WHAT'S NEW?
Accountable for what we do, but also for what we don't.
Naomi Hossain and Jeffrey Hallock argue that the historically unprecedented international wave of protests in 2022 is not only an indicator of failures in the global economy: it also indicates failures of accountability at multiple levels.
Marc de Tollenaere examines Official Development Assistance trends and finds that more money has been going to countries where governance has turned more autocratic over the last decade.
We’re excited to see Doussouba Konate of Accountability Lab and Karabo Rajuili of Open Ownership among the African Leadership Institute’s 2023 Class of the Tutu Fellows.
This new network map of the European Union corruption scandal ‘Qatargate’ shows a deeply entrenched network. Lena Raballand details the repeated personal and professional connections underpinning this corruption and money laundering scheme.
Chris Smith flags transparency gaps in UK health procurement information.
Mr. Javkhlan Bold, Minister of Finance of Mongolia announced the country's commitment to implementing automatic exchange of information standards beginning in September 2026. “...This will significantly improve our ability to combat tax evasion and promote transparency in our financial system.”
CHECK THIS OUT!
Green Accountability ensures that those most affected by climate challenges have a voice in the solutions. TAI is partnering with Accountability Lab, Agence Française de Développement and the World Bank to uphold that a livable and just future requires a meaningful role for citizens everywhere in climate decisions. Explore the new webpage, watch our video animation on the topic, and get ready for the call for proposals (launch webinar on April 26 - see Calendar below)
FROM OUR MEMBERS
CHANDLER FOUNDATION:
Join TAI, Chandler Foundation and Apolitical Foundation at Catalyst 2030 on May 1st for an interactive session on building trusted, effective, and ethical political leaders. Find more here!
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS:
“The dirty secrets of a smear campaign”. Listen to this episode of EU Scream in partnership with Open Society Foundations on Assault on NGOs.
LUMINATE:
Promotes the work of “La Silla Vacía” and “Cuestión Pública” in Latin America in addressing gender gaps in media management.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING!
Do people care more about democratic outcomes -more inclusion, equality, justice -than democratic processes? Listen to the discussion on the latest Think Change podcast that asks whether the whole notion of 'democratic backsliding' is a Western lens that ignores more diverse and innovative processes of political change.
TOOLS & TRENDS FOR FUNDERS
To respond to the complexity, scale and urgency of today’s global challenges, organizations are increasingly embracing a systems perspective in their work. Former TAI steering committee member Megan Colnar and Rob Lloyd share takeaways from a recent panel sharing experiences around these new technical innovations.
Read how can large NGOs and smaller organizations based in communities work together to decolonise compliance and move from a culture of control to one of mutual trust.
See where MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving funding is going regionally and explore examples of how the investments are delivering on high-level goals.
Building on a great event last week, Kristin Lord and Elayne Deelen outline practical steps that philanthropists and social impact organizations can take to incorporate trust-building activities into their work.
FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK
The Escazu Agreement is the first regional agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean that guarantees access to information, participation and access to justice, and that is dedicated to the protection of people who defend the environment and human rights. Coming into effect in 2021 it is a potential model for other regions, but what do we know of its impact?
This past week saw the second meeting of the Agreement’s Conference of Parties, COP2, in Buenos Aires. Parties elected the inaugural members of the Committee to Support Implementation and Compliance: Andres Napoli, director of Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN); Carole Excell, strategy director of the Waverley Street Foundation; and Patricia Madrigal, lawyer, specialist in human rights and environment, and Vice-minister of the Environment 2014-2018 of Costa Rica.
What happens now? Carlos de Miguel of the Escazú Agreement’s secretariat talks of progress and challenges for the environmental treaty, while Leslie Moreno Custodio details the main challenges for successful implementation.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING!
Dive into climate finance with Marilyn Waite, Managing Director of the Climate Finance Fund. This episode cover philanthropy, banking, disclosure rules, and the need for systemic change in finance for an equitable climate transition.
NEWS ROUNDUP
Against the backdrop of conflict in Khartoum, Adam Tooze details the effects of a gold rush in Sudan on power, policy, people, and conflict.
Bruce Reznik argues that one of the most powerful tools available for fighting climate change and environmental injustice is asking courts to take action and be accountable.
The national coordinators in the Publish What You Pay network are feeling reasonably positive about progress on extractives governance - get a snapshot of actions captured in their survey.
Kelsey Landau, Robin Lewis and Carter Squires reflect on how to use data for better governance of extractive industries (long a topic of inquiry for TAI members - see our report last year on the topic).
Land Portal Foundation has launched a new Land & Investments Portfolio that unpacks the key concepts, terms, international frameworks and policies, and many other aspects critical to understanding how land investments affect society.
JOBS AT TAI MEMBERS
Job postings at Hewlett Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at MacArthur Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at Open Society Foundations - ONGOING
Job postings at Luminate - ONGOING
Job postings at Ford Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at FCDO - ONGOING
Job postings at Skoll - ONGOING
JOBS LISTINGS
Africa Editor, Open Democracy
Project Manager, Global Climate Cooperation (GCC), Environmental Defense Funds
Team Leader Governance Research and Innovation, Oslo Governance Center
Team Leader Strategic Communications and Knowledge Management, Oslo Governance Center
Governance Data Specialist, Oslo Governance Center
Individual Donor Relations Officer, Mama Cash
Event Project Manager -, Mama Cash
Programmes and MEL Manager- Open Ownership
CALLS / OPPORTUNITIES
The National Center for Family Philanthropy and the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project are pleased to announce a six-part Learning and Action Cohort for family foundations interested in leveraging their philanthropy toward a more just and equitable nonprofit sector. Application deadline: May 31.
CALENDAR
UN World Data Forum, China, April 24-27
Global launch of the 2023 Chandler Good Government Index, 26 April 2023, 9:30am UTC | 5:30pm SGT
Green Accountability Call for Proposals Launch Event, World Bank, TAI and partners, Apr 26, 2023, 02:30 PM EST
Gender, Deliberation, and Natural Resource Governance: Experimental Evidence from Malawi.
The Evidence and Learning (E&L) Talk Series, April 27, 10AM-AM EST.
Ibrahim Governance Weekend from Nairobi, April 28-30, follow live at: https://mif.live/igw/
Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights, United Nations, In Person Event - New York, 2 May, 09.00 ET
Philanthropy and AI, Webinar, Thursday, May 4, 2023 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (UTC+02:00)
Open Gov Week 2023 - May 8-12
Who really owns it? Using company ownership data for investigations, Open Ownership Webinar, 9 May, 13.00 BST
Research to Practice Talk: The transformative potential of citizens' assemblies on its participants, Berggruen Institute, May 16, 2023 02:00 PM
The impact of citizens assemblies on participation, PeoplePowered webinar, May 16, 8am ET, Webinar
Panel discussion: "Kleptocracy and The Financial Action Task Force". Monday 5 June, 5pm – 6.30pm BST
Rights Con 2023, June 5-8, 2023
EITI Global Conference, Dakar, June 2023
2023 #ShiftThePower Summit, Bogota, Colombia, December 2023
Michael Jarvis,
TAI's Executive Director
We’d love to hear from you on how we can further improve TAI Weekly to better serve your needs in program management on the transparency, accountability, improved grantmaking and civic space. Please direct your feedback to [email protected] or SUBSCRIBE TO TAI WEEKLY