Accountability in Humanitarian Projects

ActionAid is implementing an education project focused on improving access to education for girls in rural areas. However, a significant portion of the community expresses concerns that educating girls goes against their cultural values, and some parents have stopped sending their daughters to school. What should ActionAid do to maintain accountability while promoting education?

• Forcefully continue the project without community involvement.

• Work with local community and religious leaders to build trust and gain support for girls' education.

• Abandon the project since it faces strong opposition.

• Continue educating boys while excluding girls from the program.

Answer explanation

Working with local community and religious leaders fosters trust and support for girls' education, addressing cultural concerns while promoting accountability. This collaborative approach is essential for sustainable change.

World Vision is managing a project to improve access to clean water and sanitation in an urban area of Afghanistan. Residents have raised complaints about the location of new water wells, saying they are too far from the homes of vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and disabled. What is the most accountable course of action?

• Conduct a new needs assessment to adjust the placement of the water wells closer to the most vulnerable populations.

• Ignore the complaints since the wells were approved by the project team.

• Encourage the residents to relocate closer to the water sources.

• Wait until more funds are available to construct additional wells.

Answer explanation

Conducting a new needs assessment is the most accountable action as it addresses residents' concerns and ensures that water wells are accessible to vulnerable populations, improving overall project effectiveness.

Save the Children is implementing a health project that provides medical services for malnourished children. However, many families are not utilizing the services due to the long travel distance to the health center. What should Save the Children do to improve accountability to the affected families?

• Relocate the health center to a more central location.

• Introduce mobile health services to reach children in remote areas.

• Advise the families to move closer to the health center.

• Limit the services to those who can travel to the health center.

Answer explanation

Introducing mobile health services allows Save the Children to reach malnourished children in remote areas, addressing the travel barrier and improving access to essential medical care for affected families.

The Norwegian Refugee Council is managing a shelter project for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan. The IDPs report that the shelters are insufficient for large families, leading to overcrowding and health concerns. What should NRC do to address the issue?

• Continue with the current shelters as planned.

• Provide additional shelters to larger families based on their needs.

• Ignore the complaints and maintain the original plan.

• Build temporary outdoor shelters for the excess family members.

Answer explanation

Providing additional shelters to larger families addresses their specific needs, reducing overcrowding and health risks. This approach ensures that all families have adequate living space, improving their overall well-being.

CARE is implementing a women’s empowerment project in rural Afghanistan. Some women report that they are afraid to participate in the project due to potential backlash from their families and communities. How should CARE respond to this issue?

• Adjust the project activities to make them more culturally acceptable while still promoting women's empowerment.

• Proceed with the original plan regardless of the women’s fears.

• Abandon the project in this community due to cultural barriers.

• Increase security measures for the women without changing the project's content.

Answer explanation

Adjusting project activities to be culturally acceptable allows CARE to empower women while addressing their fears, fostering participation and community support, which is essential for the project's success.

The Danish Refugee Council is implementing a livelihood support project for Afghan refugees. Some participants express concerns that the training programs offered do not match the skills needed in the local job market. What should DRC do to address these concerns?

• Work with local employers and participants to revise the training curriculum based on market demands.

• Continue the same training without modification.

• Cancel the project since it is not aligned with the job market.

• Provide financial support to participants instead of training.

Answer explanation

To address participants' concerns, DRC should collaborate with local employers and participants to update the training curriculum, ensuring it aligns with market demands and enhances job readiness.

Mercy Corps is delivering a food security program in a drought-affected region of Afghanistan. Some families report that the food distribution system is unfair and that certain households are receiving more aid than others. What should Mercy Corps do to address these concerns?

• Reassess the food distribution criteria to ensure fairness and transparency.

• Continue with the current distribution system as it was already approved by the project team.

• Increase the overall food supply to avoid complaints.

• Ask the families to be patient and wait for the next round of aid distribution.

Answer explanation

Reassessing the food distribution criteria will help ensure fairness and transparency, addressing families' concerns about unequal aid distribution. This approach fosters trust and improves the effectiveness of the program.

The ICRC is running a health project in a conflict zone in Afghanistan. Community members report that they do not feel safe visiting the health center due to ongoing security threats in the area. What should ICRC do to maintain accountability to the affected population?

• Provide mobile health clinics that visit communities in safer areas.

• Increase security at the health center but make no other changes.

• Close the health center and wait for the security situation to improve.

• Encourage community members to visit the health center despite the risks.

Answer explanation

Providing mobile health clinics ensures access to healthcare while addressing safety concerns. This approach demonstrates accountability to the affected population by adapting services to their needs and circumstances.

OXFAM is supporting farmers in Afghanistan through an agricultural assistance project. However, some farmers complain that the agricultural inputs provided (seeds and tools) are not suitable for the local soil conditions. How should OXFAM respond to these concerns?

• Conduct a new assessment of the soil conditions and provide inputs that are more appropriate.

• Ignore the complaints since the inputs were approved by the project team.

• Continue with the current inputs while encouraging farmers to adapt their practices.

• Abandon the project due to mismatched agricultural inputs.

Answer explanation

Conducting a new assessment of soil conditions is essential to ensure that the agricultural inputs are suitable for local farmers. This response addresses their concerns and improves project effectiveness.

Islamic Relief is running a food assistance project in a conflict-affected region. Some families report that they are not being informed about the next distribution round, leading to uncertainty and frustration. What should Islamic Relief do to improve communication and accountability?

• Set up a reliable communication system to inform families in advance of distribution schedules.

• Continue without a communication plan as it’s difficult to manage in conflict zones.

• Ask families to be patient and wait for the next announcement.

• Reduce the frequency of distributions to manage expectations.

Answer explanation

Setting up a reliable communication system will ensure families are informed about distribution schedules, reducing uncertainty and frustration. This proactive approach enhances accountability and trust in the assistance provided.