Module 3 Why measure corruption?

1
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Module 3 Why measure corruption?

• Assessment anxiety?
• vast diversity of approaches that serve
  different purposes
• UNCAC reporting mechanism asks countries to
  explain the systems used for evaluating their
  compliance (UNCAC self-assessment checklist)
• How best to link the processes of nationally led
  assessments and UNCAC reporting?
• Starting point how does a country intend to use
  corruption assessments? For what purpose?

2
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Activity 1 Uses of corruption assessments

• What are corruption assessments used for?
• Small groups brainstorm, record responses on
  paper
• 5 minutes

3
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Activity 1 Uses of corruption assessments

• Ranking has been used to identify change over
  time, in order to achieve the following
  objectives
• Naming and shaming governments and actors seen
  to be the worst corruption offenders
• Identifying good practices
• Praising good performance and promoting a
  virtuous cycle of competition
• Informing decisions about aid allocations
• Informing investment decisions

Photo by takeabreak/flickr
4
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Activity 1 Uses of corruption assessments

• National or sub-national corruption assessments
  (e.g. research projects) may, additionally, be
  used for
• Understanding the drivers of corruption and the
  blockages to reform (e.g. political economy
  studies)
• Assessing the functioning of anti-corruption
  mechanisms
• Understanding the factors underlying
  well-functioning accountability policies,
  mechanisms and practices
• Developing AC strategies and coordinated
  policies
• Identifying capacity gaps
• Strengthening existing monitoring systems
• Understanding the impact of corruption, e.g. on
  marginalised groups, and on business

5
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Activity 2 Monitoring compliance with UNCAC

• Poll
• Whose country has ratified the UNCAC and has
  completed the process of self-assessing
  compliance?
• Does anyone have direct experience with the
  UNCAC self-assessment tool?

6
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)
• adopted by UN General Assembly 31 Oct 2003
• entered into force, 14 Dec 2005
• to date (April 2009) signed by 140 countries,
  ratified by 132 State Parties
• first global legally binding AC instrument
  common standards for national policies,
  institutions, practices in areas of preventing
  corruption, criminalization and law enforcement.

7
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• No definition of corruption specific actions
  seen as corrupt everywhere
• Mandatory criminalization active bribery
  (Art.15), embezzlement (Art.16), misappropriation
  and diversion of property (Art.17), money
  laundering (Art.23) and obstruction of justice
  (Art.25)
• Optional Passive bribery of foreign public
  officials (Art.16), Trading in influence
  (Art.18), Abuse of function (Art. 19), Illicit
  enrichment (Art. 20), Bribery in the private
  sector (Art. 21), Embezzlement in the private
  sector (Art. 22)

8
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• Conference of States Parties to the UNCAC (COSP)
  ? the body mandated to decide the best means to
  review implementation of the Convention
  (A.63)
• First session (December 2006, Jordan) States
  outlined key principles of a Review Mechanism
• Transparent, efficient
• Non-intrusive, inclusive, impartial
• Non-ranking
• provides opportunities to share good practices
  and challenges
• complements existing international and regional
  review mechanisms

9
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• Civil society recommendations to the Review
  Mechanism, calling for active participation of
  non-state stakeholders
• A.13 promotes civil society participation in AC
  efforts, should apply to monitoring and
  implementation
• Possible methods for the Review Mechanism
• Self-assessment of all provisions in UNODC
  checklist
• Review by expert group in dialogue with reviewed
  countries
• Peer review
• Country visits by experts

10
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• Its not a substitute for a countrys own
  internal monitoring
• UNCAC acknowledges the need for capacity to
  assess corruption interventions. Mandates
  countries to undertake periodic evaluations of
  legal and administrative measures put in place to
  combat corruption (A.5 3).
• Related provisions (art. 61) also assert the need
  for technical assistance and information exchange
  in this area.

11
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• Self-assessment Checklist, launched in 2007
• Format Omnibus Survey Software
• Now covers all substantive provisions of UNCAC
  and UN Convention on Transnational Organized
  Crime (UNTOC)
• Checklist includes questions about
• Successful examples of implementation
• Criteria for assessment
• Needs for technical assistance

12
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Mini-lecture UNCAC self-assessment

• Where to begin implementing UNCAC?
• Temptation to undertake too many disconnected
  anti-corruption reforms at once, rather than
  prioritising and sequencing reforms as part of an
  overarching strategy.
• Prior research can provide the evidence needed
  to make these strategic decisions
• Many tools and instruments exist that can provide
  the more focused assessments and indicator
  sources to monitor specific sectors and
  institutions.

13
Module 3 Why measure corruption?
Activity 3 Implications for national
assessments

• What corruption monitoring efforts have taken
  place or regularly take place in your country?
  What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• To what extent are existing corruption research
  processes linked to an overarching strategy to
  combat corruption?
• Do all corruption monitoring activities feed
  into UNCAC self-assessment in your country?