The Drum Beat 570 - Anti-Corruption Communication
This issue includes:
- This issue's inspiration: INT'L ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY.
- What role does the media play in CORRUPTION COMMUNICATION?
- CITIZENS PARTICIPATE in fighting corruption.
- A POLL on effective representation.
- Effectively ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT through Development Classifieds.
- Corruption and communication in the HEALTH SECTOR.
- Selected anti-corruption energy from AFRICA.
This issue of The Drum Beat is inspired by the United Nations' (UN) International Anti-Corruption Day, which is commemorated every December 9 in an effort to raise public awareness of corruption and what people can do to fight it. Click here to read more.
"International Anti-Corruption Day is a time for political leaders, governments, legal bodies, and lobby groups to work together against corruption work by promoting the day and the issues that surround this event. On this day anti-corruption advocates organize events to engage the general public to effectively fight against corruption and fraud in communities. Other activities that promote the day include:
- Musicals and plays to publicise the message of fighting against corruption.
- Keynote speeches by those who were victims of corruption or fought against it.
- Essay competitions on issues surrounding the topic of corruption.
- The dissemination of posters, flyers, and other material to increase awareness levels on corruption.
- ...special recognition ceremonies to pay tribute to people and projects that provide assistance to nations and communities in the battle against corruption."
Also see our Theme Sites on Democracy and Governance and on Fragile Contexts and State Building both with significant focus on addressing corruption.
Please send information about your work that highlights the use of communication strategies to combat corruption to us, at any time: drumbeat@comminit.com
COVERING CORRUPTION: JOURNALISM
1. Covering Corruption: The Difficulties of Trying to Make a Difference
From July 2010, this document "examines the impact of reporting about corruption on the incidence of corruption, asking whether and how media has an effect in bringing about reform and better governance. It asks those question in a number of specific settings - Mexico, Uganda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Bangladesh - where media systems, the talent and traditions of native journalists and the strength of democratic structures, especially courts, law enforcement, and government agencies, differ greatly from the United States...."
2. Better Connected: Empowering People through Communications Technology
One section of this February 2008 briefing for journalists describes the e-readiness index, a tool that measures a population's capacity to use information and communication technologies (ICTs). It cites projects including electronic bill payment and ticket reservation systems that reduce corruption and increase efficiency, as well as studies showing that specific legislation on anti-corruption is needed to prevent tech system sabotage for corrupt purposes.
3. Aswatona Project - Palestinian Territory
This Internews Network project works in the West Bank and Gaza to strengthen independent media through building reporting skills, enhancing business sustainability, and supporting programme production related to civil society and good governance topics. Working with the local broadcast media, the project aims to improve citizen awareness and involvement in community-level democracy and governance issues, as well as to increase and improve the coverage of local news, including local manifestations of broad themes such as rule of law, good governance, and corruption.
4. Journalist Organization of Pakistan (JOP)
Operating with a rights-based focus, JOP carries out development projects, research, and documentation, and provides training, guidance, and security to working journalists. JOP also reaches out to the public, as well: One media campaign is designed to stress the value of journalism in "eradicating the menace of corruption and other evils in the society."
5. Citizen Groups Organize to End "Soft Censorship," Guarantee Freedom of Expression
by Martha Farmelo
In this March 2009 article, Martha Farmelo argues that Latin American citizens' groups are increasingly identifying and publicising abuses and demanding that governments refrain from indirect censorship. Groups ranging from journalists' associations to civil rights organisations are presenting freedom of information requests in order to gain access to government data on advertising spending, and then using that information to denounce abuses. They are also demanding the required legal reforms, making legislative proposals, engaging lawmakers and other government officials, and taking action in the courts in support of media outlets that have sued the government.
CITIZENS AT THE CENTRE
6. Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP) - Philippines
This project is an effort to widen public participation and involvement in fighting corruption. It is built on the belief that corruption in public life will only ever be reduced when ordinary people are able to understand, monitor, and ultimately have a say on where and how public money is spent. The project, which centres around an interactive website titled "Pera Natin To!" ("It's Our Money!"), aims to link media, civil society, government departments, and ordinary citizens, as well as to build public understanding, dialogue, debate, and action on public sector finances and spending in the Philippines.
by Aimee Ansari
In the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 2010, this Oxfam International Briefing Note sets out some basic paths and principles for reconstruction. For example: "...The strength of local government, local communities, and their organizations and churches has sustained much of the population of Haiti. Reconstruction efforts need to involve and further strengthen such grassroots initiatives, build on decentralisation efforts, and support local government....Tackling corruption and increasing transparency and accountability at all levels must be integral to the reconstruction effort."
See Also:
- Monitoring Government Policies: A Toolkit for Civil Society Organisations in Africa
- The Drum Beat 473 - Transparency
Please vote in our Poll focused on Effective Representation:
Which of the following is most important for effective representation of the interests of marginalised groups?
- media representation and coverage to create public awareness.
- group organisation for self-advocacy.
- representation and advocacy support through NGOs.
- government representation through assigned intermediaries.
~
Results thus far:
47%: group organisation for self-advocacy.
35%: media representation and coverage to create public awareness.
12%: representation and advocacy support through NGOs.
6%: government representation through assigned intermediaries.
Recent comments:
"In too many developing countries, media are either government instruments or strictly interested in politics, or placements must be paid for. Representation and advoacy support through NGOs is good for starting up and "capacity building", but not sustainable. Government representation is useful only for an official "stamp" on an effort, not for longterm impact. Only group organisation for self-advoacy is local-based and driven AND sustainable."
"Nothing in this world can act so fast than representation through media. Media coverage makes the public to know and its the voice to the voiceless. Opening up is one big strategy to curb the problem. One can easily remain tormented for the rest of her life or his life, but when the public gets to know, things can change. Government, NGOs and other groups can only come up to address the problem after media publications. Media is there to make the public informed on what is going on at a another corner!"
Advertise Your Fee-based Training Events and Conferences through The CI
What organiser doesn't want full attendance at their workshop or conference? Promote your events and training opportunities through the Development Classifieds website and e-magazine. You can directly post online at or contact jsavidge@comminit.com for assistance.
CORRUPTION IN THE HEALTH SECTOR
8. Review of Corruption in the Health Sector: Theory, Methods and Interventions
by Taryn Vian
This February 2008 article presents a conceptual framework to guide policymakers in examining corruption in the health sector and to identify possible ways to intervene. The author also examines the meaning of citizen voice - one purpose of which is to increase external accountability of government. Strategies to promote citizen voice include local health boards where citizens can have input into the budgeting and planning processes; patient surveys to provide feedback on satisfaction; and complaint offices to record and mediate reports of unethical or corrupt conduct. Research she cites here suggests that civic education can be effective in increasing citizens' willingness to participate in civic and political life, and their skills in explaining their problems.
9. Corruption in the Health Sector: Causes, Consequences, and Avenues for Action
This January 2009 workshop curriculum from U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre's training portfolio is an in-country course of 3 days designed to develop skills for assessing risks to corruption in the health sector. Through lectures, case studies, exercises, and group work, the workshop programme focuses on analysing specific problems, weighing the relative merits of alternative strategies for control and prevention, and considering interventions to promote accountability and transparency.
10. Health Care Corruption and Governance in Developing Countries: What Do We Know?
by Maureen Lewis
This slide-format presentation for a United States Agency of International Development (USAID) conference (June 2007) summarises the speaker's intentions, including: define corruption and poor governance for the health sector; demonstrate the relative importance of poor governance to health outcomes; measure corruption and poor governance in health care delivery; and discuss what to do about it, which includes a list of government effectiveness and accountability practices, corruption control possibilities, and an assessment of the use of voice, e.g., voting, and citizen participation.
11. The Human Faces of Corruption by Edouard Al-Dahdah
In this September 2008 article from Governance Matters, blogger Edouard Al-Dahdah describes being in Yemen to lay the groundwork for a national diagnostics survey of governance and anti-corruption in the health sector, focusing on bribery and informal payments. He recounts a personal investigation of a health centre in the outer suburbs of San'aa, Yemen's capital, and how a number of factors he encountered explain and exemplify, through "anecdotic evidence", the need to address the incentives of primary healthcare staff and increase oversight.
See Also:
VOICES AND ACTION FROM AFRICA
12. Accountability Now Radio Programme - Sierra Leone
A radio programme developed by Search for Common Ground (SFCG) in Sierra Leone which is designed to strengthen government-to-constituent service delivery by improving communication between the two sides around the issue of financial management of local councils. It mobilises citizens to ask questions of their Councils about priorities and progress towards outlined plans. With information available monthly, citizens can see what kind of resources are available for development in their area, how their taxes are being used, and track variances in spending that might signal corruption.
13. Africa Education Watch - Ghana, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda
A 3-year programme (June 2007 to December 2010) aiming to improve transparency and accountability in the use of primary education resources in 7 African countries by assessing waste, leakages, and corruption in the education sector, and strengthening demand for policy reforms and improved service delivery.
14. The Team: Kenya - Midterm Evaluation Results
This is a midterm evaluation of a television and radio drama series, The Team, which was produced in response to the post-election violence in Kenya in December 2007. Members of the fictional football team, Imani (Faith) Football Club, who represent major ethnic groups or social classes in Kenya, are brought together and challenged to overcome their fears and biases against one another so that they can see one another as individuals and not as members of "the other". Themes include ethnic tolerance and retribution, land disputes, mob violence and police impunity, gender violence, corruption and bribery, economic and social inequalities, and youth unemployment.
15. Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR) - Uganda
This community radio station offers educational and participatory programming on human rights, land rights, health, family relations, education, gender consciousness, and politics. Programmes feature debates and listener call-in discussions. For example, weekly programmes focus on public resource accountability issues such as detention without trial, corruption, leadership, and good governance.
16. Wontanara (We Are United) - Guinea
In the context of political changes that have been accompanied by what Search for Common Ground (SFCG) describes as troubling corruption and conflict within Guinea's police and military, SFCG has collaborated with Raido Rurale Guinee to produce and broadcast this 15-minute radio soap opera in an effort to help restore peace and address post-conflict issues. Accompanying Wontanara is another weekly soap opera, Kissidougou Feu N'est Pas Incendie (A Fire Is Not Always Destructive), which addresses human rights, corruption, governance, and HIV/AIDS.
See Also:
This issue of The Drum Beat was written by Kier Olsen DeVries.
The Editor of The Drum Beat is Kier Olsen DeVries.
Please send additional project, evaluation, strategic thinking, and materials information on communication for development at any time. Send to drumbeat@comminit.com
The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.
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