-------------------------------------------------- G D R C M o s a i c www.gdrc.org May 2005 -------------------------------------------------- REQUEST: To help GDRC better serve its users, please take a few minutes to fill in the online website evaluation form available at: http://www.gdrc.org/about/survey-form.html Thank you in advance! -------------------------------------------------- THIS MONTH'S SPOTLIGHT: NGO Accountability from GDRC's Programme on the NGO Cafe "Making NGOs accountable will increase their effectiveness and overall trust in their work" Ligitimacy, dependability and transparency in the organizational and operational setup of NGOs is increasingly becoming improtant for building trust with its partners and benefitiaries. But why do we have to look at NGO Accountability? There are a number of reasons: There has been a rising visibility and stakes of NGOs' work. A crisis of legitimacy in many sectors, especially business and government, has amplified the need for NGOs as a 'counterbalance'. More vocal advocacy by NGOs has also challenged the work of corporations, governments and international organization, which in turn has elicited counterattacks. It is for these reasons that we need greater NGO accountability. NGO roles in problem-solving is increasing. There is a need for enhanced accountability in all sectors to foster and consolidate greater democracy. NGO credibility is also needed to help create institutional arrangements for global governance in a shrinking and interdependent world. GDRC has been working on these issues, within the overall perspective of civil society participation. Its compiled resources and outputs are availble at: http://www.gdrc.org/ngo/accountability/ As with all sections of GDRC, contributions, comments and suggestions are always welcome from users and subscribers! Please contact GDRC's Coordinator at - mosaic@gdrc.org -------------------------------------------------- FOCUS ON GDRC: LEARNING LESSONS The Two Ends of a Telescope: Zooming in and out In compiling the research output of its various programmes, GDRC has used the analogy of a telescope to present the various issues. In solving problems at the local level there is a clear need to provide a balanced picture of all the issues involved. Looking through the eyepiece of a telescope, we can see minute details of the view we are seeing – information presentation has to therefore zoom in by providing complete and balanced details. While we look through the opposite end of a telescope, we see a picture in long perspective – that is information presentation has to zoom out, and so provide the 'big picture' both in space and in time. An interesting lesson in information design! -------------------------------------------------- MONTHLY STATISTICS FOR GDRC'S WEBSITE Total hits encountered – 994,158 Total files downloaded – 816,134 Total pages viewed – 309,472 Total web visitors - 115,141 Total KBytes – 7,658,816 Pages per day - Avg. 9,982; Max. 13,840 Visits per day - Avg. 3,714; Max. 4,376 -------------------------------------------------- WHAT'S NEW AT GDRC'S WEBSITE? Some highlists of new items added to GDRC's programme: - All GDRC: Online website evaluation form added to the main page - please send in your comments! - Oceans, Coasts and Small Islands: Info update on World Oceans Day (8 June) - Urban Environmental Management: Ecological Footprints - Calculate your water footprint - NGO Cafe: Kickstart an NGO - expanded feature on "How to start an NGO" - NGO Cafe: Kickstart an NGO - A sample set of NGO Bye-Laws - Microfinance: Documents - "Causes of Poverty" page was expanded and revised. - Microfinance: Finance for Microenterprises - Report on 'Sustainable Microentrepreneurship' by Guy Vincent -------------------------------------------------- ABOUT GDRC MOSAIC The "GDRC Mosaic" is a monthly email newsletter that provides information bites, and summarizes programme activities of GDRC, including new items added to the website. You are welcome to forward this newsletter to friends and interested people! This issue of GDRC Mosaic was sent out to about 703 subscribers in 94 countries. To subscribe: http://www.gdrc.org/about/newsletter.html To unsubscribe: unsubscribe-mosaic@gdrc.org Comments, suggestions and contributions: mosaic@gdrc.org -------------------------------------------------- CONTACT ADDRESS: Global Development Research Center 1-5-1-1013, Mori Minami Machi, Higashi Nada-ku, Kobe 658-001, Japan Tel / Fax: +(81-78) 452-8414 Email: mosaic@gdrc.org Web: http://www.gdrc.org/ -------------------------------------------------- Copyright (C) 2005-2007, GDRC. All rights reserved.