home
about us
news room
global priorities
regional pages
policy and research
tools
publications
download newsletter in pdf-format
|
This area provides highlights of the valuable work of the anti-corruption movement, championing a world free of corruption. This month highlights the following stories: |
National bribery index published in Kenya, and used by government as an indicator for Good Governance effort
By Georg Neumann
|
|
Transparency International Kenya in September published the sixth annual Kenya Bribery Index (KBI) as part of its ongoing efforts to raise public awareness about corruption. The KBI analyses perceptions of corruption in the public sector and the economy. |
Based on surveys of more than 2000 respondents, the KBI identifies and lists, among other factors, the alleged prevalence, incidence and cost of bribes relating to several institutions in Kenya.
The KBI 2007 shows that the police are again perceived as the most corrupt government institution in Kenya. The perception is that lawyers have become more corrupt, they advanced to the top 10, and ended up sixth on the scale. According to the findings, the overall trend in the country remains unchanged. Whereas the cost of the average bribe declined significantly, the average number of bribes paid doubled to result in a 50 percent increase in cost burden. As in 2005, about half of the survey’s respondents reported having encountered bribery in interactions with institutions, both public and private.
The Kenya Bribery Index 2007 received excellent media coverage in both the local and international press (see the International Herald Tribune, 21 August), and it is being used as one of the indicators in the Kenyan government’s Governance, Justice, Law and Order Sector Reform Program (GJLOS). GJLOS was launched by the government of Kenya to improve governance, justice, law and order, end corruption, slow and inept government services, and enhance professionalism in the civil service.
Helpline service launched in Sri Lanka
By Georg Neumann
|
|
In August, Transparency International’s chapter in Sri Lanka (TI SL) launched two key programmes to combat corruption. The first is a help line to encourage people to report corruption, and the second is a programme to support the public servants’ “Clean Hands” movement – an Alliance of Sri Lankan public sector officers working to fight corruption. |
TI SL created the “Voice Corruption Help Line Service” on 8 August where the public can call in to report corruption-related issues in the education sector. The information gathered through the help line will be forwarded by TI SL to the relevant authorities –for example, the Ministry of Education or the Commission to Investigate Allegations on Bribery or Corruption –to take necessary action. The help line is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Information also can be sent by postal mail to “Voice Corruption”, Transparency International Sri Lanka, 28/1, Bullers lane Colombo 07 or by e-mail to help@tisrilanka.org.
The second programme is a series of public exhibitions to enhance awareness of anti-corruption activities and to foster an attitude of public integrity. The exhibitions consist of anti-corruption awareness stalls from organisations engaging in anti-corruption activities and governmental and non-governmental organisations who deliver public services. The exhibitions will be followed by a peoples’ platform where public issues related to corruption will be discussed.
To date, three exhibitions have been scheduled, with the first event held in Kurunegala on 15 September. The following events are scheduled for Anuradhapura and Badulla in October and November respectively. For more information go to: www.tisrilanka.org/?p=367
Anti-corruption video game launched in China
By Georg Neumann
|
|
One of the best ways to get a kid’s attention is with a video game. Parents around the world should have been joyful when a Chinese video game “The Incorruptible Warrior” went live in a test phase at the end of July. The game can arguably have an educational purpose – to teach youth about corruption. |
The game certainly captured the attention of youth – in its first week online the video game was downloaded over 100,000 times from the Internet. “The Incorruptible Warrior”, originally designed to support 500 simultaneous users, was in fact so successful, that by 28 July no new people could enter the game due to server congestion. The server has been shut down for upgrade.
Online gamers register as “honest and upright officials”. To work their way through different game levels, players have to capture and kill as many corrupt officials – as well as their sons, daughters and mistresses – as possible. With each death the player wins points which increase his or her “moral character”. The goal is to reach “Paradise” where corruption no longer has a place.
Chinese Official Qiu Yi is quoted in the German newspaper Die Welt as saying: “We wanted the players to have fun with the game, but also that they would learn something about fighting corruption, folklore and history.”
While the principle of teaching youth about corruption is certainly admirable, teaching them to root out corruption by killing the corrupt officials in the game, as well as their sons and daughters is clearly not.
To read more about what the Transparency International movement is doing to teach youth about corruption, please see the latest In Focus on TI’s website at: http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2007/back_to_school