Seeing through corruption: Annual report 2009

TI’s latest Annual Report provides compelling evidence of how the global anti-corruption movement is making concrete gains against corruption.

TI provides victims and witnesses of corruption with free assistance and advice through its Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres. Each year, thousands of people call the centres’ corruption hotlines or visit their walk-in offices. After recounting their experiences, citizens receive advice and legal support. During 2009, more than 68,000 people sought help from the centres.

TI Azerbaijan operates five centres throughout the country – the first was established in 2005. In total they have received more than 23,000 complaints, provided legal aid to almost 14,000 clients and accepted 3,112 formal complaints – approximately 95 per cent of which have been resolved by various public agencies to the full or partial satisfaction of clients. Contributing to the establishment of an anti-corruption hotline, amendments to the criminal code (to incorporate penalties for corruption-related offences) and the writing of a draft conflict of interests law, are just a few examples of the chapter’s actions that successfully build on individual cases to create systemic change.

In TI Bangladesh’s national household survey 44 per cent of patients in public health facilities reported having paid bribes. In response, the chapter instituted mobile advice services in public hospitals to inform patients of their rights. Nearly 130 information desks run by youth volunteers advised almost 30,000 patients. The efforts paid off. The number of doctors available when needed increased, unauthorised payments were prevented, information boards and complaint boxes were set up, and fewer patients diverted to private clinics for services that are available in public hospitals.

More than 500 young activist leaders were trained by the TI chapter, the Lebanese Transparency Association, to address corruption and bad governance. The leaders were equipped with the skills needed to combat inefficient and corrupt governance, training them in areas such as citizenship, good governance, budgeting and project management. The project also provided 28 grants of US $5,000 (€3,600) to enable the implementation of community projects to encourage transparency and bridge sectarian divides.

Mexico’s TI chapter, Transparencia Mexicana, was invited by the Education Ministry and the National Union for Education Workers to design and coordinate a citizens’ movement to observe the teachers’ entrance examination, to address allegations that teachers buy, sell or inherit their positions. With the support of 46 NGOs and 196 citizen-observers, the exam was made available in 142 schools. Observation results were publicly issued the next day, strengthening trust in the process and highlighting improvements needed. The chapter also monitored the distribution of six extraordinary state funds, worth a total of US $470 million (€338 million), paid to public universities to help increase student enrolment, pay salaries and fund pensions.

Because women are often more economically vulnerable than men, they are the main targets for vote-buying. The TI chapter in Senegal, Forum Civil,launched a project to improve women’s access to credit, thereby increasing their economic independence. More than 800 women have been given credit through mutual funds to develop businesses, so they can afford not to exchange political support for gifts or bribes.

Under its “Transparent Local Government”programme, TI Slovakia helped the city of Martin adopt anti-corruption measures in areas such as selling assets, recruitment, civic participation in decision-making, access to information and procurement. Information including contracts, budgets and investments is now published online. The disclosure measures helped the city save around US $200,000 (€143,790) or 28 per cent of planned procurement expenditure in the second half of 2009.