AccountabiliTea Podcast

As AI becomes part of civil society’s work, where can it help, which decisions should stay in human hands, and who answers when something goes wrong?In this episode of AccountabiliTea, Accountability Lab Co-CEO Cheri-Leigh Erasmus speaks with Danai Nhando, a human rights lawyer and responsible AI governance expert, and Natalia Carfi, Executive Director of the Open Data Charter, about what responsible AI use looks like in practice.From grant applications that sound increasingly alike to agricultural AI projects that draw on data from elsewhere, they explore what AI can miss about the people and places it’s meant to serve. They also ask what meaningful consent looks like when people depend on an organization for support, how open organizations should be about their use of AI, and where people can turn if an AI-supported decision causes harm.At the heart of What Stays Human? is a question for any team deciding how to use AI. Which decisions should we keep in our own hands, and what do we owe the people affected by them?Episode produced by Naseera Noor-Mahomed, Global Communications and Marketing Manager at Accountability Lab.

What happens when funders hand decision-making power to the people closest to the challenges they are trying to address?In this episode of AccountabiliTea, Accountability Lab Co-CEO Cheri-Leigh Erasmus speaks with Carolyn Dallmann, Senior Manager for Peacebuilding & Partnerships at Humanity United, and Lior Ipp, CEO of Proximate Futures Fund, about innovative approaches to grantmaking – and what it truly means to shift power in philanthropy.Together, they explore participatory grantmaking, the value of lived experience and proximate knowledge, and why funding locally led organizations may be less risky – not more. They also examine how funders can rethink trust, accountability, and their role as strategic partners while directing resources closer to the people doing the work.The conversation asks a powerful question: Do you simply want to make a grant, or do you want to solve a problem?Episode produced by Naseera Noor-Mahomed, Global Communications and Marketing Manager at Accountability Lab.

As funding landscapes shift and uncertainty grows, civil society organizations around the world are being asked to adapt – often while continuing to deliver on their missions.In this episode of AccountabiliTea, we bring together Anabel Cruz, Director of the Communication & Development Institute in Uruguay, Dr. Fay Hodza, Global Senior Director of Programs at Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS), and Leah Shearman, Global Director of Development at Accountability Lab, to reflect on what this moment means in practice.From funding constraints and geopolitical pressures to collaboration, system-strengthening, and new ways of working, the conversation explores how organizations are responding –and what is beginning to change.What emerges is a nuanced picture: one shaped by challenge, but also by creativity, solidarity, and a rethinking of how civil society operates.What does it take to meet the moment – and what comes next?

In this episode of the AccountabiliTea Podcast, we step into a different kind of conversation – grounded in new research – to explore what integrity looks like for businesses navigating Ukraine’s path toward reconstruction. Drawing on the report Leveraging Integrity for Ukraine’s Reconstruction: The Role of Ethical Businesses by researcher Sofiia Sapihura, the conversation reflects on how companies are embedding compliance and ethical practices amid war, uncertainty, and rapid change.Based on insights from 118 Ukrainian businesses and in-depth interviews, the episode sits with a complex reality: integrity can build resilience, trust, and long-term value – yet it can also come with real trade-offs, from lost contracts to slower processes in environments shaped by informality and uneven enforcement. From construction risks to the role of donors, incentives, and collective action, the discussion asks what it will take to make integrity not just a moral aspiration, but a practical and sustainable choice.

This special episode marks 13 years of building accountability together, 13 years of learning, adapting, and growing alongside partners, funders, and citizens around the world. It’s a moment to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come, and to ask what accountability means in this moment,  as movements evolve, contexts shift, and communities continue to lead change in creative and courageous ways.Featuring short, heartfelt reflections from across the Lab’s global network, the episode explores what sustains accountability work: shared purpose, resilience, and hope.

In Episode 3 of our Beyond the Frameworks series, guest host Michele Crymes speaks with Andrew Crawford, Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies. Together, they unpack how tariffs are reshaping global supply chains – and what this means for governance, accountability, and civil society across the Global South.The conversation explores how shifting sourcing patterns create new corruption risks, why small suppliers face growing pressures, and how civil society organizations can use their “ground truth” to build transparency or trigger change within complex global markets.

In Episode 2 of our Beyond the Frameworks series, guest host Michele Crymes speaks with Try Thy, Executive Director of Open Development Cambodia. They explore how NGOs and civil society drive private sector transparency – from monitoring labor and environmental impacts to supplying open data for policy advocacy and investigative journalism. The conversation unpacks the tensions of trust between NGOs, business, and government, the importance of coalition-building, and why unrestricted funding is vital for accountability on the frontlines.

In this kickoff episode of Beyond the Frameworks, a special AccountabiliTea Podcast series on business, governance, and leadership, guest host Michele Crymes (Legal & Policy Expert) sits down with David Mparutsa, Ethics 1st Advisor and Head of Enterprise & Supply Chain Development.Together, they examine the ripple effects of the U.S. Executive Order halting enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). What does this pause mean for global anti-corruption efforts? How are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) navigating shifting expectations on the ground? And why is collective action more important than ever?Tune in for a timely, thought-provoking conversation at the intersection of global policy and local business realities.

In this episode of the AccountabiliTea podcast, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus sits with colleagues Beloved Chiweshe (AL Zimbabwe), Sadia Khan (AL South Africa), Doussouba Konaté (AL Mali), Narayan Adhikari (AL Nepal), Fayyaz Yaseen (AL Pakistan), and Ana Laura Lozano (AL Mexico) for a timely and honest conversation about how the global funding landscape is changing and what that means for civil society actors on the ground.Together, they explore how shrinking resources, shifting donor priorities, and growing uncertainty are impacting their work, and how they’re adapting to continue building more accountable, participatory, and inclusive systems in their communities.Tune in to hear how civil society is responding, not just with resilience, but with reimagined strategies for the road ahead.

In this episode of AccountabiliTea, host Cheri-Leigh Erasmus sits down with human rights lawyer Danai Nhando and journalist Nkosikhona Dibiti to unpack the urgent challenges facing press freedom today. From legal manipulation and financial pressure to digital harassment, they explore the growing threats to independent journalism.The conversation underscores the need for stronger protections for journalists and the power of public advocacy in defending press freedom around the world.Tune in for their expert insights, and learn how each of us can help safeguard democracy and uphold accountability in the media.