase.
Effectively, this amounts to vehicle continued on page 32
assets disappearing on the most
critical financial radar, the balance
sheet. The result of this practice is
that few humanitarian agencies are
aware of the lifetime financial im-
pact of owning and operating a fleet
of vehicles. A further consequence
of this practice is that the financial
benefits of disposing of vehicles ac-
cording to a cost-effective lifecycle
(e.g. five years or 150,000 kilometers
(kms)) are not reaped. Exacerbating
the accountability challenge, most
humanitarian organizations have
a 10 percent margin of error when
asked how many vehicles they have
in operation. To put this in perspec-
tive, for a fleet of 100 vehicles this
amounts to $350,000 in assets that
cannot be accounted for.

Adding to the spiraling costs, ve-

hicles are used excessively, not only
in terms of age but mileage. It is not
uncommon to see vehicles serving
in humanitarian projects that are
more than 15 years old and have in
excess of 800,000 kms on the odom-
eter reading. To put this into per-

28 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

NGO Downward Accountability to Their
Beneficiaries
By Taina Alexander, Program Manager, InterAction
Accountability to beneficiaries or
“downward accountability” con-
cerns accountability to the poor and
their empowerment. It is a process
in which the beneficiaries’ voices
play an important role in defining
and measuring the success and im-
pact of an NGO’s work. It is believed
that empowerment results in the
greater participation of the poor
and gives them a feeling of owner-
ship through personal investment
in solving the problem at hand.
Therefore, NGOs should give more
consideration to their approach to
downward accountability, since
that will affect empowerment out-
comes in marginalized communi-
ties. Or is this so?
In this question and answer piece,
Laurie Adams, Director of Impact
Assessment and Shared Learning
from ActionAid in Johannesburg,
and Kent Glenzer, Director of the
Impact, Knowledge, and Learning
Team, Care USA and Research As-
sociate, Center for the Study of Pub-
lic Scholarship, Emory University,
tell us how their organizations en-
gage with, build relationships with
and are accountable to their benefi-
ciaries. They share their thoughts
about how they regard downward
accountability and empowering the
poor. They also suggest mecha-
nisms to meet these popular yet
controversial development objec-
tives.
Does downward accountability by
NGOs have an affect on their em-
powerment of the poor?
LA: Accountability is central, funda-
mental to empowerment of people.
You cannot empower people in a
process in which you are keeping
power! By bringing people into de-
cision making, by giving them pow-
er in the work we do with them, we
give people experience managing
money, making decisions and criti-
cally analyzing their lives and the
world around them.
KG: One can only conclude that the
jury is still out. Downward account-
ability adopted as a kind of tick-the-
box, superficial window dressing on
standard projects is deeply prob-
lematic and unethical. But account-
ability systems that truly transfer
analytical, decision-making and
evaluative power to the people we
claim to be serving (all three forms
of power are essential) can give the
poor greater control and ultimately
produce more meaningful results.
Moreover, such systems can alter
relations of power in positive ways
within those very communities. For
this to be successful, however, it is
pretty clear that those communities
must be the primary party to which
we are accountable. Such directions
and mechanisms of accountability
must take place during all phases of
our work: before, during and after
donor contracts. I think that one-off,
project-driven forms of so-called
downward accountability are most-
ly fairy tales.
What are the incentives, if any, for
NGOs to practice downward ac-
countability to their beneficiaries?
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
LA: Unfortunately, the incentives
are mostly internal – e.g. principle,
value, ideology (the knowledge
that it is the only way we can ac-
tually make a difference) – rather
than external. There is very little
pressure for actual accountability,
although there is a lot of rhetoric.
There are constant pulls away from
accountability to the poor and ex-
cluded people we work with. It is so
much more comfortable and easy
for most development workers to
draft a report for a donor, than it is
for us to facilitate a process of ana-
lyzing our work with a community,
where we have to confront the mis-
takes we made, negotiate different
interests and be incredibly creative
in figuring out how to get people
discussing. So we say we don’t have
a choice: we have to do this logi-
cal framework, this report, by this
deadline and we don’t have time to
properly engage.
KG: It is a rare donor that puts ac-
countability to the poor, the most
marginalized, uppermost in its
strategies or ways of working with
international NGOs or local orga-
nizations. But there are still strong
incentives for an organization like
CARE to do so despite this lack of
donor focus. First, the history of de-
velopment in the colonial and post-
colonial eras can, in many ways,
be read as a tale of the limitations
of donor-driven, donor-account-
able action. That is the intellectual
and empirical incentive. Second,
there are the coalitions, networks
and collaborators in the develop-
ing world with whom an organi-
zation like CARE works. Many of
them have deep roots and histories
continued on next page
29
continued from previous page
of accountability and responsibil-
ity to the poor. We cannot work in
partnership with them if we remain
accountable merely to donors or
governments. That provides a prag-
matic and practical incentive. Third,
we find that in our programs that do
achieve noteworthy levels of such
accountability we achieve greater,
deeper and more lasting changes
that address the underlying causes
of poverty and social injustice. That
is a programmatic incentive.
Do NGO values and their world
views play a part in their approach
to (and strength of) downward ac-
countability?
LA: Yes, as explained above.
KG: Values and assumptions about
development are the strongest de-
terminant of an NGO’s account-
ability norms and strategies. Such
values get translated into what an
NGO works on and how it works.
There are many different niches in
this broad organizational ecosystem
we call development. Meaningful
accountability to the poor has less
salience if your work is focused, for
example, at the level of a follow-up
to the Kyoto Protocol or moving for-
ward the Paris Declaration. A dif-
ferent calculus occurs at the level
of, say, a poverty reduction strategy
paper process. NGOs work at both
these levels and NGOs also work at
grassroots level, where perhaps the
importance of accountability to the
poor is clearest. If an NGO merely
values size and financial growth, it
makes meaningful downward ac-
countability more difficult, although
not impossible. If an NGO values
scientific progress and technical
fixes (think green revolution tech-
nologies), it may be less concerned
with whether it is accountable to
the poor than if its results benefit
the poor. Our field staff in Burundi
(a place in our system that has been
undergoing one of the most ex-
citing shifts in systems and forms
of accountability) tell me that the
most critical success factor to alter-
ing power relations between CARE
and the poor – of more meaningful
forms of accountability, that is – is a
30 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
genuine interest in the lives of oth-
ers. With regard to our own staff,
this means valuing both the profes-
sional and personal spheres, and
with “neighbors” (CARE Burundi
eschews the labels “beneficiary”
or even “participant”), this means
listening attentively to their stories
of change and valuing them as pro-
viding critical input into CARE’s di-
rections.
How can NGOs be held account-
able for adopting and maintaining
downward accountability to the
people they serve?
LA: The best way is for people to
demand accountability: for the
people we work with to actually
organize and say “this is not good
enough” when we come with top-
down, unaccountable programs.
But most people we work with don’t
feel they are in a position to do that.
They would rather have whatever
little benefit we might bring; they
are afraid to risk losing it. They are
also steeped in the culture of pow-
er where they may even feel they
don’t have a right to demand more.
Despite new accountability charters
and initiatives, we have very little
emphasis on downward account-
ability. This could be strengthened.
We as peers can hold each other ac-
countable. We could organize peer
reviews of each other’s practice. We
could highlight and reward orga-
nizations that practice downward
accountability. In the UK, for exam-
ple, ActionAid was just recognized
for having the best transparency
and accountability policies by One-
World. This helps us reinforce and
maintain these practices internally
and with our donors, even as we
are under pressure to take a differ-
ent approach.
KG: We are facing a systems prob-
lem. And it has a history. You need
only imagine the counterfactual:
imagine that we had too much
downward accountability and
had to figure out how to encour-
age more upward accountability.
My point here is that we have this
problem not because of misfortune
or because we’ve overlooked some-
thing; rather, it exists because the
system of development aid has pro-
duced this state of affairs. It is not
an accident.
I am not at all sanguine about, for
example, what the international
community generally does in these
kinds of cases: generating new do-
nor, professional or intergovern-
mental requirements and rules to
“ensure” that NGOs are “down-
wardly accountable.” That is inject-
ing a conventional solution into a
system that has long designed out
– or repelled like a virus – the pos-
sibility of that solution succeeding.
Instead it will simply be gamed. I
am much more hopeful about a
movement led by NGOs that would
put forth a coherent, systemic and
systematic set of changes needed to
really “put the last first.” However,
let’s not kid ourselves: it will not be
easy to accomplish. Let’s also not
make the error of thinking that ac-
countability to and by communities
is a panacea, or that it is always the
most important type of accountabil-
ity for NGOs.
What are some examples of best
practices in downward accountabil-
ity, particularly instances in which
donor expectations are also met?
LA: Our Kenya programme uses
“transparency boards.” In every
community, the project budget is
displayed prominently and pub-
licly, and there are regular reports
of how money is being spent. This
has led communities to demand the
same of the local government, and
the church.
In India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thai-
land, our programmes have social
audits in which the community is
invited to closely examine and cri-
tique the finances of the project.
A community-based partner no lon-
ger funded by ActionAid sought
funding from the European Union
using a systems diagram that
showed all the complex linkages
between causes of poverty (as ana-
lyzed by the community) and indi-
cated where the partner would in-
tervene. When the EU asked for a
“logical framework,” this organiza-
tion challenged the EU representa-
tives to try to reduce that diagram
into that linear format. The EU rep-
resentatives realized it was coun-
terproductive to try to impose their
linear format for tracking change
and gave the organization money
anyway.
Similarly, a donor asked Action-
Aid’s human security team to pro-
vide reports in formats not useful
for downward accountability. The
team invited the donor to one of our
participatory review and reflection
processes (which involve the “ben-
eficiaries” monitoring the work).
The donor decided the monitoring
and accountability systems were
better than their own format and al-
lowed ActionAid to have the money
using our own systems rather than
its own.
KG: I greatly admire efforts I have
seen made by colleagues like Ac-
tionAid. We in CARE have tried, for
example, to learn as much as we can
from their Accountability, Learning
and Planning System (ALPS), which
we think improves the way we talk
about success and challenges with
the poor, and among NGO workers
themselves. We also have watched
with interest the really important
changes in global governance at
ActionAid. World Vision’s commit-
ment to stay with communities over
long periods of time (which you also
find in Save the Children’s work)
has influenced our current strat-
egy. Such long-term commitments
are foundational to meaningful ac-
countability to communities. Heifer
International also has some simple
and powerful forms of local ac-
countability that are reciprocal in
fascinating ways. There are many
more examples I could cite, from
groups north and south, from which
we are learning a great deal on this
question.
Within CARE, we have had some
interesting, early success with com-
munity scorecards. These score-
cards allow communities to judge
our work. The leadership of CARE
Country Offices insists that staff
take these ratings and insights
seriously and they are meaning-
fully incorporate this information
into performance management
processes. A number of programs
have explicitly included community
members in interpreting monitoring
and evaluation data and embedded
mechanisms through which par-
ticipants can effect changes in pro-
grams strategy, tactics or measure-
ment. I say “a number of programs”
because I am not talking here of
run-of-the-mill community feed-
back meetings or superficial annual
community, or local government re-
ports which we in the NGO world
sometimes mention as substantive
forms of local accountability. Rath-
er, these are forms of power sharing
that allow the poor to alter project
processes, objectives, and invest-
ments. We are also testing ways to
make our own program logics (i.e.
theories of both social change and
program interventions), more ex-
plicit to all categories of social ac-
tors in the communities we serve.
This kind of process goes deep into
the assumptions upon which actions
are premised. When done well, it
results in transformational learning
for all parties. A fourth practice that
is only nascent in CARE, but which
I think will grow a lot in the coming
years, is making very explicit – and
discussible – the power dynamics
within any development project fi-
nanced from outside. It is amazing
the kinds of relationships and new
ideas, both local and extra-local,
that can emerge when we all – de-
velopment worker, local chief, local
government official, expert, farmer,
excluded caste or ethnic group – ac-
tually share what we all know about
the rituals of development and de-
velopment projects, things we usu-
ally leave tacit. I don’t think there
can actually be legitimate, mean-
ingful forms of accountability to the
poor without this conversation.
These practices require changes
inside our organization. If we need
new ways of listening, generating,
synthesizing and using informa-
tion that comes from communities,
we need to build those skills. It re-
quires new kinds of monitoring and
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
impact measurement systems that
are meaningful to community mem-
bers. We have found that we must
work hard with local staff – often
very well educated staff who have
worked hard to get to positions of
authority and expertise – to recog-
nize how their own approaches,
their own assumptions about who
is the expert and who should be
measuring and counting success,
discourage such forms of account-
ability. Recruiting has to change.
Decision-making structures and
processes need to change. You have
to find legitimate and meaningful
ways for the community to engage
and influence your work. This fre-
quently means finding alternatives
to long-standing, “participative”
processes with which our staff are
familiar, because those techniques
long ago became weapons of the
powerful.
What types of NGOs are more likely
to feel obliged to be accountable to
their beneficiaries and what mech-
anisms can they use? How can
the lessons they learn be broadly
shared?
LA: NGOs that treat social devel-
opment as a process of change fo-
cused on human transformation
rather than technical solutions are
probably more likely to understand
the importance of downward ac-
countability. As noted above, it is
a complete contradiction to set out
to empower people without hand-
ing over power! But downward ac-
countability is also important for or-
ganizations that do service delivery,
as the services need to be appropri-
ate and only the “beneficiaries” can
really say what services are indeed
appropriate.
One way to share lessons learned is
to give more attention to the issues,
as this publication is doing. Find-
ing ways to get into other media is
important. In South Africa, a devel-
opment group is collaborating with
state television on a reality show on
development, with different proj-
ects in different communities; that
is one way to increase public atten-
tion. Peer reviews is another way to
continued on next page
31
continued from previous page
share experience. Internally, we have
learned it is essential to have highly
committed, creative, skilled frontline
staff, to make an extra effort to open
yourself up to critique, to be account-
able and to facilitate accountability.
Managers and an internal organiza-
tional culture that help staff working
directly with people to whom we
should be accountable are also nec-
essary. You have to actively work to
show donors that their needs can be
met without imposing systems that
decrease downward and other forms
of accountability.
KG: I think local NGOs are already
under a lot of pressure (sometimes by
international NGOs like my own) to
have firm constituencies in the places
they work. The era of briefcase, capi-
tal-bound NGOs may well be ending,
although many of those NGOs have
greatly enhanced their bases over the
last fifteen years. Social movements
have long been much more account-
able to their memberships than NGOs
like CARE, although that very form of
accountability creates both opportuni-
ties and constraints. There is no per-
fect answer here. Let me limit myself
here to international NGOs, whose
staff constitute an important set of
readers of Monday Developments.
continued from page 28
steps to protect their personnel when they are most vulnerable – behind the
wheel of a car. It should be said that any discrepancy in occupational safety
standards between international and local national staff should be comprehen-
sively addressed.
Not one of the MDGs addresses road safety, yet the eight goals rely on a func-
tional and safe transport system in order to be achieved. When surveyed, 70
percent of the largest humanitarian fleets do not have a drivers’ training pro-
gram. This begs the question whether the 130,000 humanitarian 4x4s are help-
ing to combat the road safety calamity – which each year kills more than one
million people and causes 20 million preventable injuries – or are contributing
to it.
Thankfully, this question has been asked before and organizations like The
Fleet Forum, an association representing 60,000 humanitarian vehicles, are
taking the lead in addressing road safety. The Fleet Safety Project, which was
recently highlighted in the UN Secretary-General’s remarks on road safety,
will help humanitarian organizations instill a culture of safety in their fleet
operations and a greater degree of social accountability to their personnel,
drivers and vulnerable road users. (More information is available at www.
fleetforum.org.)
The environment is often overlooked when it comes to humanitarian fleet op-
eration, because the challenges faced by fleet managers are too immediate:
availability of spare parts, salvaging vehicles, cost recording. Yet, actions can
be taken to reduce the environmental footprint of the fleet. For one, motorcy-
cles, which outnumber 4x4s three to one, can be gradually replaced with four
stroke engine motorcycles, which the UN Environment Program recognizes for
their negligible environmental impact and lifetime costs.

I think development NGOs are more

likely to feel such an obligation, al-
though we all know the fuzzy lines be-
tween emergency, rehabilitation and
development work. I think that inter-
national NGOs truly concerned about
this issue need to establish internal
policies requiring certain norms and
forms of accountability, and then need
to see these through the entire logic
of both program cycles and organiza-
tional support functions. However, I
go back to the nature of the system in
which we are embedded. I think the
most important thing NGOs can do
right now is join together to identify
and then lobby for the concrete, prag- Organizational Accountability
matic changes in international aid The tools and methodologies to address the challenges outlined above are
modalities that would put such forms readily available and widely used in the commercial fleet sector. While there is
of accountability on the front, rather a skills gap in humanitarian fleet management, there is no shortage of willing
than back, burner. and able professionals to take on these challenges. Their biggest obstacle
is that the organizations they work for view fleet management as a service
function and not a strategic function. A paradigm shift is required in all aspects
of humanitarian fleet management that calls for greater professionalism and
accountability.

32 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Turning Love Into Work
This month’s column is drawn from Caryn Sweeney’s article “Toward a (Livable) Career in International
Development.” It first appeared in the Transitions Abroad magazine in spring 2007 and offers practical
tips for leveraging a love of travel and other cultures into a career in the non-profit sector.
As a study abroad student and later adviser, I encountered stu-
dents whose ideals of international careers were as varied as
the countries to which they set off. The majority, however, fell
into two camps: the wanna-be jetsetters, who would embark on
glamorous careers in the corporate world; and the idealists, who
planned on living in righteous poverty as they helped eradicate
disease, illiteracy and despair.
Fortunately, one doesn’t have to be Angelina Jolie or a Peace
Corps volunteer in order to work internationally.
Based on tips from colleagues and friends in many of these or-
ganizations, the following is a do and don’t list for breaking into
and succeeding in an international NGO career.
Do develop one or two regional foci as early as undergradu-
ate studies. Developing an expertise in Francophone West
Africa or Central Asia will make you much more lucrative to
organizations that work in those areas.
Do study the rest of the world too. There are lots of other
places and sometimes, an organization just wants evidence
of your ability to understand current issues in a global con-
text.
Do volunteer or intern for local internationally-focused or-
ganizations. World Affairs Councils, refugee groups, cultural
societies and activist organizations are all good choices for
starting your network. You may be the one who makes and
presents the nametag for the French ambassador to the
United States before a function, and he may be delighted
to hear about your recent study in Grenoble and introduce
you to his wife, who is on the board of an organization that
is hiring….
Do study abroad. The options are endless. Two weeks, six
months, a year, in every location from England to Ecuador,
studying language, sculpture or the art of the deal. Where
isn’t even as important as what you make of it while there.
Overcoming the challenges of living and learning in a new
culture will show prospective employers that you have good
adaptation and acclimation skills.
Do pursue higher degrees. Masters and doctoral degrees
aren’t essential for working internationally. But they do help
build your knowledge base in a particular region or issue,
and they give you access to some of the most accomplished
and talented folks through seminars, campus events and
conferences.
Don’t discount any experience. Are you a babysitter for your
Colombian neighbor’s children? Do you spend every Friday
at your favorite Ethiopian restaurant? Did you skip the spring
break mayhem for a day in Mexico to explore some inland
ruins? Engage everyone in conversation and reflect on what
you saw, heard and felt. Becoming a cultural being is the first
step toward a successful international career of any type.
Don’t be a complacent traveler. Research different ways for
getting below the surface of a country before you go. In
South Africa, certainly go on the township tour, but then
also ask your guide privately if it would be possible to set
up a visit to a hospital to visit and read to children, or to go
to a school and answer questions about your home country.
Again, these experiences and how you relay them during job
interviews may make the greatest impact on the interviewer
and give you a shot over someone who is well-traveled but
not well-lived.
Don’t assume only experienced, older staff get sent on in-
ternational assignments. Older, more experienced staff are
often weary of the field, particularly if they have children
and families. Not to mention, as a junior to mid-level staffer,
you’re a lot cheaper to send. In my first five years with my
organization, I was sent to seven countries.
Don’t forget you still have to pay your dues. Paying dues
is a common theme in the world of work, but that doesn’t
mean there aren’t ways to pay them faster. Volunteer early
and often for grunt work. If your organization hosts foreign
dignitaries or high-level international workers, volunteer to
stay late to guide guests to the venue or to put together ma-
terials. Finally, learn as much as you can about the regions in
which you want to work.
Don’t forget language skills. Foreign language skills can be
a critical tool in working with other cultures rather than just
in other cultures. But if you are a researcher, a manager, or
a provider of technical assistance, language skills may be
secondary. You will likely have a locally-based colleague
who can help you with translation. However, you’re not off
the hook: learning some basics of the local language will
not only show your respect for the people you’ll work with,
it can also be a wonderful icebreaker as you struggle with
each other’s languages!
For many, making a living in the NGO world is the happy me-
dium between working for a multinational corporation and
working in voluntary poverty (both of which are fine and noble
callings on their own, if that’s your preference). There are draw-
backs, from being at the whims of donors and governments, to
long overtime hours, to non-profit salaries, to red tape. But at
the heart of many of these organizations is a belief in participa-
tory and collaborative development. Those who work with NGOs
know that people around the world are capable of solving their
own problems if they are provided with the means, tools, and
expertise to do so. By working in the NGO world, you become
one more asset in this fight.
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 33
Inside our COMMUNITY
HIV Prevalence Among Russian Street Youth is a
Call to Action
A study published in the journal AIDS reports that 37.4
percent of street youth between the ages of 15 and 19 sur-
veyed in St. Petersburg, Russia are HIV-positive, placing
street youth in Russia among the populations most at-risk
for HIV around the world. The study, conducted in 2006
by Doctors of the World-USA (DOW), the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the City
AIDS Center in St. Petersburg, found that factors such as
injection drug use, unsafe sexual practices, homelessness
and orphanhood were prime drivers of HIV transmission
in this group. The alarming rate exceeds previous esti-
mates.
“These results underscore the urgent need to increase
efforts focused on youth,” said DOW Executive Director
Tom Dougherty. “Information on how HIV is transmitted
is not enough – we must reach out to at-risk youth with
programs that engage them and give them hope for a fu-
ture.”
Without treatment and support, many of the HIV-in-
fected youth will die between the ages of 20 and 30.
Strengthening comprehensive services for street and
at-risk youth, including drug rehabilitation, educational
outreach, housing, vocational training, and family sup-
port programs is vital to curbing high-risk behaviors and
preventing further spread of HIV.
With local government and non-governmental partners,
DOW has established a range of interventions to engage
street youth, link them to treatment, care, and support,
and prevent new infections. This low threshold model
has shown encouraging results. Fifty-four percent of all
positive youth have remained active in the program to
date, 38 percent are linked to health and psychosocial
services, and 35 percent are linked to care at the St. Pe-
tersburg City AIDS Center.
The program operates with the support of USAID, the
City of St. Petersburg, private foundations (Ford Foun-
dation, MAC AIDS Fund and others) and corporations
(Johnson & Johnson). For more information, visit DOW’s
website: www.doctorsoftheworld.org
ICRW President Awarded 2007 “Women Who
Mean Business” Award
Geeta Rao Gupta, president of the International Center
for Research on Women (ICRW), has received the Wash-
ington Business Journal’s annual “Women Who Mean
Business” award. She was one of twenty-five recipients
for 2007. The selected women were also recognized in a
special supplement in the November 30th edition of The
Washington Business Journal.
In its fourth year, the award honors the Washington re-
gion’s most influential and successful businesswomen,
who are trail blazers and accomplished professionals in
their fields. Rao Gupta is an internationally renowned
34 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
expert on women and HIV, and passionate advocate for
women’s empowerment and the protection and fulfill-
ment of women’s rights. She has worked at ICRW since
1988 and has served as its president for 10 years.
As a leading international authority on women’s role in
development, ICRW tackles the world’s most pressing
problems – poverty, hunger and disease – and demon-
strates that a focus on women and gender is necessary
for lasting social and economic change. The D.C.-based
organization operates an Asia regional office in New Del-
hi, India, and project offices in Secunderabad, India, and
Kampala, Uganda.
Air Serv International Appoints New CEO
The Air Serv International board of directors has appoint-
ed Christopher H. Johnson as their new Chief Execu-
tive Officer, with a mandate to develop a strategic plan,
spearhead a new business and special projects initiative
and launch new services consistent with its humanitar-
ian mission. He replaces Mike Webb, who has served the
organization capably since January of this year.
Johnson previously served with various law firms in New
York and Washington, as well as in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
specializing in international commercial, corporate and
finance practice. Born in Munich, Germany, Johnson was
educated at Princeton University and New York Univer-
sity Law School.
He joined the Air Serv International board in 2004, was
elected chairman in November 2005, and served as in-
terim CEO from June, 2006 to January, 2007. “I am hon-
ored to have been asked to lead Air Serv International at
a time of ever more pressing humanitarian and develop-
ment needs,” said Johnson. “Under Mike Webb’s lead-
ership we have been growing in our identity and sense
of purpose, and in aligning our values and attitudes with
the mission. We are now solidly positioned for sustained
growth, building on our core strengths.”
Michael Walsh, Former Head of OAA, to Join
APVOFM
Michael Walsh, the former head of the Office of Acquisition
and Assistance at USAID, recently accepted a position
as the first Director of Training and Member Services at
the Association of PVO Financial Managers (APVOFM).
In his former position, Walsh was responsible for $8
billion in contracts and grants worldwide. In addition to
bringing great experience and
expertise in the government
grant-making and contracting
process, Walsh has firsthand field
experience, having served as a
contracting officer for USAID in
Bangladesh, Egypt and Kenya,
and as a Peace Corps volunteer
in the Philippines. His operating
experience includes overseeing
a large division for procurement
management, as well as work in food aid,
disaster relief and infrastructure development.
With the addition of Mike Walsh to its team,
and the opening of an office in Washington,
DC, APVOFM looks forward to expanding its
training opportunities through more USAID
rules and regulations workshops in the field,
offering training in a wider number of areas
including contracts, grants and sub-awards,
risk management, and introduction to finan-
cial management. Expanded member services
will include mentoring and emerging leaders,
knowledge sharing activities, leadership de-
velopment, and increased efforts in advocacy
with USAID, the Department of State and the
Department of Labor.
Having a base in Washington will strengthen
APVOFM’s dialogue with U.S. government
officials on matters of policy and day-to-day
grant and contracting concerns. Walsh’s expe-
rience at USAID will help APVOFM members
understand and work more effectively with
USAID as well as address issues beginning to
surface at other federal agencies doing inter-
national work. Almost half of APVOFM’s 190
members are located in the DC area.
UN Deputy Secretary-
General Discusses 2008
Agenda with InterAction
Members
UN Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Asha-
Rose Migiro visited InterAction on De-
cember 14 for a meeting with members to
discuss the UN development and humani-
tarian assistance agenda for 2008.
Since taking office February 1, 2007, Dr.
Migiro has focused on development,
poverty, gender and Africa-related issues
for the UN. She has been vocal about the
links between gender and poverty, and
has urged the UN to resolve its gender
imbalance. At the recent European Union
and African Union summit in Lisbon, she
led the UN delegation and personally met
with African leaders from Cote D’Ivoire and
Somalia to discuss issues of governance
and conflict.
A transcript of her remarks is available at
www.interaction.org.
InterAction Welcomes HELP Commission
Report, Calls for Creation of U.S.
International Development Department
Beyond Assistance, a new report by the HELP Commission, stresses the need
for a stronger, more strategic role for foreign assistance in the U.S. govern-
ment. The bipartisan commission was charged by Congress to investigate
and recommend ways to strengthen U.S. foreign assistance.
InterAction welcomes the report and supports its central theme – that the
system the U.S. government uses to deliver foreign assistance is in dire need
of reforms to improve its structure, increase its prioritization relative to diplo-
macy and defense, and significantly increase funding for foreign assistance
programs. InterAction fully endorses the Commission’s recommendation
that Congress and the White House work together to rewrite the Foreign As-
sistance Act of 1961 to address shortcomings and reframe American devel-
opment assistance to fit the context of the 21st century.
InterAction and its members are pleased the Commission tackled the tough
task of recommending significant reforms. InterAction concurs with the find-
ing that the first goal of any new structure should be to elevate development
to a more equal footing with diplomacy and defense. InterAction has offi-
cially recommended the creation of a cabinet-level department for interna-
tional development since 2006, and strongly endorses the position of several
HELP Commissioners who have called for a similar structure in the report.
While the structure favored by the majority of commissioners – which would
unify assistance currently administered by the State Department, USAID, and
other federal agencies with monies from the 150 Account into one cabinet-
level department – seeks to elevate the role of development and humani-
tarian response in American foreign policy, it would still give the Secretary
of State ultimate control over development assistance. Because of this, and
because the proposal would so greatly alter the U.S. foreign affairs landscape,
we need more time to examine it before making detailed comments on its
merits or faults.
The following are among the report’s recommendations that InterAction sup-
ports to accompany a revamped and reauthorized Foreign Assistance Act:
A significant increase in funding for disaster relief and internation-
al development programs.
Creation of a rapid-response fund for humanitarian crises around
the world, so long as it is fully funded and the funding does not
come at the expense of other humanitarian relief programs.
Improvement of USAID’s technical capacity by increasing the num-
ber of direct-hire employees and reforming its human resources
policies so it can attract top development professionals at all ex-
perience levels.
Creation of a new USAID business model that embraces risk, al-
lows for flexibility in program design, and focuses demonstrating
results through improved monitoring and evaluation.
Alignment of U.S. trade and development policies so as to offer
developing countries more and better access to U.S. markets.
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 35
Inside INTERACTION

CEOs Build Community and Capacity at Annual Retreat

By Andrea Barron, Adjunct Professor of History, George Mason University

Sixty CEOs recently gathered together in early Novem- vide services to African refugees in the Washington, DC
ber for InterAction’s annual CEO Retreat. The two-day metropolitan area and to be a voice for African refugees
retreat featured keynote speaker Henrietta Fore, the Act- nationwide. The organization now has 12 sites, including
ing Administrator of USAID, and Congresswoman Nita one in Phoenix and another in Las Vegas. At the retreat,
Lowey (D-NY), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Teferra met Dennis Lifferth, President of Latter-Day Saint
State and Foreign Operations. Sessions addressed issues Charities and now they are discussing a partnership in
such as how the U.S. presidential election will impact which Latter-Day Saint Charities would provide cloth-
foreign assistance, civil-military relations, global partner- ing, food and medical supplies to African refugees in the
ships and strengthening the relationship between CEOs Phoenix and Las Vegas sites.
and their boards of directors. For the first time InterAc-
tion also held a one-day retreat for women CEOs. At the Women’s Retreat, CEOs also discussed collaborat-
ing on issues of common concern. For instance, Popula-
According to Barbara Wallace, InterAction’s Vice-Presi- tion Action International president Amy Coen and June
dent for Membership, the hope was that the retreat Zeitlin from WEDO (Women’s Environmental and De-
would “enable CEOs to see themselves as a unified body velopment Organization), spoke about a joint project on
leading major humanitarian and development efforts in how climate change affects women. “Climate change is
the world.” She noted that CEOs have a unique perspec- already happening to the poorest women in the poorest
tive on the issues affecting their countries,” Coen said. “Re-
work. “We wanted to give them ducing the availability of clean
an opportunity to strategize Many development and humanitarian water and making it more dif-
together and support them in organizations started in someone’s living room ficult for them to raise crops.”
building the capacity they need by people with a good idea... But as non-profits
as leaders.” In 2004, when Elizabeth
become successful and grow to a certain point,
Latham became executive
they need a high level of business expertise to
Melanie Macdonald, President of director of the U.S. Commit-
manage their large, complex organizations.
World Neighbors, has had years tee for the UN Development
InterAction wants to provide our members’
of experience as a CEO includ- Programme (UNDP-USA), she
executives with the support to do this.
ing directing CUSO, Canada’s first focused on “professional-
version of the Peace Corps, and izing” the small agency and
advising other CEOs as head of complying with the best prac-
her own consulting firm. But because World Neighbors is tices standards InterAction sets for all its members. The
somewhat isolated in Oklahoma City, Macdonald rarely UNDP-USA educates Americans about UNDP’s role in
has the chance to meet with her peers. “We had fallen off international development and encourages Americans,
the radar screen of international development,” she said. especially young professionals, to support the UN Mil-
“And that is something I wanted to change.” lennium Development Goals. Latham said that attend-
ing the retreat came just at the right time, since “now we
“Although we are small,” Macdonald explained, “we have become professionalized enough to really benefit
have an excellent model which uses a community orga- from the advice and expertise of InterAction CEOs.”
nizing approach with impoverished rural communities.”
She saw how effective this model can be when she vis- CEOs said they would like more of the kind of training
ited 50 World Neighbors villages in Burkina Faso last offered at the retreat, as well as sessions on special areas
February. She was amazed at how villagers had been of common interest, i.e., fundraising and how to balance
able to triple their agricultural production in just a few multiple demanding priorities. “Many development and
years, “turning deserts into gardens.” Macdonald says humanitarian organizations started in someone’s living
that at the CEO Retreat she was able to share and learn room by people with a good idea,” Wallace said. “But
from other CEOs in the development community and put as non-profits become successful and grow to a certain
World Neighbors back in the center of that community, point, they need a high level of business expertise to
where it belongs. manage their large, complex organizations. InterAction
wants to provide our members’ executives with the sup-
For Tshehaye Teferra, head of the Ethiopian Community port to do this.” She said that InterAction’s Annual 2008
Development Council (ECDC), the retreat was a chance Forum (May 6-9) will include a special track designed for
to network and possibly form partnerships with like- CEOs and their boards to expand effectiveness in gover-
minded leaders. Teferra founded ECDC in 1983 to pro- nance and leadership.

36 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

Report on the Foreign Assistance Reform Monitoring Project:
InterAction Staff Research in East Africa
By Hilary Nalven, Program Associate, InterAction
“Mulibuti!” Two InterAction colleagues and I received
instantaneous welcomes while visiting a small rural vil-
lage outside of Lusaka, Zambia this past November. After
some of the bumpiest off-road driving I have ever experi-
enced, we arrived at the central gathering spot of a local
community with whom some of our InterAction members
do development work.
The purpose of our visit to Africa was to conduct research
in Tanzania and Zambia for the Foreign Assistance Re-
form Monitoring Project (FARM), a year-long InterAction
study to find out the effects of “Transformational Diplo-
macy” on development work in the field. Interviews with
staff of InterAction’s member organizations accounted for
most of our time, but interacting with local communities
made for the trip’s most memorable moments.
After official introductions and a lively traditional dance,
various individuals talked about how a USAID-funded
program, which is also supported by private voluntary
contributions from the American public and by donated
gifts in kind from the corporate world, has made a posi-
tive difference in their lives. Their progress includes the
care and protection of orphans and vulnerable children,
agricultural development, acquisition of life-skills to bet-
ter deal with HIV/AIDS, the training of community health
workers, and the empowerment of local leaders, particu-
larly women.
Members of the community told us about the challenges
that they still face. One man described how they were
able to build a school, but cannot afford to install win-
dows or hire enough teachers. Another woman told us
of having to walk over four hours to the nearest health
clinic to get tested for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, from
which her husband had recently died. She had to make
two more treks back before finally obtaining her results,
let alone receiving treatment. We also spoke to an eigh-
teen-year-old boy who had become the primary caretak-
er of his three younger siblings after both parents passed
away. When asked what he wanted in life, the boy simply
replied, “Seeds to grow food, to be able to attend school
and then to have a girlfriend once I know I can take care
of a family.”
I left the rural village inspired by the spirit of these peo-
ple and the impressive progress they had made, in large
part due to the help of the USAID-funded program. This
feeling was paradoxically accompanied by frustration
with the remaining challenges that are disturbingly un-
necessary. For example, Zambia is a peaceful country
with a relatively low population and vast amounts of ar-
InterAction’s FARM: Overall Research
Scope and Next Steps
In the focus countries of the FARM study (Honduras, Ghana, Kenya,
Nepal and Vietnam), local researchers conducted two rounds of in-
terviews with staff of U.S. private voluntary organizations, local NGO
partners, and others knowledgeable about U.S. foreign assistance.
InterAction staff also conducted a single round of interviews in six
additional countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, El Salvador, Nicara-
gua, Serbia, Tanzania and Zambia. Approximately 250 interviews
were conducted in total. InterAction will capture these exchanges
in five primary country reports and a final synthesis report to be
released by the beginning of February. InterAction will also incor-
porate the evidence gathered from this field-based research in its
advocacy in order to better inform and influence public policy.
able land, yet food security is one of its main develop-
ment needs. Additionally, although PEPFAR funding to
fight HIV/AIDS is pouring hundreds of millions of dollars
into Zambia, restrictions have made it difficult to use this
funding to improve the country’s weak health systems.
I asked a long-time local staffer of our host NGO why he
thought development in his country has been so slow – a
question that clearly goes far beyond the scope of this
article. However, he stressed a couple main points re-
garding U.S. foreign assistance in Zambia. First, the U.S.
government has inefficient, uncoordinated structures
for delivering aid. Consequently, some regions are com-
pletely neglected while others have many different do-
nors funding duplicative projects in the same geographic
area. Second, program mandates and timelines are pre-
determined in Washington and lack perspective about
what is actually needed – and can be feasibly implement-
ed – on the ground. All too often, directives are inflexible
and implementers are unable to create comprehensive
programs that address the recipient communities’ most
pressing needs. For those following the current debate
in Washington about the U.S. foreign assistance reforms,
these comments probably sound quite familiar.
As the FARM study comes to a close early next year, it has
the potential to bring voices from the field into the Wash-
ington conversation about how to improve the effective-
ness of U.S. aid. It is InterAction’s hope that this study, in
combination with the momentum already underway, will
bring about changes that result in truly effective, poverty
alleviating foreign assistance that addresses the needs
and priorities of its intended recipients.
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 37
Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org
POSITION
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Foundations Officer > Richmond, VA
Christian Children’s Fund is seeking a
Foundations Officer to provide leadership
and guidance on adopting a successful
strategy to gain entry into the Founda-
tions marketplace. Pro-actively seek intel-
ligence on new grant funding opportuni-
ties from major US Foundations, research
and analyze Foundations that will be
attracted to international work with chil-
dren, lead the process of identifying key
Foundations to target for cultivation, and
coordinate the preparation of funding
proposals. Represent the organization
in Foundation related events, networks
and affinity groups. Bachelor’s degree,
Master’s degree preferred, 5-7 years expe-
rience with a non-profit organization re-
quired, prefer experience in international
economic, and social development and
knowledge of child centered internation-
al development. Five to seven years expe-
rience in grant fundraising with proven
track record of attracting grant funding
from within the Foundations market-
place. Extensive experience identifying
and cultivating long-term Foundation
partnerships. Proven expertise in writing
grants for major private foundations. Do-
mestic and international travel required.
For complete details and to express inter-
est in this position, please visit www.chris-
tianchildrensfund.org EOE M/F/D/V.
Development Officer Major Gifts/
Planned Giving, Western Region >
Westen U.S.
Development Officer for Christian Chil-
dren’s Fund (CCF) to support the territory
of Southern California, Arizona, Nevada,
Colorado and Utah. Seeking a dynamic,
professional leader with at least five
years of experience in both productive
major gifts and/or planned giving pro-
grams. This position plans, maintains and
manages the organization’s major gifts/
planned giving activities for an assigned
region. Responsible for developing and
implementing programs that maximize
resources to develop financial support
for the long-term growth and sustain-
ability of CCF. The Development Officer is
38 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
charged with migrating donors into ma-
jor and planned gift commitments while
stewarding the integrity of the program
within the assigned region. Assure ap-
propriate marketing of the program in
the region through newsletters, recogni-
tion and solicitation materials. Promote
and represent CCF in its relationships
with individuals, community agencies,
organizations and the media. Bachelor’s
degree with advanced training, experi-
ence working in a self-directed regional
area on fundraising goals; maintain the
highest level of confidentiality related to
donor and prospect information; ability
to work independently and with flexibil-
ity to achieve quarterly goals; ability to
cultivate prospects and make direct time-
ly solicitations of donors, demonstrated
ability to set and achieve or exceed goals
and meet deadlines; and travel and some
weekend work required. For further in-
formation and to express interest in this
position, please visit www.christianchild-
rensfund.org EOE M/F/D/V.
Short- And Long-Term Humanitarian
Assistance, Disaster Preparedness,
And Risk Management Experts > Latin
America And The Caribbean
Chemonics International seeks short- and
long-term technical experts for antici-
pated DOD- and USAID-funded projects
in Latin America and the Caribbean. Re-
sponsibilities include: disaster prepared-
ness and mitigation training, training
needs assessment, risk and safety disaster
assessment, logistics and relief supplies
coordination, institutional strengthen-
ing. Qualifications: Academic degree in a
relevant field or comparable international
experience; Minimum five years of dem-
onstrated experience in relevant technical
area; Proven ability to build and maintain
collaborative relationships with donors
and multiple local counterparts; Interna-
tional experience with SOUTHCOM’s Hu-
manitarian Assistance Program, the Office
of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, or sim-
ilar programs preferred; Demonstrated
experience in organizational capacity-
building, training, or information dissemi-
nation; Fluency in Spanish preferred but
not required; French and Portuguese de-
sirable; Work experience in Latin America
and the Caribbean preferred. Application
Instructions: Send electronic submissions
to HADP@chemonics.com by December
25, 2007. Please outline relevant work
experience in your cover letter. No tele-
phone inquiries, please. Finalists will be
contacted.
Senior Director, Public Sector
Development > Washington, DC metro
area
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).
Mission is to develop safe and effective
HIV vaccines for use worldwide. Current
budget of $90 million; staff of 200. Job
is to lead effort to raise money from the
U.S. Government and other public sector
funders. See full job announcement at:
www.SlesingerManagement.com.
Policy Positions > Washington, DC
CARE USA, one of the world’s leading hu-
manitarian, development and emergency
relief organizations dedicated to fighting
global poverty, is expanding its Washing-
ton, D.C. policy office. CARE seeks talent-
ed, committed professionals who want to
make a difference in the world to fill the
following positions: senior policy advisors
and legislative assistants. These profes-
sionals will be expected to coordinate a
diverse public policy and advocacy port-
folio. Requirements: Graduate education
or equivalent in relevant areas, substan-
tive legislative/congressional experience;
previous work with international affairs,
global environmental, development and/
or international health issues; be ener-
getic and innovative thinkers; possess
excellent written/oral communication
skills. We also have an opportunity for
an administrative assistant who will work
closely with other support staff in the
Washington DC office and throughout
the organization to ensure the smooth
operation of the Policy and Advocacy
team. This high-responsibility position in-
cludes daily tasks such as travel support,
meeting logistics, document manage-
ment, office management and communi-
cations. Please apply online at www.care.
org/careers.
Senior Technical Advisor, Governance
and Civil Society > Baltimore, MD
Catholic Relief Services, the overseas re-
lief & development agency of the Catholic
community is seeking a Senior Technical
Advisor, Governance and Civil Society.
CRS seeks to expand its programming in
governance and civil society, promoting
greater citizen participation in decision-
making and good governance to achieve
poverty reduction and political account-
ability for greater equity and social cohe-
sion. The Senior Technical Advisor pro-
vides leadership and technical support to
country programs and regional program
Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org
staff to ensure high quality program de-
velopment and implementation and
agency-wide learning. This includes ex-
ternal representation and networking to
influence developments in the sector and
keep abreast of emerging trends and best
practices. To find out more information
about this position and to apply please
go to www.crs.org.
Director of Finance > Sudan
The International Rescue Committee,
a world leader in relief, rehabilitation,
protection, post-conflict development,
is seeking a Finance Director for overall
fiscal management responsibility of the
IRC Sudan Country Offices (South, West
and North-East Sudan). As a member of
IRC Sudan Senior Management Team,
the Finance Director will guide and over-
see the work of the finance unit, and
will liaise with the Regional Controller,
Country Representative, Deputy Country
Representative Southern Sudan and the
Directors of Programs and Operations on
financial and budgetary matters. Apply
at: www.ircjobs.org.
Director of Programs > Sudan
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development, is
seeking a Director of Programs. The DP
has the responsibility to ensure IRC pro-
grams across Sudan are of the highest
standard in terms of quality in respect
to design, implementation and monitor-
ing. S/he will lead strategic programmatic
planning sessions for all IRC Sudan. As a
member of IRC Sudan’s country manage-
ment team, the DP will be a key decision
maker for the Program able to display
leadership, innovation and accountabil-
ity. Apply at: www.ircjobs.org.
Director of Operations > Sudan
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development, is
seeking a Director of Operations. Based in
Khartoum s/he will be responsible for sup-
porting IRC Sudan’s complex programs in
Darfur, North & East Sudan & ensuring
systems and policies are harmonized with
IRC’s southern Sudan office based in Juba
& its field sites. The DO will be responsible
for the overall field office management,
particularly in the West Sudan program,
and also the Khartoum office operations
functions of IRC Sudan. Apply at: www.
ircjobs.org.
Field Coordinator > Sudan
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development, is
seeking a Field Coordinator for its Sudan
program. The Field Coordinator-Kass will
be responsible for managing and over-
seeing all programmatic and operational
issues within IRC’s Kass Field Office. The
Field Coordinator will ensure the overall
implementation of quality programs in
Kass and surrounding rural areas as well
as the adherence of all Kass Field Office
staff to IRC-Sudan financial, logistics and
HR/Administration policies and proce-
dures. Apply at: www.ircjobs.org.
Program Coordinator > Sudan
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development, is
seeking a Program Coordinator for its Su-
dan program. The Program Coordinator
will be responsible for providing supervi-
sion and management support for all the
sector program activities in the site. The
person would play the role of focal point
for all the program and grants aspects in
the field office. The Coordinator will also
ensure all national program manager po-
sitions are able to perform to agreed upon
standards and that training and support
to strengthen their responsibilities is in
place. Apply at: www.ircjobs.org.
Grants Coordinator > South Sudan
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development, is
seeking a Grants Coordinator for its South
Sudan program. The Grants Unit Coordi-
nator will provide strategic direction to
the unit’s work in terms of ensuring qual-
ity grants management, strengthening
the donor base, assessing needs and de-
veloping grants management capacity of
the field based teams as needed, ensuring
compliance with donor requirements, en-
suring quality information management
related to programs / grants, and support
all aspects of the proposal development
and reporting processes. Apply at: www.
ircjobs.org.
Health Coordinator > Chad
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development seeks
a Health Coordinator. Qualifications: Pro-
fessional health degree as nurse, nurse
practitioner, MD, or MPH. Three years pro-
fessional experience implementing and
managing health programs in refugee
MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007
settings. Proven experience developing
health staff capacity, implementing and
supervising staff trainings; Experience
working with, supervising staff in a multi-
cultural setting; Ability to write reports
and proposals; Strong computer skills:
Windows, MS office programs email pro-
grams; Previous experience working with
international partners. Proficient English
and French written and spoken required.
Apply at www.ircjobs.org.
Country Director > Democratic
Republic of Congo
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development seeks
a Country Director to provide strong and
proactive leadership in the DRC program.
Requirements: Degree or equivalent ex-
perience in Business Management or
Operations. Five years of oversees experi-
ence; human resource management skills;
fluent in spoken and written English; Able
to understand, communicate and work in
French. Must be culturally sensitive and
have the ability to identify and work with
a multi-ethnic team. Strong computer
skills. Apply at www.ircjobs.org.
Community Driven Reconstruction
Chief of Party > Democratic Republic
of Congo
The International Rescue Committee,
a world leader in relief, rehabilitation,
protection, post-conflict development
seeks a Chief of Party. REQUIREMENTS:
Advanced degree in relevant field; 6 years
of overseas experience, including at least
3 years of senior management experi-
ence in community recovery or CDR-type
programming; Previous experience with
consortium management, preferably in
a Chief of Party-type position. Experience
in Africa, in large scale programs; and in
managing programs of similar budget
size and strong budget management
skills; Fluency in both French and English;
Strong computer skills. Apply at www.ir-
cjobs.org.
Deputy Director of Operations &
Finance > Liberia
The International Rescue Committee, a
world leader in relief, rehabilitation, pro-
tection, post-conflict development seeks
a Deputy Director responsible for the over-
all operation of the organization. S/he will
manage the finance, operations, procure-
ment, administration, human resources
and information technology teams. S/he
will work closely with the Deputy Director
continued on next page
39
Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org
Director, Marketing &
Development
The Director of Marketing & Development is
responsible for meeting annual revenue targets
and maintaining the organization’s diversified
funding base by developing marketing
opportunities, retaining customers, ensuring
excellent customer service and managing
a team. The position reports to the Chief
Marketing Officer. Responsibilities include:
Maintain and increase the efficacy of existing
offline marketing and fundraising channels.
Develop e-mail, telemarketing, print and
other offline marketing channels and outreach
opportunities. Provide leadership to the US
Marketing and Fundraising Staff to help direct
reports meet their individual fundraising
and marketing goals, thereby contributing to
fulfillment of the organization’s goals. Plan,
develop and implement testing strategies and
creative for campaigns. Optimize performance
based on analysis of marketing campaigns.
Work closely with agency counterparts on
list planning, merge purge, creative and
reporting. Work with the Major Giving staff on
strategy for upgrading existing sponsors and
donors. Ensure excellent customer service by
developing, institutionalizing and enforcing
customer service standards. Report regularly
on metrics and enhance management reports
and tools. Contribute to the development of
the organization’s marketing and fundraising
strategies in the U.S.
Requirements: Seven or more years of
marketing experience with demonstrated
success in direct response marketing. At least 2
years of direct-response marketing experience
in direct mail. Strong analytical skills required.
Direct Response Marketing experience in
television, e-mail or online a plus. Consider
joining our organization at this exciting time in
our expansion. We offer a competitive salary
and a comprehensive benefit program.
Please submit resume and cover letter to
HumanResources@womenforwomen.org.
40 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS
continued from previous page
of Programs and Field Coordinators
in resolving and preventing issues,
and ensuring that IRC Liberia oper-
ates without the limitations set out
by the context. Requirements: Mas-
ters in Business Management, Op-
erations; 6-8 years of management
and leadership experience. Apply at:
www.theirc.org.
Legacy Capacity Building
Coordinator > Sierra Leone
The International Rescue Committee,
a world leader in relief, rehabilitation,
protection, post-conflict develop-
ment seeks a Capacity Building Co-
ordinator responsible for planning,
coordinating, and directing capacity
building programs for IRC West Af-
rica staff and local partners. Require-
ments: Bachelors plus advanced de-
gree in international development
or a related human development
field as well as a minimum of 4 years
of professional experience in inter-
national development, staff devel-
opment, program management or
related field. Apply at www.ircjobs.
org.
Finance Controller > Sierra Leone
The International Rescue Committee,
a world leader in relief, rehabilitation,
protection, post-conflict develop-
ment seeks a Finance Controller to
work with our programs in Sierra
Leone. S/he has overall policy and
management responsibility for the
finance and accounting functions
for the country program. Control-
lers’ responsibilities include general
controllership, staff training, man-
agement, and treasury and budget
functions: Requirements: Bachelors
degree in Accounting, Business Ad-
ministration, Commerce or Finance
and a minimum three years of mana-
gerial experience in the financial
area of a non-profit organization or
five years in an international com-
mercial organization. Apply at www.
ircjobs.org.
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Pandemic Coordinator, Washington, DC

The Pandemic Coordinator will lead InterAction’s efforts to improve the capacity of the NGO community to respond to a highly
pathogenic influenza (HPI) pandemic.
Responsibilities: Daily management of InterAction’s Pandemic Preparedness project; Travel to and facilitate regional NGO
coordination meetings; Hold bi-quarterly coordination meetings in DC; Identify the existing range of NGO response capacities in
a pandemic situation through an online capacity map and database; Facilitate the articulation of a planning framework for NGO
pandemic response; Coordinate the development of business continuity plans; Facilitate the sharing of information on HPI pandemic
preparedness and response; supervise technical consultants.
Qualifications: The Pandemic Coordinator position will have: A minimum of ten years experience (including four years in the field)
in international relief work at increasing levels of authority; Overseas experience in the management of NGO disaster response;
Proven coordination, networking, team building, and interpersonal skills; Excellent written and oral communication skills; Excellent
leadership, negotiation, and administration skills; Availability for international travel on short notice; and Minimum basic knowledge
of computer and internet technologies.
To apply: Please email a cover letter and resume to ebellardo@interaction.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is
filled. All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended
period of time. The positions will remain open until filled. No phone calls please. This is a 12-month position. Salary: $150,000 plus
benefits.

Program Associate, Humanitarian Policy and Practice Team, Washington, DC

InterAction, the nation’s largest alliance of international relief and development NGOs, is seeking a full-time Program Associate to
work on InterAction’s Humanitarian Policy and Practice Team (HPPT).
Responsibilities:
The HPPT Program Associate will: Provide administrative and substantive support to the HPPT, with a particular focus on activities
related to grants management, refugee protection, and issues related to UN/NGO partnership; Organize and report on meetings
and workshops; Maintain HPPT web pages, manage email lists; Supervise interns; Provide information to InterAction members, US
Government agencies, UN agencies, other partners, and the public.
He or she will report to the Senior Program Manager for Protection & Refugee Affairs and to the Vice President of Humanitarian Policy
and Practice.
Qualifications:
The HPPT Program Associate will have: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field; Previous experience or strong interest in international
humanitarian assistance and displacement issues; Excellent organizational and administrative skills; Strong writing and computer
skills; Attention to detail; Ability to interact with others in a professional manner; Previous grant management experience a plus.
Salary about $30,000, depending on qualifications. Excellent benefits package.
To apply:
Please email a cover letter and resume to Heather Powell, hpowell@interaction.org. All applicants must be able to provide
documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended period of time. The position will remain
open until filled. Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls please.

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 41

Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org

Chief Financial Officer, Washington, DC

InterAction, the largest coalition of U.S.-based international not-for-profit organizations (NGOs) focused on the world’s poor and most
vulnerable people, seeks a highly qualified CFO to fill key functions within its leadership and to ensure effective financial management
within the organization.
As a member of InterAction’s Leadership Team, the CFO works closely with the President and other senior staff to shape the overall
management and direction of InterAction. He/she works with InterAction’s Leadership Team to create a transparent and highly
professional budgetary and financial management culture. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for managing and
establishing accounting policies, long range financial planning, procedures and controls within Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles, applicable federal, local laws grants, contract regulations and other funding source guidelines and administer personnel
benefits (including health insurance and retirement plans. The CFO oversees a Finance and Administration staff for day-to-day
operations.
This position has three major functions: Financial Management, Office Administration, and serving as a member of the Leadership
Team and InterAction’s senior management. InterAction is currently increasing its capacity to advance the goals of the US NGO
community and requires a CFO that can help the organization manage its growth. Qualifications: Master’s degree in accounting
or CPA; Team player with strong financial, organizational, management and communications skills Minimum 10 years working
experience, preferably with Non-Profit organizations Substantive knowledge of A-133, A1-22, A-110 and government funding
regulations; Extensive knowledge of accounting software Experience with administration of employee benefits, including health
plans. Please send inquiries and resumes by January 11th to Mariam Ehsanyar, MEhsanyar@interaction.org. No phone calls please.

InterAction Project Coordinator for
Gender Equality E-learning Initiative
The Project Coordinator will oversee the production of an interactive
E-learning Tool on Gender Equality in Humanitarian Action under the
auspices of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Sub-working
Group on Gender in Humanitarian Action. The Project Coordinator
will develop and finalize an E-learning tool in consultation with and
for use by members of the UN and NGO community drawing on
expertise in gender, adult pedagogy, and humanitarian assistance.
The overall objective is to strengthen the understanding and
capacity of humanitarian actors from the NGO and UN communities
on the importance of gender equality programming and how it can
be implemented in practical ways in the delivery of humanitarian
protection and assistance programs. The proposed E-learning Tool,
in the from of a CD-ROM/internet-based learning tool, will cover the
basic information on what gender equality programming is, why it is
important, and provide simple approaches to sector-specific actors
on how to ensure the needs of women, girls, boys and men are being
met in humanitarian situations. The IASC Gender Handbook will form
the foundation for this creative training approach.
Interested parties please send resume and cover letter to Heather
Powell at hpowell@interaction.org.
Government Relations
World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the global conserva-
tion organization, has three exciting opportunities
available within its Government Relations team.
We are looking for energetic, creative, analytical,
independent thinkers and problem solvers expe-
rienced at working with Congress and the Admin-
istration on conservation programs, policies, appropriations; and
domestic and international conservation issues. Ideal candidates
will have subject matter expertise in international development,
natural resource conservation, climate change, energy, agricul-
ture, fisheries and species conservation. Overall responsibilities
include finding policy solutions to difficult challenges in conser-
vation and natural resource management through advocacy; edu-
cation and outreach; research; and communication. Builds and
fosters collaborative partnerships with WWF colleagues and ex-
ternal partners (Congress, federal agencies, environmental groups,
industry representatives and academia) to negotiate, develop and
explain WWF’s position on relevant issues. The closing date for
accepting postings is January 31, 2008.
-Director, US Gov’t Relations (28086)
-Sr. Program Officer, US Gov’t Relations, Fisheries and Marine
Portfolio (28085)
-Program Associate (28087)
AA/EOE Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. To ap-
ply, please visit http://www.worldwildlife.org/about/jobs.cfm.

42 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org

DR Congo Ceramic Enterprise:

Business Plan - Consultant
BACKGROUND: Women for Women International (WfW) provides women survivors of war, civil strife, and other conflicts with the tools and resources
to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. We do this through a multi-layered core program
of direct aid and emotional support, rights-based education and economic development. WFW operates Chapter offices in Afghanistan, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, DRC, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, and Rwanda and Sudan. 100% of staff in all country offices is national.

WFW-DRC has an opportunity to pilot a social enterprise in ceramic production. As of July 2007, however, no concrete market linkages had been
made and training program graduates, while continuing to practice at the facility, had not yet produced marketable products. Before considering further
investment in this facility, WFW is in need of a strategic analysis to ensure that this enterprise is a viable opportunity and a business plan to guide its
implementation.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND WORK TASKS: Women for Women International (WFW) seeks a consultant with a strong background in enterprise
development to craft a comprehensive business plan for a ceramic production social enterprise in Bukavu, DRC. The analysis conducted in the business
plan should lead to a “Go or No-Go” recommendation based on social, business/financial and risk criteria outlined in WFW’s Income Generation Strategy.
If the enterprise is deemed viable, the business plan will ultimately serve as a blueprint to attract investors to enable the successful development of the
enterprise. The Consultant will be expected to engage in this project in cooperation with appropriate staff members from WFW-DRC and Washington.
While on the ground, the consultant should plan to engage as needed with the DRC Country Director, Finance Manager, Program Manager, Income
Generation Manager, Ceramics Trainer and others as required.

QUALIFICATIONS: Understanding of ceramics industry in developing nations; Strong track record in creating business plans for viable enterprises;
Demonstrated skills in market and enterprise analysis; Understanding of social enterprise; Knowledge of the eastern DRC and regional markets;
Experience conducting analysis in challenging, post-conflict, developing country environments; Excellent English writing skills; Spoken Kiswahili and/or
French language skills will be an asset; Capacity to engage and work respectfully with national staff

TO APPLY: Please forward resume and cover letter via *email preferred to adonnelly@womenforwomen.org , fax 202.293.0853 or mail to: Women for
Women International, ATTN: Annette Donnelly, Global Programs Unit, 4455 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20008.

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States.
ERD, an independent 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is in the midst of an highly successful malaria education and prevention program
in Africa know as NetsforLifeSM. NetsforLifeSM is an innovative partnership of faith-based groups, the private sector and governments. It
is scaling up for a major expansion starting in 2008. As such, ERD is seeking an Executive Director for NetsforLifeSM based in New York
City.

Executive Director, NetsforLifeSM, building on existing plans, will develop a fifth-year business plan and budget ($50 to $60 million)
in partnership with key stakeholders. Plan will need to ensure adequate capability and capacity to deliver a successful program (people,
systems, processes, knowledge). Accountable for execution of the plan, maximizing opportunities for growing funding, driving down cost
and mitigating risk. Develop risk management strategy that ensures all program activities are carried out in line with all governance and
compliance regulations. Grow the international profile of NetsforLifeSM through appropriate fora, speaking engagements and sharing best
practice and results with other NGOs as well as the broader ‘malaria community’. Supervise three full-time Directors/Managers and one
shared Admin Assistant. This position requires 35% travel to remote and potentially dangerous locations (possible week or more).
The Executive Director must have 10 years program experience in the NGO or commercial sectors. Pre-requisites includes: Development
experience with Africa strongly preferred, BA and advanced degree (MBA or International Policy), strong communications skills, strategic
thinking & decision making. Excellent leadership of a small dedicated global team is essential to achieve strong integration, linkage and
partnership in the community based-program. Advanced program management and finance & accounting along with expertise in using
statistics and financial information jointly with intuition and judgment will be indispensable. A first-hand understanding of community
development, integrated health in Africa, and the complexity of the issues of poverty are essential. Experience with Global Fund/ USAID/
PMI /WHO malaria protocols and guidelines will be helpful. The Executive Director will have ultimate accountability for all decisions
relating to the program.

For more information about Episcocal Relief and Development or NetsforLifeSM please visit www.er-d.org. For a full description visit
the section “About us” in our website. Salary is commensurate with experience and includes a generous benefits package. EOE, m/f/d/v
encouraged to apply. Submit a cover letter with salary requirements and a resume to erdjobs@er-d.org (include Executive Director in the
subject line).

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 43

Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org

Manager, Africa Programs

Ipas, a global non-profit leader in reproductive health, seeks a Manager for Africa programs, based in
North Carolina. Ipas’s mission is to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health, and promote
women’s reproductive rights. Reporting to the Regional Director, the Manager is responsible for the
semi-annual planning and budgeting cycle and will work closely with Country teams and the NC
Africa team in planning, developing proposals/budgets and reports. The Manager supervises the Africa
program team in North Carolina and works closely with the Regional Director to support program
offices in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. An estimated 35% travel required.
Requirements include: minimum Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (health, women’s development); at
least 6 years relevant experience in sexual reproductive health and rights or other relevant areas; proven
management, budgeting, analytic, problem-solving skills; demonstrated ability in proposal, report
writing and budgeting; experience living in an African country and French/other African language
preferred; excellent cross cultural and sensitivity skills; strong interpersonal, communications and
supervision skills and strong computer skills, including in Microsoft Office. We offer a competitive
salary and generous benefit package. Interested parties should submit cover letter and resume to
jsolomon@globalrecruitment.net. No phone calls please. Please visit our website at www.ipas.org for
more information. EOE

Regional Director for Africa

Ipas, a global non-profit leader in reproductive health, seeks to hire a Regional Director for Africa based in
North Carolina. Ipas’s mission is to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health, and promote women’s
reproductive rights. The Regional Director is responsible for strategic planning, program development, and
supervision of program offices in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. An estimated 40% travel
required. Specific responsibilities include: providing leadership in strategic planning of regional and country
programs with country teams; ensuring appropriate human resources to meet regional and country objectives.
Supervises directors in five countries providing leadership in proposal development, collaborating with
country and technical teams, and responsible for reporting to donors; representing Ipas with government, NGO
partners and donors and advocates for Ipas mission at national, regional and international fora. Requirements
include: Master’s degree in relevant field; at least 10 years progressively responsible experience in sexual
reproductive health and rights; demonstrated ability in program design and proposal writing; excellent oral
and written communication skills; proven management, budgeting and supervisory skills; minimum 3 years
overseas experience in Africa with French or an African language desired; strong interpersonal, team building,
representational and diplomacy skills; excellent fundraising ability and experience with multi-lateral, bi-lateral
and private donors and strong computer skills, including power point presentations. We offer a competitive
salary and a generous benefits package. Interested candidates should submit cover letter and resume to Jill
Solomon at jsolomon@globalrecruitment.net. Please visit our website at www.ipas.org for more information.
EOE

44 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org

Assistant Director
Washington, DC
The Asia Foundation (TAF) seeks an Assistant Director for its Washington, D.C. office. The Assistant Director is responsible for
providing program support to field offices with donor communities including USAID and the State Department; representing The Asia
Foundation in meetings on an as needed basis in support of country and regional funding priorities; assisting with Washington-based
program initiatives and outreach; monitoring foreign assistance and foreign policy and regulatory policy developments as they pertain
to the Foundation and the Asia region; liaising with Washington-based organizations and TAF staff as assigned; assisting with proposal
development, reporting and work plan development, and monitoring and evaluation plans with field offices and the San Francisco Bid
and Proposals unit; and planning events and organizing programs as assigned.

Experience. At least eight years of work experience in an international development organization. Experience overseas, particularly in
Asia, highly desirable. Familiarity with USAID or other U.S. government contracting and procurement procedures, monitoring and
evaluation design, and understanding of Congress desirable. Experience in designing and implementing exchange programs, outreach
and event planning helpful. Strong communication, organizational and written skills essential. Demonstrated capacity to exercise
independent initiative and judgment essential. Ability to manage multiple tasks. Demonstrated commitment to the goals and values of
The Asia Foundation.

Education. Master’s Degree in International Relations, Government, Economics, or other relevant fields. Or, the equivalent work
experience.

We offer excellent benefits and salary commensurate with experience. Please submit your application directly by visiting our website:
www.asiafoundation.org and selecting “Employment Opportunities.” Be sure to include a cover letter along with your resume, or your
application will not be accepted. Application deadline is January 11, 2008. The Asia Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
EOE/M/F/D/V. No phone calls please.

JHPIEGO seeks candidates for the following Baltimore, MD based positions. Email resumes to hr@jhpiego.net. Visit www.jhpiego.org for full job
descriptions.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Needed to direct the organization’s finance and accounting practices worldwide and provide expert advice and guidance on all financial matters.
Qualifications: Advanced degree with 10+ years’ progressively responsible experience in international private sector financial operations required.
Experience must include strong financial management and project management skills and the ability to support a process improvement environment.
Experience must also include knowledge of USAID grants administration and accounting requirements and sound understanding of management
information systems requirements and connectivity issues in an international environment.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Needed to manage proposal development process and provide support to the technical and program teams in both headquarters and field offices.
Qualifications: BA with 3+ years’ proposal development experience in international development or global health environment required. Experience
must include strong project management, writing and editing skills. Knowledge of USAID and other donor policies and procedures also required.
Ability to work in complex fast-paced environment with multiple tasks and deadlines is essential. Experience working or living in a developing
country and French language skills preferred.

FOUNDATION OFFICER
Needed to support the Director in developing the overall strategy for foundation fund-raising.
Qualifications: BA with 3+ years’ fundraising experience in the foundation arena required. Must have in-depth knowledge of international and U.S.
foundations and extensive proposal writing experience, preferably in the context of global health. Proposal writing and demonstrated track record
of successful wins within the foundation world required. Ability to travel required, experience working or living in a developing country preferred.

SR. PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Needed to coordinate and support programmatic, financial, monitoring and administrative functions for the Angola and Mozambique programs.
Qualifications: BA with 3+ years’ international development or global health experience required. Experience must include strong project
management, writing and editing skills. Proposal development experience and knowledge of USAID and other donor policies and procedures also
required. Fluency in continental Portuguese required; translating and proofreading materials from English to Portuguese preferred. Experience
working or living in a developing country preferred.

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 45

Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org

WWI Microfinance Afghanistan

Program Director

JOB SUMMARY:
The Program Director is responsible for the overall implementation of WWI Afghanistan Microfinance (MFI), including the MFI’s
strategic goals, the expansion of the program into new areas, growth of loan portfolio and client base, overall management of the MFI’s
financial systems, internal controls and budget, the administration of the program’s policies and standards, and the management and
development of a competent staff to implement program initiatives. The Program Director will oversee preparation and maintenance of
the MFI’s business plan, operating budgets, periodic financial analysis and compliance with internal audit controls.

DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership and Oversight: Provide overall management supervision and support for the MFI. Maintain strong working relationships
with WWI Afghanistan. Microfinance Board of Directors and WWI headquarters to implement WWI Afghanistan MFI’s strategic
initiatives and business plans. Guide and maintain the MFI’s move to operational sustainability. Ensure compliance with WWI
Afghanistan Microfinance policies and maintain procedures that provide effective and efficient systems for delivery of financial services
to clients. Promote high standards for customer service in keeping with the mission of the organization. Promote honesty and integrity
in all activities of the program. Promote and maintain donor relationships and participate in the Afghanistan Microfinance Association
organization and with other microfinance organizations.

Management of the Credit Program: Provide effective leadership and management of the credit staff and ensure compliance with the
credit program’s lending policies. Access and manage commercial credit as needed. Manage and monitor the MFI’s program goals and
produce status reports for the Board of Directors, WWI, MISFA, and others as required. Analyze and manage the loan portfolio to ensure
a minimal level of risk. Manage the loans in arrears by taking appropriate action. Evaluate, recommend, and deliver loan products that
meet the needs of clients. Manage the loan approval, disbursement, collection, and monitoring processes within the program’s policy
guidelines. Supervise all centers and expansion into new areas. Maintain strong relationships with the areas’ leaders. Manage the business
development efforts of the credit staff to build new client relationships and expand into new areas. Manage and track goals for the credit
program. Prepare reports to update management on the success of the program.

Management of the Financial Systems and Controls: Ensure compliance with international accounting standards. Ensure compliance
with WWI MF financial policies and procedures. Manage internal workflow and organizational structure to promote efficient safe and
sound financial practices. Manage internal controls and periodic audits of the financial systems and tools. Maintain strong internal cash
management controls. Analyze the use of loan tracking and accounting systems for data integrity and enhanced capabilities. Responsible
for the generation, integrity, and prompt delivery of required reporting for MISFA, external auditors, and donor agencies. Generate
financial and credit reports for the WWI Board of Directors, WWI headquarters, and for internal use for analysis and evaluation of the
program’s success. Implement the financial goals of the MFI’s business plan. Monitor profit plans and related performance results,
reacting as necessary to ensure control over routine expenditures and the collection of appropriate revenues.

Human Resources Management: Create an environment conducive to individual development, productivity and achievement, ensuring
open lines of communication. Responsible for the management of all personnel. Maintain effective recruitment practices to hire
competent and qualified staff. Maintain an effective evaluation process that promotes the development of our staff and offers advancement
opportunities. Adhere to WWI Afghanistan MFI personnel policy. Ensure staff are knowledgeable of products, services and procedures.
Monitor staff interactions with clients ensuring motivation and guidance. Demonstrate the standards of customer service staff is expected
to emulate in interactions with clients. Ensure staff maintains confidentiality of client information.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Needed: Strong commitment to working with women and women’s issues. Five to eight years
experience in a management position. Eight to ten years experience in banking, accounting, business, microfinance or other finance-
related occupation desired. Ability to manage and motivate employees. Ability to travel locally and internationally. Ability to handle stress
and work under pressure. Fluency in English. College or university degree in accounting, finance, business administration or a related
field. Computer skills in word processing and spreadsheet. Experience in training facilitation. Experience working with international
organizations.

To Apply: Please forward resume and cover letter via *email preferred , fax 202.293.0853 or mail to: ATTN: Human Resources
Department, 4455 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20008. Email: humanresources@womenforwomen.org.

46 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

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The International Rescue Committee

responds to the world’s worst crises,
helping refugees running from the horrors
of war and persecution. We rescue their
lives with immediate relief. We rescue their
futures by supporting them through
recovery toward renewal. We rescue their
freedom, enabling those given a new
home in the U.S. to become settled and
self-reliant. For 75 years, the IRC has been
raising alarms with a global call to action
and restoring hope, dignity and opportu-
nity for vulnerable people worldwide.

Add your skill and passion to our

worldwide team of professionals in:

Health • Finance • Program Management •

Community Development • Protection •
Gender Based Violence • Operations •
Post Conflict Development • Education

Apply now at:

IRCjobs.org

From Harm to Home

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS December 2007 47

Interested in placing a job announcements or advertisement? Email publications@interaction.org

Controller - Pakistan

ARC is an international nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that has provided humanitarian assistance and training to millions of beneficiaries
over the last 27 years.

Key responsibilities include: Finance - Supervise Finance staff. This includes ensuring they are properly trained and know what performance
expectations are. Manage day to day accounting functions including regular cash verification, Bank and Balance sheet accounts reconciliations,
Deferred Revenue sheets, Monthly closing, timely submission of financial report to Head quarter, Donors etc. Maintain up-to-date, accurate
accounting system, including: computer data entry and paper file system. Prepare timely budgets, cash requests and accounting reports. Monitor
grant spending and projections. Assist in preparation of budgets for all proposals. Complete monthly balance sheet reviews and periodic inter-
company reports. Administration - Ensure that all procurement follows all aspects of ARC procurement policy including requirements for
competitive bids. Verify inventory of assets and control stocks of consumable supplies as produced by logistics department. Ensure adequate
security, supervise guards, and maintain controls on all properties. Establish and maintain communications systems, including, telephone, fax,
radio and e-mail. Control vehicle fleet; ensure that ARC vehicle policies and procedures are being followed. Coordinate incoming and outgoing
personnel and cargo; facilitate immigration (visas) and customs as necessary. Human Resources - Implement personnel policies. Maintain
expatriate staff monthly payroll, time sheets and attendance records. Maintain local staff personnel files. Ensure local staff are paid in accordance
with ARC policy and local labor laws. Supervise all local non-program staff; finance assistants. Arrange for staff training as appropriate. Carry out
staff appraisals for finance, administrative and logistics staff. Organize and lead orientation and training sessions for staff both in the field and in
Pakistan. Other appropriate duties as assigned by the Country Director.

The successful candidate will have: 3-5 years overseas experience in finance/management for an NGO. Minimum 2 years of supervisory
experience. Experience in multi-cultural and multi-level programs. Bachelors degree required in Finance, Accounting, or related field; advanced
degree preferred. Experience with international donors and grant requirements. Ability to work with a team in an intense environment. Strong
computer skills in Microsoft software products: Excel, Word, outlook etc and accounting software. ACCPAC experience strongly preferred.
Excellent written and oral communications skills as well as leadership skills. Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines. Flexibility,
sense of humor and good interpersonal skills. Demonstrated training ability. Fluency in English required.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS

IMC is a global, humanitarian non-profit organization dedicated to “The mission of Medical Teams International
saving lives and relieving suffering by providing health-care training is to demonstrate the love of Christ to people
and medical-relief programs worldwide. IMC is a private, non-political,
non-profit, non-sectarian organization with the organizational flexibility
affected by
to respond rapidly to emergency situations. IMC’s mission is to improve disaster, conflict and poverty.”
the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that
build local capacity.
US-Based Positions
IMC is getting ready to start up new operations in Zimbabwe. IMC is Senior Technical Advisor, Health - Portland,
looking for candidates to fill the following positions around February Oregon Representative, Washington D.C. -
2007. Zimbabwean nationals will be given priority.
Washington D.C.
NEW ZIMBABWE POSITIONS:
Country Director
Medical Director
International Position
Finance & Admin Director Country Director - Sri Lanka
Medical Doctor
Nutritionist
Trainer Visit our website at www.medicalteams.org for
Nurse/Midwife further information.
Medical Teams International, 14150 S.W. Milton
Please visit our website: http://www.imcworldwide.org
Please Apply Online / Reference Monday Developments Ct. Portland, OR 97224

48 InterAction MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

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