Common Humanitarian Accountability Framework for IWG Agencies - Inter Agency Working Group: Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECB2)

Several international initiatives have been launched in the past few years for developing quality and accountability standards in the humanitarian agencies. The ECB Project commissioned a consultancy to develop a common Accountability Framework in order to help members meet the increasingly strident calls for demonstrating accountability in their humanitarian operations. This report analyses the current understanding and practices within the member agencies in humanitarian accountability and examines how the agencies can take on board various existing international standards.

The Key Principles:
The following key principles were identified from amongst the various international standards which the ECB agencies need to focus on in terms of developing credible internal capacity and systems:
1. Leadership

2. Planning, Monitoring & Project Design

3. Non-Discrimination and Needs-based Response

4. Participation

5. Transparency

6. Beneficiary Feedback & Complaints Mechanism

7. Evaluation and Learning

8. Staff Competence and HR Management.