This Policy Brief is based on the International IDEA Discussion Paper ‘Sanctions, Rewards and Learning: Enforcing democratic accountability in the delivery of health, education, and water, sanitation and hygiene’.

It provides key information on the role of sanctions, rewards and learning in generating democratic accountability. The policy brief aims to provide guidance to decision-makers based on the review of existing political enforceability mechanisms, showcasing country experiences and highlighting the strengths and challenges of different enforcement mechanisms and their ability to support fairer and more citizen-oriented service delivery.