As the humanitarian sector searches for ways to bring about system change, shift the power and decolonise its practices, reflections and debates on how to ensure the needs of people affected by crises are met, whilst holding sector actors accountable, occur often.

But is there really general clarity on the concept of accountability to affected people? And do we know what that looks like in a complex system such as philanthropy or humanitarianism? How is accountability defined by crisis affected people themselves ? Without properly exploring, unpacking and understanding our responsibility to the communities we serve, no change in the current system can be possible and no locally led action can be achieved, thereby putting ‘accountability’ at risk of becoming yet another buzzword.