The twenty-first century witnessed a revolution in government-citizen interaction, with a movement pushing for greater transparency, accountability, and participation in governance. Efficient and effective governance revolves around improving transparency and accountability, increasing and widening the roles for citizens in government processes, and in giving new spaces for citizen engagement and participation. Through this process citizens voices and interactions form the base for the decision-making process, and is guided by 1) dialogue and negotiation, 2) involves necessary stakeholders or actors, 3) equitable and active.

UNICEF views Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) as the act that local authorities remain accountable to the communities they serve, while holistically engaging communities to make sure aid is appropriate, useful and timely, and meets the community’s expressed needs. AAP demands real commitment in leadership, organizational transparency and programme management, as well as recognition and encouragement of community input, participation and leadership in development and humanitarian efforts. One of the pillars of the AAP is setting up feedback and complaint mechanisms: secure means for affected communities to provide feedback and complain about their experiences and perspectives on programmes and responses. These mechanisms will ensure that information is regularly collected, analysed, integrated into decision-making processes, and acted on.