Final Draft
Independent Accountability Committee
Terms of Reference
Introduction
Working politically as an open platform, the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE)
requires effective governance and accountability system that fulfills the Istanbul Principles, human
rights-based approaches and the specific requirements of developing a comprehensive open platform
operating at all layers from the country to the global.
In promoting values of accountability at all levels and inculcating these CSO principles in horizontal and
vertical accountability, the CPDE will establish an oversight Independent Accountability Committee
(IAC). The IAC will be distinct from the governance bodies and operate at global level. Its’ members will
be drawn from CSO membership worldwide be elected to ensure all aspects of accountability of CPDE
to its principles and objectives in the conduct of its work including governance, representativeness and
financial functions.
The IAC shall ensure that evaluation and audit mechanisms are in place along with other relevant
elements for applying accountability.
Role
The purpose of the IAC is to ensure accountability of the CPDE at a strategic and operational level.
Specifically, the IAC will aim to ensure:
 The CPDE’s effective governance with the following characteristics: participatory, consensus
oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and
follows the rule of law
 The CPDE is working towards its overall goals and objectives as defined in the CPDE while respecting
its values
 The CPDE is doing so in accordance with its overall strategy
 The various bodies of the CPDE are functioning according to its mandate and accountable to each
other
 The funding raised in CPDE’s name is spent and managed as efficiently as possible. The IAC
promotes fiscal integrity and sound financial practices by the Financial Agent and among member
organizations
The IAC will do this by:
 Reviewing major documents that contain strategies and plans.
 Monitoring and evaluating compliance of the performance information and/or reports from the
various bodies of the CPDE including the Coordination Committee, the Secretariat, the regional and
sub-regional coordinating committees, sectoral/major groups and the working groups
 Receiving financial reports from the Fiscal Agent(s) on expenditure including reasons for any
exceptions and significant variances to planned expenditure
 Assessing accountability mechanisms of CPDE at various levels and dimensions (vertical and
horizontal).
 Issuing an annual or biannual report of its analysis of CPDE’s accountability.
 Proposing recommendations on adjustments in functions, ways of work, new initiatives, actions and
tasks relevant to this analysis to the General Council.
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Final Draft
Selection & Terms
Sectoral and regional constituencies will each nominate an organization to compose a pool of nominees
from which three CSO representatives will be selected by the Global Council to serve for a term of two
years. In selecting the members of the IAC, the GC will ensure gender and geographical balance as well
as the combination of skills that will enable the IAC to perform its functions.
Composition
 Representatives of CSOs that are members of CPDE
 Members should have at least one of the skills/background/specialisation in governance, program,
and financial functions
 3 members for a period of 2 years
 A chair elected by its members
Frequency and venue of meeting
 The chair of the IAC attends as observer of the GC meetings. A representative of the IAC may
request or maybe requested to attend the meeting of the Global Coordinating Committee as
appropriate.
 The IAC physically meets once a year after the annual financial audit of the Fiscal Agency.
Support
The Program Manager and/or Finance and Administration Officer of the Secretariat support the IAC in
its role.
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