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Anti-Corruption and Human Rights, Global Knowledge Products,

(New Publication) Corruption and Contemporary Forms of Slavery: Examining Relationships and Addressing Policy Gaps

by 15 October 2021no comment
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Corruption is an underlying cause of and a facilitating tool for practices arising from contemporary forms of slavery; it is essential to creating the conditions for a low-cost, low-risk, high-profit illicit trade in vulnerable individuals. Yet, corruption and contemporary forms of slavery tend to be dealt with in isolation, with no international instrument that focuses on the important link between them, and a lack of systemic data collection efforts on corruption in contemporary forms of slavery. This has significant negative implications on human rights and gender equality, as estimates suggest that 40 million people—71% of whom are women and girls—are trapped in contemporary forms of slavery, with 24.9 million in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriages. In addition, with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economic and labour markets and on people's lives and livelihoods, the risks of corruption and vulnerabilities to enslavement have increased.

This study therefore explores the linkages between corruption and contemporary forms of slavery, including from a gendered perspective, and offers recommendations for the international community, governments, civil society and the private sector to develop effective strategies to prevent and address them.

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Anti-Corruption in SDGs, Global Knowledge Products, Library,

(New Publication) New Technologies for Sustainable Development: Perspectives on Integrity, Trust and Anti-Corruption

by 15 October 2021
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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has brought immense opportunities to leverage digitalisation and technological innovation to meet many development challenges. In the area of anti-corruption, technology has become one of the greatest allies for preventing and tackling corruption, not only through detecting, analysing and monitoring corruption but also through promoting effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. However, given that the development of new technologies and digital solutions adds a new dimension of vulnerability, there is a need to address the risks of misuse and abuse of technology, including corrupt and fraudulent activities that could be facilitated by technology. Moreover, there is a need to address the digital divide among and within countries, as well as ethical and human rights issues, to ensure the responsible use of technologies and data.

This study therefore explores the opportunities and risks of new technologies – artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, big data analytics, robotic process automation, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing – for sustainable development, from the perspectives of integrity, trust and anti-corruption. It also examines the current regulatory mechanisms surrounding the use of these technologies around the world, and offers recommendations for governments, civil society, the private sector and the international community to develop effective digital governance strategies that maximise the benefits of technology for sustainable development.

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Anti-Corruption in SDGs, News,

New UNDP Resource Guide: Building Transparent and Open Public Procurement Systems for Achieving the SDGs in ASEAN (2021)

by 12 May 2021

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Corruption poses a significant threat to economies around the world. It weakens institutions, erodes public trust, undermines fair competition, and discourages investment. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), approximately 10 to 25 percent of all funds spent globally on procurement are lost to corruption. As a result, poor infrastructure development and insufficient service delivery to taxpayers and citizens prevail. The COVID-19 health crisis has further exposed the vulnerability of procurement systems to corrupt practices when they are not equipped with the necessary tools to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity throughout the procurement cycle.

Open and transparent public procurement systems are a strategic tool, not only in preventing corruption but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they are a prerequisite of delivering medical goods, water services, quality education infrastructure, access to justice and sustainable infrastructure.

The resource guide builds on the UNDP guidebook, Tackling Integrity Risks in Government Contracts (2017), which provides a methodology for governments to assess normative gaps and loopholes that can lead to corruption in government contracts. Through this guide, UNDP promotes the adoption of a collective action - a multi-stakeholder approach where governments, citizen, and the private sector work together to strengthen transparency and openness in public procurement systems. It maps out existing tools and good practices in the region and beyond, which have been successful in achieving this objective. It also lays out some entry points for policy dialogue on this topic and reforms at the national and subnational levels. 

Learn more about FairBiz - Promoting a Fair Business Environment in ASEAN 

 

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COVID-19, Global Knowledge Products, News,

New UNDP Publications on Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption in COVID-19 Response and Recovery

by 3 September 2020

UNDP’s Global Anti-Corruption Programme has published two new knowledge products on Integrating Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption in COVID-19 Response and Recovery:

UNDP Guidance Note: Integrating Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption in Socio-Economic Impact AnalysisDownload

The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health, humanitarian or socio-economic crisis; it is also a governance crisis, testing the resilience of governance institutions and systems to support societies and economies to recover from the ramifications of COVID-19. In particular, corruption and its consequences significantly impact COVID-19 response and recovery. This Guidance Note presents UNDP’s offer in supporting countries to integrate transparency, accountability and anti-corruption in both response and recovery priorities.

To build forward better, UNDP’s Next Generation of Anti-Corruption programming aims at strengthening the role of oversight and anti-corruption institutions for sustainable development; promoting social accountability and the role of civil society; strengthening business integrity; and harnessing the benefits of technology and innovation to enhance transparency and openness. These will contribute to all five pillars of the UN’s framework on socio-economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the recognition that effective and accountable governance systems and processes are critical for progressive socio-economic change.

UNDP Guidance Note: Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption Service Offer for COVID-19 Response and RecoveryDownload

As the technical lead for the socio-economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the UN system, UNDP and its COs worldwide are working to assess the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies and communities to develop and implement effective strategies for COVID-19 response and recovery. Although there is recognition that COVID-19 impacts governance systems, processes and institutions, existing socio-economic impact analyses have not specifically assessed the links between them, and in particular, the impact of corruption and a lack of transparency and accountability on COVID-19 response and recovery. These are largely due to two main challenges: a lack of knowledge and guidance on how to integrate transparency, accountability and anti-corruption in socio-economic impact analysis; and a lack of coordination between anti-corruption institutions and the institutions focusing on socio-economic aspects.

This guidance note thus provides a practical methodology, including checklist questions, on how to integrate transparency, accountability and anti-corruption in social and economic needs assessment and response in the context of COVID-19.

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