Abstract

The important roles that are played by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) all over the world including Malawi are becoming increasingly recognised by various stakeholders.The increase in the role of the NGOs in Malawi has also increased the calls for accountability on the part of the NGOs especially to their beneficiaries. Studies done previously indicated that there is little effort on the part of the NGOs to focus on downward accountability to their beneficiaries. Consequently, the study examined the drivers of and challenges to downward accountability in the NGO sector in Malawi. The study used a mixed-method research design where a questionnaire and phone interviews were used to collect data. A total of 151 usable questionnaires were collected from NGO representatives in the survey. Ten key informants were interviewed for the qualitative component of the study. The quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Multiple linear regression and SPSS PROCESS macro were used to examine the hypothesised relationship. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that both donor influence and state regulation have positively influenced downward accountability with state regulation having a stronger effect than donor influence. This shows that the state has a significant role to play in influencing downward accountability among NGOs. However, there were no significant differences in terms of the impact of donor influence and state regulation on downward accountability between local and international NGOs. Furthermore, the study revealed five challenges that NGOs face in their quest for downward accountability, namely: limited resources and capacity for both beneficiaries and NGOs; lack of commitment by donors to facilitate downward accountability; lack of agency by community structures to demand accountability; and misconception and lack of trust by the communities in NGOs.

More details

School	: School of Law, Economics and Government
Issued Date	: 2024

Download full document