The Good Enough Guide

Why?

It is important to involve as many stakeholders as possible in a project, including donors, local government officials, and other NGOs. But humanitarian codes, principles, standards, and mission statements stress that the women, men, and children affected by the emergency must come first. Accountability means providing them with timely and adequate information about an organisation and its proposed activities.

It means making sure they have opportunities to voice their opinions, influence project design, say what results they want to see, and judge the results the project achieves. Evaluations say that involving people improves project impact. Humanitarians say accountability is also a fundamental right and value.

When?

International NGOs often assume everybody knows who they are and what they do. This is sometimes a mistake. Start providing public information about your agency as soon as situation and security allow.

Similarly, aim to provide information as often as possible about project plans and the entitlements of women, men, and children affected by the emergency (including their entitlement to relief goods and accountability). Provide information at every stage of the project cycle until you have completed your exit strategy.

How?

Use whatever means are locally available, including notice boards, meetings, newspapers, and radio broadcasts, to provide public and project information in local languages. Make sure staff, particularly new staff, are briefed about your agency and your work (Tool 1). Check how information reaches women as well as men during needs assessment and monitoring and that women, children, and other people affected by the emergency are not excluded. Test your accountability using Tool 2.

Use the ‘good enough’ approach and your knowledge of the local situation, resources, and security to help decide what other tools to use. Sections 2–5 give further suggestions on how to involve people throughout the response.

Suggested tools

Tool 1   How to introduce your agency: a need-to-know checklist

Tool 2   How accountable are you? Checking public information

Tool 3   How to involve people throughout the project

Tool 14   How to say goodbye

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