Voice and accountability index

Definition

The voice and accountability index captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media. Country's scores on the aggregate indicator are in units of a standard normal distribution, ranging from approximately -2.5 to 2.5. Higher scores indicate more accountability.

Relevance

Voice and accountability can impact those who are employed throughout food systems and their abilities to report inadequate working and living conditions for themselves, their families, and other workers. It can also play a role in the amount of information people are able to access regarding the conditions in which their food, including animal welfare, is produced, processed, and sold to them. Participation in governmental processes may also impact the population's ability to voice their opinion regarding policies that directly impact food systems and their role within them (farmer support for land reform, food preparation staff advocacy for health insurance, etc).