The presentation looks at the work HAP International has done to improve accountability in the humanitarian sector, a sector with a much worse record for accountability than many other sectors. Accountability is needed because humanitarian workers exercise real power over crisis affected people, in some cases even harming people or reducing their dignity. It argues that what is really needed is accountability towards beneficiaries, who are the most vulnerable stake holders in any project. Project teams must go back to the beneficiaries to conduct an evaluation and ask their opinion - "this is what we did, do you like it?"
The basic principles of HAP International are:
- Respect and promote the rights of legitimate humanitarian claimants
- State the standards that apply in their humanitarian assistance work
- Inform beneficiaries about these standards, and their right to be heard
- Meaningfully involve beneficiaries in project planning, implementation, evaluation and reporting
- Demonstrate compliance with the standards that apply in their humanitarian assistance work through monitoring and reporting
- Enable beneficiaries and staff to make complaints and to seek redress in safety
- Implement these principles when working through partner agencies