A rights-based approach to accountability : an exploration of the RBA theory as a mechanism of downward accountability in development and humanitarian NGOs

This thesis explores the link between theories of accountability and the rights-based approach in nongovernmental humanitarian and development organizations. It suggests that the rights-based approach (RBA) necessitates a commitment to accountability to the beneficiaries of NGO work. It suggests how the RBA might best incorporate a duty to strengthen accountability to beneficiaries, referred to as "downward accountability." It investigates Oxfam America as a case study and assesses whether Oxfam's RBA meets criteria for strengthening downward accountability and whether this theoretical link is feasible. Overall, this research reveals that Oxfam America literature and staff do not consistently cite a duty to downward accountability as a component of the Oxfam RBA. However, in some cases a duty to downward accountability is implicitly linked to the RBA. Unanticipated findings included that (1) the RBA is vague in terms of how it is operationalized; (2) situational constraints influence the degree to which a project can adopt a rights-based approach; (3) staff expressed confusion about how to implement the RBA; (5) staff seemed motivated to describe projects as being in line with the rights-based approach, even when connection to the RBA was tenuous.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Bradley Amber S. (Amber Shannon)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Annette Kim.

• Urban Studies and Planning.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39929

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/39929