All too often, poverty and vulnerability
are rooted in social and political factors. For example, access to water
or land is often a question not only of their availability, but also of
the institutions and processes that determine the allocation of, and access
to, such resources. To understand the underlying causes of poverty, we
also need to reflect on how the aid system is organised. Mutual accountability
offers a lens for understanding aid policy and practice in terms of the
rights and responsibilities of different stakeholders, including donors,
partner governments, civil society and - most importantly - the ultimate
beneficiaries of assistance: those living in poverty and marginalisation.