Our approach
ACCRA transforms governance systems so they are adaptive in the face of climate change and influenced by the strategic priorities and needs of women, men, girls and boys.
Sustains partnerships: ACCRA builds and sustains long-term relationships with and between government and civil society partners. This fosters trust, a culture of collective sharing, learning and acting, and, importantly, the political will in governments to take a proactive stance on their mandate to address climate change.
Supports action research and iterative learning: ACCRA supports the co-creation of innovative solutions by using action research and iterative learning by doing. This approach helps to break the disconnect between researchers and decision makers, and between different levels of governance, through a focus on the real needs of climate-affected populations, in particular women, children and the elderly.
Addresses gender inequality: ACCRA goes beyond ensuring the equitable representation of men and women in adaptation committees and training workshops. It develops methods and capacities to analyse how adaptive capacity and vulnerability to climate change are influenced by gender norms, roles and power dynamics. Adaptation strategies, technologies and information channels are chosen and applied in ways that address gender inequalities.
Delivers responsive capacity development: ACCRA's capacity-building processes work within rather than outside of government planning cycles. They are demand-driven and developed for central government, decision makers in national and district authorities, local civil society organizations, and parliamentarians. They combine training of trainers, innovative games, community visits, regional learning events and ACCRA country-to-country exchange visits. They encourage a learning-by-doing approach to planning and executing, and new ways of thinking which are long-term,
collaborative and systemic.
Collaborates for policy influence: As a trusted adviser and long-term partner, ACCRA works closely with governments on policy content. ACCRA's approach to policy influencing is based on mutual respect and an appreciation of the government's leadership role. This collaborative way of working strengthens ownership by government institutions of the change and learning processes they engage in with ACCRA.
Innovates: ACCRA develops and tests tools through learning by doing with the people who will use these tools, including farmers and officials in national ministries. The tools have been widely adopted and have helped to change the way governance works - touching the lives of many women, men, boys and girls in Ethiopia, Uganda and Mozambique.
ACCRA's tools are:
- A framework describing the key characteristics of adaptive capacity
- A gender analysis tool for climate change adaptation initiatives
- Planning guidelines for local adaptation and disaster risk reduction
- A set of participatory tools to generate national standard climate change indicators
- A game for flexible and forward-looking decision making