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Subject chosen: Advocacy

Anti-Corruption Conventions in Africa: What Civil Society Can Do to Make Them Work

Part of a regional series on civil society action in anti-corruption conventions, this guide focuses on the two principal anti-corruption conventions in Africa – the African Union (AU) anti-corruption convention and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

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Anti-Corruption Conventions in the Americas: What civil society can do to make them work

Designed to make conventions more accessible to civil society organisations, this easy-to-read guide provides an overview of two anti-corruption conventions in the Americas: the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. The publication shows how to promote national ratification, implementation and monitoring.

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Anti-Corruption Conventions in the Middle East and North Africa: What Civil Society Can Do to Make Them Work

Part of a regional series on civil society action in anti-corruption conventions, TI published a handbook to help civil society better engage in promoting and monitoring conventions in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Global Corruption Barometer 2007

The TI Global Corruption Barometer 2007 (or the Barometer) is the fifth edition of a public opinion survey that assesses the general public’s perceptions and experience of corruption. The 2007 Barometer polls more than 63,199 people in 60 countries. The Barometer 2007 asks people about their opinions regarding which public sectors are the most corrupt, and their opinion on how future levels of corruption will evolve in the near future, as well as how their government is doing in the fight against corruption. The Barometer also explores people’s experiences with bribery, presenting information on how frequently citizens are asked to pay bribes when they come in contact with different public service providers.

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Global Corruption Barometer 2009

Transparency International’s (TI) 2009 Global Corruption Barometer (the Barometer) presents the main findings of a public opinion survey that explores the general public’s views of corruption, as well as experiences of bribery around the world. It assesses the extent to which key institutions and public services are perceived to be corrupt, measures citizens’ views on government efforts to fight corruption, and this year, for the first time, includes questions about the level of state capture and people’s willingness to pay a premium for clean corporate behaviour.

ISBN: 978-3-935711-28-9

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Group of Eight Progress Report 2007 - Assessment of the G8’s fight against corruption : Rhetoric exceeds action

This report assesses the progress made to date by G8 governments on five important commitments and finds that, in too many cases, rhetoric exceeds reality. The G8 Progress Report is a ‘call to action’ for the G8 to do more to fulfil its promises and to report back on progress at the 2008 Summit.

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Group of Eight Progress Report 2009 : an assessment of G8 action on anti-corruption commitments

The G8 Progress Report is an annual TI review of G8 implementation of existing instruments. In its third edition, TI declares G8 performance on key anti-corruption commitments inadequate, and calls on G8 governments to fulfil promptly their commitment to “make every effort to pursue maximum country participation and swift and resolute implementation” with respect to existing commitments.

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Policy Note No 01/2009 - Transparency is Key in the UNCAC Review Mechanism

One key issue to be resolved for the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is the transparency of the proposed review process. Of particular concern is whether individual country reports and recommendations will be made public. The outcome on this issue is of major importance to the credibility of the review process and of the Convention itself.

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Policy Note No 02/2009 - Civil Society Participation is Essential for UNCAC Review

Civil society participation is essential to ensure the credibility of the review process that is being proposed for the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). With discussions underway by Convention signatories about the structure of the process, it is critical that they support and endorse the role of civil society in reviewing UNCAC implementation.

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Policy Paper No. 1/2007 Poverty, Aid and Corruption

The paper offers recommendations on how to make the most efficient use of development resources in anti-poverty programmes and tackling the supply-side of corruption. It shows how cooperation in multi-stakeholder environments and the decentralisation of aid delivery can help avoid corruption-prone settings. The paper is the result of a series of consultations within the TI movement and reflects current discussion within the movement and debates in the wider development community.

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Policy Position No. 01/2005 Standards on Political Funding and Favours

Corruption in political party and campaign finance damages democracy because it undermines elections and distorts political competition. But the damage is not confined to the electoral process. The quality of government is marred when subsequent decisions.

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Policy Position No. 01/2008 Effectively Monitoring the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)

The UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) provides a comprehensive global framework for combating corruption. While the convention’s adoption marks a watershed, its ratification does not guarantee compliance.

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Policy Position No. 02/2008 Linking the Corruption, Water and Environmental Agendas to Combat Climate Change

Corruption in the water sector compromises the environmental agenda. It contributes to water scarcity, largescale pollution and the destruction of natural habitats - all factors which make our response to climate change more difficult. If present patterns continue, climate change is expected to fundamentally alter rainfall and river flows, drive up sea levels and put water supplies at risk in many regions.

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Policy Position No. 02/2009 (02/2005) Political Finance Regulations: Bridging the Enforcement Gap

Political finance regulations have been introduced in a majority of democracies to promote fair political competition, but all too often political party and campaign finance laws are breached with impunity. This situation needs remedying because people's trust in democracy is eroded when democratically elected leaders fail to comply with laws they themselves design.

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Policy Position No. 03/2005 Standards for Public Contracting

Transparency International's Minimum Standards for Public Contracting provides a framework for preventing and reducing corruption based on clear rules, transparency and effective control and auditing procedures throughout the contracting process.

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Policy Position No. 03/2008 Building Integrity to Ensure Effective Water Governance

As with any governance framework, participation, transparency and accountability form the guiding principles needed for ensuring policies and decisions on water are responsive to citizens. When these features are missing, the sector’s integrity is eroded and corruption is given a fertile ground on which to flourish.In the case of water, corruption has become a driver of the sector’s crisis. Overuse and contamination, abetted by corruption, have caused water supplies to dwindle, user demands to surge and competition to increase for this indispensable resource.

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Policy Position No. 03/2009 Strengthening Corporate Governance to Combat Corruption

There is a growing sentiment that poor corporate governance is one of the forces to blame for the collapse of the financial markets since it failed to ensure the transparency, accountability and integrity of companies, particularly on matters of corruption.

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Policy Position No. 04/2008 Mitigating the Costs of Corruption in Water for the Poor

The water crisis, exacerbated by corruption, is exacting a high human toll on the lives of the poor and vulnerable. Corruption makes water undrinkable, inaccessible and unaffordable. In developing countries, about 80 percent of health problems can be linked to substandard water and sanitation services, claiming the lives of nearly 1.8 million children every year.

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Policy Position No. 05/2008 Enhancing Revenue Transparency in Oil & Gas Company Reporting

Companies and governments need to provide better quality information on extractive industries revenues if funds are to benefit all citizens and a country's development.

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Policy Position No.1/2007 Enhancing Judicial Transparency

Transparency relating to the judiciary serves to increase public knowledge about the judicial system, provides recourse for redress when problems occur, and decreases the opportunities for corrupt practices. It is vital that appointments, complaints and disciplinary processes are transparent and objective, and that the public has a means of challenging decisions where they are unreasonable or improper. Transparency also bolsters judicial independence. A diligent judge, for example, can demonstrate that they are acting in accordance with the law. In addition, information on judicial conduct and discipline enables the public and civil society to act as a check against arbitrary executive interference.

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Policy Position No.2/2007 Judicial Accountability and Discipline

The judiciary needs to be independent of outside influence, particularly of political and economic entities such as government agencies or industry associations. But judicial independence does not mean that judges and court officials should have free rein to behave as they please. Indeed, judicial independence is founded on public trust and, to maintain it, judges must uphold the highest standards of integrity and be held accountable to them.Where judges or court personnel are suspected of breaching the public’s trust, fair measures must be in place to detect, investigate and sanction corrupt practices.

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Policy Position No.3/2007 Promoting Fairness in Judicial Appointments

Where political power plays a significant role in the appointment, promotion and conditions of service of judges there is a risk that judicial candidates, as well as sitting judges, will feel compelled to respond positively to the demands of the powerful. In some countries, judges who abide by the wishes of senior public officials may be rewarded with modern office equipment, higher quality housing or newer cars. Appointment procedures must therefore be transparent, fair and robust enough to ensure that only those candidates with the highest professional qualifications and standards of personal integrity are allowed to sit on the bench.

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Policy Position No.4/2007 Promoting Decent Judicial Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions under which judges and court officials work are important in determining their likelihood to engage in corrupt practice. Judiciaries faced with low salaries, poor training and benefits, uncertain security of tenure, or sub-standard administration are unlikely to attract and retain high-quality candidates. Even where able judges and court staff are in place, poor terms and conditions can provide both an incentive and opportunities for resorting to corruption. Security of tenure of judges is an essential means of securing judicial independence, but, more broadly, conditions of service should provide a professional environment in which judicial officers have a transparent, motivating and safe environment in which to work. Developing decent working environments is therefore a key means of preventing judicial corruption.

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Recommendations for the development and implementation of an effective debarment system in the EU

In collaboration with OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, TI organised a Round Table in January 2006 to discuss the further implementation of the European Commission’s debarment system with key stakeholders. As a result of this Roundtable, TI has put together a series of recommendations for the EU debarment system.

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Report on Follow-up Process for UN Conventions Against Corruption- 2006

This report is the outcome of TI’s Study Group on a Follow-up Process for UNCAC to develop ideas for consideration by the Conference of State Parties.

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TI Recommendations for Review Mechanism for UN Convention Against Corruption - 2007

Transparency International (TI) today called on governments to give priority to the fight against corruption and to reach consensus on concrete proposals to review whether countries covered by the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) are taking sufficient action to fulfil their commitments.

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Transparency International Progress Report 2005: Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

This Progress Report is the first in a TI program of annual assessments of the enforcement of the OECD Convention. It provides a benchmark for measuring progress made in future years. It approaches monitoring from a different perspective and presents a nongovernmental assessment of enforcement of the OECD Convention. It is based on information provided by TI national chapters in twenty-four OECD signatory states, which represent about ninety-five percent of OECD exports.

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Transparency International Progress Report 2006: Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

This is the second TI Progress Report on OECD Convention Enforcement and examines the enforcement performance of 31 of the 36 countries that have ratified the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials. TI's progressreports are intended to provide an annual assessment of government performance. Enforcement of the OECD Convention is crucially important to the fight against international corruption.

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Transparency International Progress Report 2007: Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

This is the third progress report on the enforcement of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions prepared by Transparency International (TI). It examines the enforcement performance of 34 of the 37 countries that have ratified the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

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Transparency International Progress Report 2008: Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

Transparency International (TI) Progress Report tracks the enforcement status of OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (also known as OECD Anti-Bribery Convention) in signatory countries. This year saw the 4th report, documenting the advances and obstacles in convention implementation.

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Transparency International Progress Report 2009: Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

This is the fifth annual Progress Report on Enforcement of the OECD Convention prepared by Transparency International. The 2009 report covers 36 of the 38 parties. It shows that enforcement has been extremely uneven. There is active enforcement in only four countries and little or no enforcement in 21 of the parties. Increased efforts are also needed in countries with moderate enforcement because their level of enforcement is not high enough to provide effective deterrence.

ISBN: 978-3-935711-31-9

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Understanding the African Union Convention on prevention and combating corruption and related offences

This publication is designed to encourage ordinary Africans to participate meaningfully in pressuring their governments to ratify the African Union Convention. It covers the features of the Convention, the obligations of state parties, the rights of individuals, civil society, the media and issues related to trials of corruption.

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Working Paper No 01/2009 Recovering stolen assets: A problem of scope and dimension

Both developed and developing nations are responsible for stealing assets, sidelining initiatives to repatriate them and profiting from corruption. Ending this complicity is urgent.

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Working Paper No 03/2008 Using the OECD Guidelines to Tackle Corporate Corruption

The Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, adopted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), provide a set of corrupt accountability standards that offer great potential for civil society to effectively combat private sector corruption

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Working Paper No.03/2009 Corruption and Sport: Building Integrity and Preventing Abuses

Whenever there is money, competition or power involved, corruption is a constant threat. The sporting industry is not immune from this reality. From match-fixing to stadium construction kickbacks, the sporting world has seen a string of corruption scandals that has tarnished its reputation.

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