By: Asifa Abdul Rasool Khowaja
[ The writer is a law student and the founder of Speak out OPENLY]
When we think about accountability some questions arise in our mind that why do we need accountability? Do we have accountability in our institutions? Do we have accountability in our surroundings and workplace or even at home? This question tends our mind to think about the terms and conditions we are following in different places and who is accountable for any action which ultra-vires the terms and conditions.
The definition of accountability is taking or being assigned responsibility for something that you have done or something you are supposed to do. An example of accountability is when an employee admits an error she made on a project in front of the administrative body which is responsible for that particular action. Accountability is check and balance in our work and assurance of what is happening in our surroundings is up to the standard which is set up by the institution itself to mark the performance of what is happening in the respective institute. On a broader level, accountability is the sole sole responsibility of administrative bodies and they are also responsible to carry out administrative actions which are intra vires to their power. Accountability abolishes the time and effort you spend on diverting activities and other unproductive behavior. When you make people accountable for their actions, you’re effectively teaching them to value their work and be sensible for what is happening around. When done right, accountability can increase your skills and confidence. Accountability skills help to strengthen the system with the ability to provide a meaningful account or report to acknowledge that standards/objectives identified and intended to be achieved with a given resources have been achieved. Accountability can be achieved by making the surroundings secure for an individual so one must consider himself accountable for his doings. Accountability in a society could be accomplished by creating a culture of trust, responsibility, set high standards and clear expectations. Responsibility is concerning trust. Thus, once nonprofits collect info, they create it public for others to examine and perceive wherever the organization is heading, this facilitates gaining the general public trust. The four core parts of responsibilities of being accountable are: (1) Transparency, that involves grouping information and creating it out there and accessible for public scrutiny; 2) answerableness or Justification, which needs providing clear reasoning for actions and choices, together with those not adopted, in order that they’ll moderately be questioned; 3) Compliance, through the observance and analysis of procedures and outcomes, combined with transparency in news those findings; and, 4) social control or Sanctions for shortfalls in compliance, justification, or transparency. As a result, responsibility isn’t near to compliance with laws or trade standards, however is deeply connected to structure, purpose and trust which enables an individual to be accountable for all his actions.
If the concept of accountability in a society can be adopted and each individual starts taking responsibility then in near future we will be having people with the sense of responsibility to reflect upon all the deeds done by them. If institutions start being accountable for all actions happening in their premises, all major sins will be eliminated from society, people will definitely avoid doing all such acts which will make them accountable in front of administration.