Pact Systems Aware Social Accountability Roundtable

Social accountability, or processes that aim to reshape and positively impact the relationship between powerholders and citizens is one of many ways development programs seek to engage and empower communities. Over the last decade, a range of Pact projects have implemented social accountability interventions, either as stand alone activities or integrated into larger multisectoral programs. In some countries, Pact's interventions have extended over multiple project cycles, spanning a decade or longer. Pact recently completed a retrospective analysis of this work to capture the formal and informal approaches its teams have used to implement social accountability interventions in dynamic contexts. This review has contributed to the development of a new framework built around four principles that inform and shape Pact's Systems-Aware Social Accountability (SASA) work.

In this roundtable discussion, held on October 24, 2023, Pact introduced its emerging SASA framework, situated it within the evolving field of research on social accountability, and sought feedback from peers. The discussion was used to draw out the ways that diverse social accountability practitioners integrate systems thinking into their work, how social accountability can support locally led efforts, and how centering community knowledge in accountability efforts may bolster global efforts toward democratic renewal.

Presenters: 
Florencia Guerzovich, an independent consultant, thought leader and systems convener with over 20 years of experience working to embed evidence and learning in governance and development strategies and programming from the global to the local levels. 

Lauren Keevill is a Governance Advisor at Pact, where she advises, designs, and implements a global portfolio of civil society strengthening, local governance and peacebuilding programs. She has a decade of experience championing open, responsive governance, accountability and robust civic space.

Roundtable Panelists: 
Rachel Gondo, Public Social Accountability Monitor, Rhodes University South Africa Regional Learning Team. Rachel's work with the Public Service Accountability Monitor has allowed her to interact directly and indirectly with social accountability interventions in six countries in southern Africa. 

Roland Kovats is the Chief of Party of the USAID-funded Enhance Non-Governmental Actors and Grassroots Engagement (ENGAGE) project at Pact. He has over 20 years’ experience in bolstering democratic transition, civil society development, good governance and anti-corruption, human rights and the rule of law, and democratic institution building in Central and Eastern Europe.

Donald Mogeni currently works as Technical Director for Governance and Social Accountability at World Vision International. In his role, he provides strategic and technical leadership for the quality implementation, scale, adaptation and impact of World Vision’s Social Accountability and Local Advocacy programming in more than 815 programs across more than 44 countries.

Discussant: 
David Jacobstein (presenting in his personal capacity) has been with USAID for 12 years. He serves as a Democracy Specialist in the Policy Learning and Integration Office of the Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Bureau, where he focuses on issues of capacity strengthening, systems thinking, political economy, locally led development and cross-sectoral integration. 

Moderator: 
Mason Ingram, Vice President of Governance, Pact 

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