As more and more countries are implementing their Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) both the World Bank and SDC stress the importance of accountability mechanisms, that enhance the efforts of citizens to hold their governments (and other power holders) accountable and to respond to their citizens demands and needs. The Social Accountability (SAc) agenda reflects the attention to issues of governance, empowerment and rights-based approaches to development. PRS processes should encourage the active involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, including local governments, parliamentarians, the media, as well as civil society organisations and concerned citizen and community groups. They should contribute to the institutionalisation of participatory approaches and democratic dialogues in the countries.
The intended focus of the knowledge partnership is on the issue of strengthening accountability relationships between Government (administration and elected bodies), citizens, civil society and private sector actors in the implementation and the monitoring of PRS at the national, regional or local level.