Donor-NGO accountability mechanisms and the implications for HIV and AIDS: perspective from NGOs on service effectiveness in South Africa.

Abstract

The study investigates the nature and extent of HIV and AIDS donor accountability mechanisms to see whether they were diminishing NGOs' capacity to achieve positive outcomes for beneficiaries. In particular, it focuses on the degree to which accountability mechanisms might inhibit NGOs from achieving the outcomes they share with the donors. The study examines the operations of both national and international NGOs that work on HIV and AIDS, focusing on the mechanisms of accountability to their donors, both public and private because the advent of HIV pandemic globally and especially in sub- Saharan Africa brought with it the urgency for actions and responses beyond the public sector. The study analyzed how the power disequilibrium between donors and recipient NGOs limits development outcomes. The focus would often shift from addressing the beneficiaries' needs at the grassroots level to the donors' administrative requirements. An in-depth interpretive case study approach was adopted to study five HIV and AIDS NGOs in Gauteng, South Africa. The researcher chose South Africa because it has the largest and most high-profile HIV pandemic globally, with an estimated 7.2 million people living with HIV in 2017. The study's findings were analyzed and interpreted through the lens of the basic accountability mechanism theory of Julia Steets. The study findings revealed that accountability is not a ‘one size fits all’ concept and practice because of the socio-economic and cultural differences that exist in different contexts. The study revealed the dynamic and complex relations between the HIV /AIDS NGOs and donors in their efforts to serve the beneficiaries. Donor dependency and service distribution affected interactions between donors, NGOs and beneficiaries. The study concluded that NGOs cannot be simultaneously concerned with accountability on the scale now often required of them without impacting their operations. They are experiencing severe difficulties mediating the tensions between balancing donor organizational interests and beneficiaries' interests as the NGOs’ administrative burden of accountability mechanisms has detracted time and resources from their main work of providing services and from developing equitable accountability mechanisms between themselves and the beneficiaries of their projects. This limits NGOs’ capacities to develop further community level interventions and detracts from close relations with beneficiaries in ways that address what the beneficiaries say they need with regard to HIV/AIDs services. Overall, the study is a contemporary attempt to contribute towards theory development in contextual accountability in the donor-NGO development structure. Key Words: Accountability Mechanisms, Accountability Practices, HIV & AIDS NGOs, Donors, Beneficiaries, Programs, service delivery, sanctions and rewards, Donor-NGO relations.