Penina Olum, Dynamics of Power Balance and Accountability amongst livelihoods implementing INGOs Operating in Koboko, And Yumbe Districts, West Nile Region, Northern Uganda, between 2011 and 2021

Penina Olum's research employs an investigation into the intersecting impact of power (im)balances within International Corporation. The study stems from the centrality of development towards improving its relevance in the global South. Power, although a contested concept seems to bridge internal debates between economists, anthropologists, and political scientists in international development. Does the control and balance of power, within, and between International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGO) influence development in the global South? Why is development in the global South still considered relatively low, ie low human development indexes (especially high poverty rates) despite international aid assistance and availability of local resources.

Penina will study the architecture of international development through an analytical framework of power balance and its influence in program choices, by assessing program designs, implementation modalities and accountability matrices of livelihoods implementing INGOs headquartered in the global North and working in the global South; particularly those in Koboko and Yumbe districts of West-Nile region, Northern Uganda. Knowledge, accountability, local led solutions, and critical thinking are thematic points that will lead this study, and it is expected the study will provide lessons regarding the influence of power shifts within INGOs, lessons for North/South, South/South and triangular international corporations that aspire to work in the development field in the global South, and suggest ways of making development cooperation more strategic, practical and realistic.  

Keywords: Socio-economic development, socio-economic growth, inclusive innovation, resource allocation, sustainability, value for money, agency, knowledge, hierarchy.