The paper presents results of an empirical research that revealed the existence of intense societal accountability actions related to service delivery in health and social assistance performed in low income regions in the city of Sao Paulo. The micro-territorial approach adopted by the research gave visibility to collective actors that, contrary to what might be expected based on the literature, are not the protagonists of their respective sectors and do not restrict their societal accountability actions to institutionalized participatory spaces.
societal accountability; service delivery; participation; health and social assistance