Democracy is in retreat, as governments restrict civic and political freedoms to silence critics or hold on to power. Yet efforts to shrink civic space often fail: even through the pandemic, people have mobilized in ever greater numbers, finding new ways of organizing, through new alliances, online platforms and creative strategies. People continue to protest against corruption, elite collusion, and bad public services. How can mass discontent and a loss of political trust be reversed? There is no easy answer, but social accountability – or citizen-led efforts to hold governments accountable beyond the ballot box – offers some promise for rebuilding democracy from the ground up. This panel will examine the record of social accountability in building trust between citizens and their states, in a search for routes to more collaborative and people-centered forms of governance.
AGENDA
Moderator: Susan Abbott, Counterpart International
SPEAKERS
Naomi Hossain, Research Professor at Accountability Research Center, American University
Christian Arandel, Counterpart International
Ehi Idakwo, Programs & Learning Manager, Accountability Lab, Nigeria
Andrew Lavali, Executive Director, Institute for Governance Reform, Sierra Leone
Maria Baron, Global Executive Director, Directorio Legislativo
RESPONDENTS
Nick Benequista, Sr. Director, Center for International Media Assistance
Craig Hammer, Program Manager with the Development Data Group at the World Bank