Everyone is calling for more accountability in development. Accountability is the stated aspiration of multi-hundred million-dollar funds; the topic of keynote speeches, the central component of development projects. But accountability is still largely seen as a toolbox of metrics and mechanisms to bolt on existing development projects.

We now have a unique opportunity, the new AccountAbility 21 Report convincingly demonstrates, to reinvent accountability, placing it firmly at the heart of development. From novel methods of convening stakeholders to counting tools that cast a spotlight on unaccountable behaviour, the report celebrates the wealth of accountability innovations worldwide. But it also finds that without better frameworks for collaboration and mutual accountability between development actors, convening and counting soon lead to participation fatigue.

The report sets out proposals for building an accountability groundswell, with new responsibilities and clear frameworks for collaboration between governments, donors, businesses, civil society and standards setting bodies.

The report, written by Alejandro Litovsky and Alex MacGillivray, has been published in London in April 2007. To learn more and to download the Full Report, please click here.