Paper details
| Paper authors | Hyeonggeun Ji |
| In panel on | ‘Real’ Humanitarian Governance: Accountability, Advocacy, and Alternatives |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
This study aims to examine how accountability mechanisms are practiced to amplify the voices of affected people in the governance of humanitarian assistance. It explores the extent to which these mechanisms function—or fail to function—in real-world contexts where power asymmetries shape aid distribution.
The study is situated in Bangladesh, where permanent and recurrent climate-related displacement is a major humanitarian concern. The research focuses on both riparian and coastal regions, where floods, cyclones, and river erosion continue to displace large populations. A key concern expressed by displaced communities is the compromised nature of aid governance: local village leaders are widely perceived to manipulate the distribution of humanitarian resources in favour of their associates, rather than based on actual need.
Methodologically, the study adopts an exploratory qualitative approach, complemented by participatory social network analysis (PSNA) to capture the social dynamics that underpin aid processes in rural Bangladeshi society.
Findings reveal that the tightly woven 'social networks' in rural areas constitute a core contextual condition shaping how humanitarian accountability is actually practiced. On one hand, formal accountability mechanisms promoted by NGOs—such as community meetings and complaint boxes—are largely ineffective. Displaced people often avoid using these tools due to a pervasive fear of retaliation; raising complaints may expose them to social sanctions or exclusion from future assistance, rather than ensuring justice against corruption. On the other hand, the study finds that social networks serve as a vital resource for displaced people to reclaim agency. Through ties with local journalists, relatives, and other surrogates, displaced communities mobilise alternative channels to disseminate their needs and attract support. These grassroots efforts allow them to access aid directly from civic actors, bypassing manipulative local intermediaries.
Ultimately, the study shows that accountability in real humanitarian governance is relational by nature—structured through everyday social networks that both constrain and enable its practice.
