Transparency and Accountability in times of Crisis/Emergency

The objective of this assignment is to document the challenges, lessons and For purposes of this assignment,
we shall refer to the UN definition of crisis1 and emergency.2 You may use the current COVID-19 Pandemic as
the subject of your case study.
Best practices in ensuring legitimacy, transparency and accountability in times of crisis/emergency
There are two ways of approaching the case study.
a) How government(s) ensure legitimacy, transparency and accountability and how civil society
organizations ensure that governments maintain legitimacy, transparency and accountability.
b) How civil society organizations maintain legitimacy, transparency and accountability.

Mechanics:

 Choose a crisis/emergency and a specific geographic scope. (E.g. COVID 19 Pandemic in Germany).
 Since we are under ECQ, your research will have to utilize sources from the internet. Note, I shall not
accept, Facebook, Twitter, or other similar social media platforms as sources. Go to the original source
that may be posted on social media. Journals, News articles, books, annual reports, web pages of
organizations are valid sources.
 You are NOT to directly lift a quotation from any of your sources. Every single line directly lifted from
the source – will mean 5% deduction from your grade. If about 25% of your material is directly lifted
from source, you shall get a failing mark.
 You are to cite all sources following rules of proper citation of web sources. 3

What I expect to find in your write-up:

 A description of the crisis/ emergency and the geographic coverage you’ve chosen.
Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which can cause the common cold or more severe diseases such as SARS
(severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), and the new coronavirus
disease that first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, called COVID-19. A COVID-19 pandemic has
claimed the lives of more than 58,000 people and sickened more than 1.09 million people globally, with
numbers still rising. In the United States, there are more than 275,000 cases, and over 7,000 people have
died.4
COVID-19 is a contagious disease that causes mild to severe respiratory symptoms with fever, cough, and
shortness of breath. It can be transmitted through person-to-person contact, though much remains
unknown about how it spreads. The new coronavirus was first identified on Dec. 31, 2019. 5

1
1. A situation that is perceived as difficult. Its greatest value is that it implies the possibility of an
insidious process that cannot be defined in time, and that even spatially can recognize different
layers/levels of intensity. A crisis may not be evident, and it demands analysis to be recognized.
Conceptually, it can cover both preparedness and response ("crisis management"). 2. Time of
danger or greater difficulty, decisive turning point (Oxford Pocket Dictionary, 1992).cited in WHO
Humanitarian Health Action. (https://www.who.int/hac/about/definitions/en/)
2
Emergency is a term describing a state. It is a managerial term, demanding decision and follow-
up in terms of extra-ordinary measures (Oxford Pocket Dictionary, 1992). A "state of emergency"
demands to "be declared" or imposed by somebody in authority, who, at a certain moment, will
also lift it. Thus, it is usually defined in time and space, it requires threshold values to be
recognized, and it implies rules of engagement and an exit strategy. Conceptually, it relates best
to Response.Cited in WHO Humanitarian Health Action. (https://www.who.int/hac/about/definitions/en/)

3
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/web_source
s.html
4
“What is the coronavirus? Facts, symptoms, and how to help”. World Vision International. Retrieved from:
<https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/what-is-coronavirus-facts>.
5
Ibid.
 The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern
on Jan. 30. This declaration places countries on alert to do all they can to identify, isolate, and care for
people who are infected; to prevent transmission; and to help other countries with weaker health systems.
The World Health Organization later declared a pandemic, meaning it is spreading globally, on March 11. 6

 A description of government response to the crisis/emergency.

On March 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
(H.R. 748Visit disclaimer page). This includes $6.3 billion in additional funding for ACF to respond to
coronavirus related needs.7

ACF-COVID-19-Stimulus
The President has signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
(CARES) Act (H.R. 748Visit disclaimer page), which includes $6.3 billion in
additional funding for ACF to respond to coronavirus related needs. We've
highlighted those provisions below:
 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program: $900 million in grants to
states, territories and tribes to support immediate home energy assistance
for low-income households affected by coronavirus.

 Child Care and Development Block Grant: $3.5 billion in grants to states,
territories and tribes for immediate assistance to child care providers to
prevent them from going out of business and to otherwise support child care
for families, including for healthcare workers, first responders, and others
playing critical roles during this crisis.

 Community Services Block Grant: $1 billion in grants to states, territories

and tribes to provide a wide-range of social services and emergency
assistance for those who need it most.

 Head Start: $750 million, which includes up to $500 million for summer Head
Start programs and the balance distributed to Head Start programs to help
them respond to coronavirus-related needs of children and families.

 Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs: $25 million for additional

assistance to current grantees providing critical services and housing for
runaway and homeless youth.

 Family Violence Prevention and Services: $45 million to provide additional

support to family violence shelters, and $2 million in additional support for
the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

 Child Welfare Services: $45 million for grants to states, territories and tribes
to support the child welfare needs of families during this crisis, and to help
keep families together.

6
Ibid.
7
Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19. United States of America Government Official Publication. Retrieved from:
<https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus>; Coronavirus (COVID-19). (2020). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: <
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html>.
  Federal Administration: $7 million for administrative support not otherwise
provided for within specific program levels.

 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Child Care Entitlement, Health

Profession Opportunity Grants, Personal Responsibility Education Program,
and Sexual Risk Avoidance Education: Extension of current mandatory
authorizations and appropriations for the entire FY 2020 and for the first two
months of FY 2021.8

 A description of the civil society’s role/ response to the crisis/ emergency or response to the
government’s response.
World Vision is a non-government organisation (NGO) that works with people around the world to help
eliminate poverty and its causes. It is working with the United Nations and other NGOs to help achieve the
Millennium Development Goals.

Worldwide, World Vision aims to support 11 million people, including 6 million vulnerable children. World
Vision is also responding in the U.S., aiming to reach 650,000 vulnerable people with Family Emergency Kits.
Each kit provides a week’s worth of food for a family of five, hygiene and protective items, educational
supplies and resources for kids, and other essentials. We’re also assisting in replenishing the personal
protective equipment supplies of healthcare providers and providing cleaning supplies to teachers. 9
With 70 years of experience and 37,000 staff across more than 90 countries in some of the most improvised
and vulnerable communities around the world, our organization is uniquely positioned to be able to respond
to this unprecedented crisis. World Vision International is working together to limit the spread of COVID-19
and reduce its impact on vulnerable children and families through four strategic objectives. 10

 The mechanisms used by government and CSOs in ensuring legitimacy, transparence and
accountability.

World Vision has started supplying Family Emergency Kits to

vulnerable families from 13 strategic locations throughout the U.S.,
including Seattle, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. School
districts identify families that qualify for free or reduced-cost school
meals, and churches host the distributions. Each kit includes
nutritious food for a family of five for a week, as well as hand
sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, first-aid antiseptic, paper products, and
children’s games and school supplies.11

“We know that school closures means limited or no access to food for a
lot of families, and we want to do all we can to help in this time of

8
Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19. United States of America Government Official Publication. Retrieved from:
<https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus>; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Administration for Community Living. Retrieved from <
https://acl.gov/COVID-19>.
9
Ibid.
10
“COVID-19 Emergency Response”. World Vision International. Retrieved from: < https://www.wvi.org/emergencies/coronavirus-
health-crisis>
11
“How is World Vision responding in the U.S.?" World Vision International. Retrieved from: < https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-
relief-news-stories/what-is-coronavirus-facts#how-respond-united-states>
need,” says Edgar Sandoval Sr., president of World Vision U.S. “It’s a
unique time because we are seeing the impact of the crisis right in our
own backyard — affecting our neighbors, schools, and churches. We
want to bring hope like never before, trusting in God, uniting in prayer,
and moving swiftly to help those who are the most vulnerable here in the
U.S. and around the world.” World Vision is also providing personal
protective equipment like masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer to
healthcare providers and cleaning supplies to teachers. 12

 A discussion of these LTA mechanisms guided by the theoretical discussion of these concepts.
Discussion may include challenges, adequacy of the mechanisms, what they are being accountable or,
to whom are they being accountable.
 Recommendations on improving LTA in times of crisis/emergency.
 At least 4 sources. 1 source – unacceptable.
 Submit as Word Document –single space, font size 12, minimum of 10 pages.

12
“How is World Vision responding in the U.S.?" World Vision International. Retrieved from: < https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-
relief-news-stories/what-is-coronavirus-facts#how-respond-united-states>