AMEND CONTENT

1. What is a Feedback & Complaints Mechanism

A Feedback and Accountability Mechanism (FAM) is a set of procedures and tools formally established (ideally across programs and linked to other monitoring processes) which:

  1. solicits and listens to, collates and analyzes feedback and complaints from members of the community where CARE works about their experience of an intervention provided by CARE and its partners;
  2. solicits and listens to, collates and analyzes feedback and complaints from partners about their experience of working with CARE;
  3. triggers action, influences decision-making at the appropriate level in the organization and/or prompts a referral to other relevant stakeholders if necessary and appropriate;
  4. provides a response back to the feedback or complaint provider and if appropriate, the wider community.

In some contexts, particularly in humanitarian responses or when working in consortia, an inter-agency or joint mechanism may exist. It is always preferable for CARE and partners to utilize joint mechanisms where they exist rather than setting up a separate FAM. CARE must ensure that joint mechanisms meet CARE’s minimum standards which may require following-up with the lead agency (if not CARE) and may necessitate that the minimum standards are included in agreements with other agencies.