It works for a world where aid and development information is transparent, available and used for effective and inclusive decision-making, public accountability and lasting change for all citizens.
Publish What You Fund uses aid and development data to share understanding of spending and impact, to address global challenges and drive greater transparency.
Released every two years, the Index ranking shapes the publishing behaviours of major aid agencies – a fact under-pinned by independent academic research.
But a lack of transparency limits our ability to ensure that DFIs are generating positive development results, mobilising private finance, and managing environmental, social and governance risks.
It advocates for transparency in aid, development, humanitarian and climate finance flows, based on detailed research and analysis of published information.
What is less developed – but is of at least equal importance – is using the information as a means for strong engagement with local and national actors – country governments, civil society, and advocates.
This helps create the path for locally led development, a policy goal that has long been sought by advocates and which is now gaining traction among donors.
This article presents findings from three survey experiments conducted with a representative sample of 2,058 British citizens, complemented by cross-national observational data.
Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including 150 key informant interviews, Honig and Weaver demonstrated that the Aid Transparency Index influences donor behaviour primarily through its direct impact on elites.
Published in 2013, this landmark study by Gaventa and McGee examined the achievements to date and future potential of various Transparency and Accountability Initiatives (TAIs).