*NGOs are under fire for being "unaccountable" to anyone; this is the first book to tackle fully the politics, pitfalls, and benefits of NGO accountability

* Offers principles and innovative solutions for assessing and developing viable accountability

*Input and cases studies from NGOs such as Action Aid, and from every part of the globe including China, Indonesia, Latin America, and Africa

As the fastest growing segment of civil society, as well as featuring prominently in the global political arena, NGOs are under fire for being "unaccountable." But who do NGOs actually represent? Who should they be accountable to and how? This book provides the first comprehensive examination of the issues and politics of NGO accountability and governance across all sectors internationally. It offers an assessment of the key technical tools available including legal accountability, certification, and donor-based accountability regimes, and questions whether these are appropriate and viable options or attempts to "rollback" NGOs to a more one-dimensional function as organizers of national and global charity. In the spirit of moving towards greater, real accountability the book looks in detail at innovations that have developed from within NGOs and offers new approaches and flexible frameworks that enable accountability to become a reality for all parties worldwide.