Service Systems Strengthening and Social Accountability Approach (4SA)

CARE is continuing its journey to influence systemic change in and beyond the communities where we work as part of our vision for 2030 through an approach called service system strengthening and social accountability (known as 4SA). Through 4SA, we will strengthen and change structures and institutions to deliver services in ways that are accountable, equal, and effective.

Background

4SA is one of six CARE pathways to impact at scale, which means it helps create positive change, reaching many people or communities. The 4SA approach focuses on equality for women and girls. It also promotes fair, people-centered ways that support basic rights and hold those in power responsible for their actions.

4SA building blocks

CARE’s 4SA framework has six interdependent building blocks. These provide a simple way to describe how a service system needs to function effectively, both independently and together to achieve its goals. They focus on approaches that address unfair power structures causing inequality for women and girls.

  1. People and skills: People and those responsible for services have the knowledge and skills to demand and provide equal, high-quality, and accountable services.
  2. Information, negotiation, and accountability: Equal opportunities for citizens and those in authority to discuss, give feedback, and negotiate, and to collectively plan and be held accountable, based on equal access to relevant information and analysis.
  3. Institutional leadership, governance, and coordination: Institutions have policy, regulatory and legislative frameworks; clarity of mandates; and coordination and communication mechanisms in place to embed and expand approaches that advance women and girls delivering equal, high-quality, and accountable services for all.
  4. Service delivery, infrastructure, and resources: Institutions have service delivery models, infrastructure and technology, quality standards, natural resource and asset management, mediation, and protection mechanisms in place to deliver equal, high-quality, accountable services and rights for all.
  5. Planning and financing: Institutional strategic planning, budgeting (to support women and girls), and financing mechanisms deliver equal, high-quality, accountable services for all.
  6. Community and social norms: Social norms at the household and community level support active participation in public life for all and promote social and political incentives to serve and be accountable to the rights of all.

An Overview of 4SA

4SA theory of change

CARE’s 4SA framework is based on our theory of change that:

IF

  • We share resources and skills;
  • Facilitate access to information, negotiation, and accountability spaces;
  • Build institutional leadership, governance, and coordination;
  • Strengthen service delivery, infrastructure, and resources;
  • Facilitate equal planning and financing; and
  • Change social norms within communities and societies

THEN this will

  • Build AGENCY of citizens to participate in public life and demand, and public and private sector to deliver and better services;
  • Build RELATIONS between people /service users and those responsible for services for more responsive, equal, and accountable social contracts; and
  • Build STRUCTURES to deliver effective, equal, and accountable institutions and remove barriers within society for active participation of all.

Which will RESULT IN

  • Equal, high-quality, accountable services and support for marginalized and excluded women and girls in all their diversity.

Key strengths of 4SA

4SA helps make lasting changes to systems and structures so that human rights are better respected, leading to fairer communities and services that meet everyone’s needs. Key commonalities and strengths in CARE’s 4SA approach consist of:

  • Service systems strengthening to advance women and girls
  • Long-term convener and relationship builder
  • Decentralized service systems strengthening and reaching the ‘last mile’ in service delivery
  • Monitoring and data management
  • Institutionalizing the DNA of ‘what works’
  • Embedding sustainability and scaling impact