 Around the world, people are on the move. Women, men and children in millions are migrating as a direct consequence of humanitarian crises. At the end of 2018, there were 66 million refugees and internally displaced people worldwide. At IOM, we are tasked to meet the operational challenges of humanitarian action in areas of crisis, including man-made and natural disasters and protracted displacement, while at the same time upholding human dignity and the rights of displaced persons and affected populations. A large and growing body of staff at IOM are involved in varied crisis response, and most are based in the field in close proximity to populations affected by crisis that we are seeking to assist. Accountability to affected populations, or AAP, is an active commitment by IOM as a humanitarian actor to use our power responsibly when delivering aid. This can be achieved by taking account of, giving account to and being held to account by the people that we are seeking to assist. But what, in practice, does this rather technical definition mean? It means we need to inform, involve and engage diversely with the affected populations that we are tasked to assist. They should be at the centre of key decision-making processes that impact them. Together with engagement, we must strive to create and incorporate effective feedback and complaints systems, which are easily accessible to all, especially to the most vulnerable or marginalised members of a community. The framework provides the organisation with a common understanding of AAP principles and their relevance to IOM programming. The framework has been developed in accordance with the Interagency Standing Committee commitments to AAP. IOM recognises that there is often a power differential that tilts towards aid and service providers in the course of interactions between staff and affected populations. The AAP framework can be used to address this power differential by empowering all members of the affected population, irrespective of their sex, age, ethnicity, disability or of other social markers of exclusion. When left unchecked, the power imbalance fosters abuse of power, like sexual exploitation and abuse, and cultivates an environment that is conducive to undermining their rights and dignity. This power differential exists in every interaction that an IOM staff member has with the crisis affected person, especially the most marginalised and vulnerable and throughout the entire project cycle. The framework visualises its operational commitments as leadership, participation, information sharing and transparency, complaints and feedback mechanisms and partner coordination. IOM should engage affected populations in decision making processes that affect them throughout the project cycle and participate meaningfully with IOM staff on unequal footing. IOM has a responsibility to share information about who we are and what we can do to achieve transparency. We should explain our mission, the programme and the beneficiary selection process. It is also essential to share information about what crisis affected people are entitled to, including their right to report abuse and give feedback about IOM programmes. Complaints and feedback mechanisms are implemented to improve quality of programme design and delivery based on feedback and to reinforce existing accountability mechanisms to respond to staff misconduct. Finally, leaders at all levels should commit to proper mainstreaming of AAP by enforcing and integrating these AAP approaches into programmes and strategies. With consideration of these commitments, we can achieve consistent application of accountability, keeping the people we seek to assist at the centre of the work that we do. IOM is the leading intergovernmental organisation in the field of migration and works closely with government intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. At the heart of all that we do are the people that we are tasked to assist and protect. There are people who move from that place of usual residence, whether within a country or across an international border, temporarily or permanently and for a variety of reasons. The principles of transparency, meaningful participation of diverse communities and the establishment of safe and effective complaints and feedback mechanisms, accessible to the most vulnerable are crucial to IOM's internal governance. It is the duty of all members of IOM staff, particularly those in positions of leadership in the field and at headquarters to ensure that the principles and good practices of accountability to affected populations are systematically across IOM's crisis response.