Accountability Lab

?? Renowned for its rich ecosystems and iconic wildlife, Zimbabwe's tourism industry and cultural heritage rely heavily on its natural assets, which are increasingly threatened by environmental degradation. As the country works to reform parks and wildlife management, here are some recommendations from a recent policy note by Accountability Lab Zimbabwe: ?? Introduce robust forest protection mechanisms that establish designated areas to conserve biodiversity, ecosystem services, and social needs ?? Promoting and preserving biological carbon sequestration ?? Restricting the expansion of agricultural and mining activities to slow down land degradation. ?? Distinguishing between consumptive and non-consumptive tourism. ?? The Human-Wildlife, Conflict Relief Fund, should provide physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and occupational support and financial assistance, improve its governance, and protect it against corruption. ?? Parliament should be empowered to conduct an open process that allows the public to scrutinise the recruitment of key personnel as public officers ?? Imports and exports (s129(1)(r) and regulation and prohibition on matters concerning possession, sale, transfer, etc. of rhino horn and ivory (s129(1)(x) should be subjected to parliamentary processes. ?? Read it in full here: https://bit.ly/4lc4bGU

? Honoring bold leadership: Narayan Adhikari in #FellowFridays ? We’re excited to share that Narayan Adhikari, co-founder and South Asia representative of Accountability Lab, is featured in Asia Society India Centre’s #FellowFridays series! Narayan’s leadership has been instrumental in redefining civic engagement and public service in Nepal, South Asia, and beyond. From the inception of the Integrity Icon campaign—which celebrates honest public servants—to supporting young people to hold power to account through creative and constructive channels, his work continues to shape stronger systems of accountability. His story is one of curiosity, courage, and commitment to meaningful change. ?? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dxWS5y77 #AccountabilityLab #LeadershipInAction #IntegrityIcon #CivicEngagement #GoodGovernance #NarayanAdhikari

When we talk about helping people — those struck by a disaster, for example, or caught in the vicious cycles of poverty — we tend to talk about it as unidirectional. Those who have give to those who have not. Whether it’s called aid, charity or donations, the idea is that rich people give money to poor people without ever changing those essential categories. But there are many other models of how people can help each other, and the confusion and sense of betrayal following the destruction of U.S. international aid institutions makes this a crucial time to start building toward a new system. Think of mutual aid, for example — through which groups come together to provide support to each other, share resources and collaborate. In this piece for Inside Philanthropy, AL Co-CEO Blair Glencorse and Global Voices CEO Malka Older unpack the many benefits of mutual aid - https://lnkd.in/dY3CBqJy #mutualaid #foreignassistance #aidfreeze

We need to be talking about mergers in the non profit space as one important path to sustainability. So a huge thank you to Accountability Lab and Development Gateway: An IREX Venture, together with Digital Public, for building an open source toolkit on how you might plan a rapid merger, acquisition, or strategic partnership. As the impact of aid cuts becomes more evident day by day, one way that donors can support civil society is through pooled resources to help organizations consider new ways of working - alternative revenue streams, and, yes, mergers and acquisitions. This guidance is a great first step, but needs to be backed with access to pooled legal expertise, financial advice, and more. That's a practical way that philanthropy can help without risking falling into the trap of "picking winners." Consolidation is inevitable in the months to come, so let's do it right. #civilsociety #aid #mergers #M&A #philanthropy #donors #partnerships #USAID Blair Glencorse Josh Powell Cheri-Leigh Erasmus Ousseynou Ngom Jamaica Maxwell Bryan M. S. Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative https://lnkd.in/eKeAxDKc

The Open Government Partnership's Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting in Nairobi closed today with climate, access to information, financial transparency and integrity on the agenda. Over the past few days, Ministers from around the world committed their countries to a raft of open government ideals anchored in resilience, ownership, and human rights. Caroline Gaita, Executive Director of the Mzalendo Trust in Kenya, raised alarm over African governments continuing to borrow money, increasing sovereign debt. These funds, she added, were often used for reasons other than those initially intended. "?CSOs have been playing the diagnostic function of public finances and public debt." We also heard from Ugandan MP Lucy Akello, who complained about "superficially simplified" borrowing requirements that often had harsh downstream effects on African populations. Alvin Mosioma, Global Programs Division Director at Open Society Foundations, said it was time to overturn the inequality of a small handful of entities controlling the borrowing capabilities of other countries. "The risk assessments that African countries are given are often different from those of other countries, and this depicts the structural barriers for African countries to acquire credit that can help to propel development in their countries. We need to strengthen the agency of African countries to advocate for more equitable interest rates that are not pegged in a way that prejudices African states." Earlier in the week, the Lab's McDonald Lewanika and Makomborero Carl Muropa co-hosted a crucial conversation with the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and Youth Democracy Cohort on Institutional Survival and Sustainability. With shifting donor priorities and shrinking civic space, we heard that the future of African CSOs depends on innovative, localized, and sustainable funding models. #OGPKenya Makomborero Carl Muropa McDonald Lewanika

What’s at stake when we fail to defend the truth? In the latest episode of the AccountabiliTea podcast, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus sits down with Danai Nhando (B Com, LLB, MBA) and Nkosikhona Dibiti to unpack the legal, financial, and digital threats facing journalism today—and what it will take to protect media freedom. ?? Listen to the full episode: https://bit.ly/4c1h8iG ?? Read the blog on our website: #PressFreedom #SocialJustice #ProtectJournalists #AccountabilityLab #TruthTellers #HumanRights #CollectiveAction #AccountabiliTea

This week, it’s been great catching up with partners at the OECD - OCDE Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum. In a time of uncertainty, bringing people together to discuss critical topics like strategic corruption, greater transparency in the green transition, and innovative, tech and data-driven approaches is essential. I feel fortunate to have reconnected with many colleagues from civil society and the private sector worldwide, including Sirma Gjorgieva Antonijevikj,MA, Dessy Pramita and Biljana Janeva. Looking forward to seeing how these conversations shape the path ahead! Accountability Lab #anticorruption #integrity #OECD

?? #RoadToNairobi | Strengthening African CSOs Yesterday, our YDC ambassadors actively engaged in sessions and workshops at the Open Government Partnership Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting, tackling one of the biggest challenges for civil society: sustainability. ?? Their key takeaways? ?? Local funding, from businesses, philanthropists, and communities, can reduce reliance on foreign donors. ?? Innovation, independence, and solidarity must shape an African model of CSO sustainability. ?? Beyond anticipating challenges, CSOs must develop alternative models to strengthen autonomy and resilience. ?? What strategies do you think can help CSOs achieve financial independence? Accountability Lab, Mukuhwa Tanaka, NATWA HINDINA Pierre & René Edouard Mendis #OGPKenya

We're in Nairobi this week as Kenya hosts the 2025 Open Government Partnership Africa and the Middle East Regional Meeting. Digital governance was on the agenda this morning with key contributions from the African Observatory on Responsible AI and diverse digital democracy activists. In the wake of the African Union adopting an AI strategy for Africa, we heard how some African governments are playing a key role in the technological advancement of fellow countries, either through data or tech hardware. Sarah Wesongo from ARTICLE 19 reminded guests of the centrality of freedom of expression as the “core of digital democracy”. "Dissenting voices are being targeted by governments under disinformation and misinformation laws. Journalists that report on government injustices are silenced or harmed in the course of their work. “National security laws are said to be flouted when civil society organizations convene to share information widely. This is a misconception that is threatening the work of civil society organizations. We need to create pathways for basic constitutional rights to shine. Access to information is embedded in parent legislations across the world,” she shared. Accountability Lab Zimbabwe Makomborero Carl Muropa McDonald Lewanika

?????New AccountabiliTea episode! This month we're looking at all the ways that journalism can drive social justice. In this episode of AccountabiliTea, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus, Co-CEO of Accountability Lab, speaks with Nkosikhona Dibiti, Executive Director of Community Podium, and Danai Nhando (B Com, LLB, MBA) , Human Rights Lawyer and Social Entrepreneur, about the critical role of independent journalism in advancing social justice. They discuss the growing threats to media freedom, from censorship to online harassment, and why it’s essential to protect those who safeguard our right to know. ?? Listen to the full episode and learn about the powerful role of journalism in a world that needs truth-telling more than ever. ?? https://bit.ly/4c1h8iG #PressFreedom #SocialJustice #ProtectJournalists #AccountabilityLab #TruthTellers #HumanRights #CollectiveAction #AccountabiliTea