ALACs promote the relationship between citizens´ demand for justice based on corruption cases, and the capacity of the system to address these cases. This methodology stimulates citizen empowerment through legal assistance and advice in presenting the complaints. Moreover, the information recorded from the complaints is used to plead the case of institutional and legal changes in order to reduce the risks of corruption and bring back public trust in the official institutions. The TI national chapter in Guatemala, Acción Ciudadana, is the first national chapter in Latin America to open an ALAC. The project will be funded by the United Nations Development Programme. Besides Acción Ciudadana, other TILAC Chapters have also shown interest in the methodology, which was originally developed in the Eastern European region.

TI national contact in Ukraine, the “Anticorruption Committee”, received funding from Management System International to implement a “Legal Assistance to Citizens through Anticorruption Hotline”. The project provides legal advice to victims of corruption and a toll-free hotline through which citizens can seek advice in corruption related matters. A national public campaign to advertise the new service will start soon. It will be implemented by the Association of Outdoor Advertising and the Committee for Counteracting Corruption and Organised Crime.

In February, TI national chapter in formation in Kyrgyzstan opened its first ALAC in Bishkek. The project is supported by the Finnish Foreign Ministry initially for one year.