Amplifying women's voices in the fight against corruption

In the ongoing fight against corruption across Africa, one thing remains true: women and marginalised communities bear the brunt of the impact of corruption and yet are largely excluded from shaping anti-corruption solutions. Greater and more inclusive civic participation in the decisions that impact the day-to-day lives of citizens is therefore necessary to create fair and just societies where the voices of those most vulnerable are heard and people can hold power to account.

Transparency International’s work on the Inclusive Service Delivery Africa (ISDA) project has reaffirmed that culturally sensitive, grassroots and community driven solutions to combat corruption are more effective, inclusive and sustainable than top-down initiatives that ignore the lived experiences of those they aim to help.

While corruption can undermine governance, development and public trust, the impact is not always felt equally. Women, particularly those with disabilities, from rural, low-income, or otherwise marginalised backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to corruption. This can result in barriers to accessing vital services such as education and healthcare, increased exposure to sexual corruption and limited access to justice.

Our report, Left Behind: Corruption in Education and Health Services in Africa, highlights how failing to incorporate gendered perspectives into anti-corruption interventions risks perpetuating cycles of invisibility, silence and impunity.

Created through the ISDA project, Women Empowerment Circles act as an opportunity for women to gather and co-create solutions to corruption in public service delivery.

In Zimbabwe, members of these spaces highlight the different and unique forms of corruption they are exposed to, such as being forced to pay bribes or offer favours to access essential services for their families. This leaves those with less resources at risk of being shut off from receiving vital care and education. In Mutare’s Sakubva suburb, a group of women living with disabilities who had attended the empowerment circles approached the Mutare Council, demanding that it change its mobile water supply services to disability friendly and accessible areas. This resulted in the city delivering water to accessible distribution sites, and the council sharing its water delivery schedule with women and those with disabilities.

Elsewhere in Ghana, social accountability and community participation are proving essential for improving public service delivery. Transparency International Ghana has established 12 Social Auditing Clubs (SACs) across ISDA project districts in Greater Accra, Central and Upper East regions to empower grassroots governance and combat corruption locally. With a strong commitment to inclusion, each SAC ensures at least 40% female representation and includes a member living with a disability. These clubs actively monitor education and healthcare services, promote transparency and encourage citizen involvement in decision-making. As some members powerfully stated, “We used to think governance was for the big men in Accra. Now we know we are the governance and power belongs to us.” The SACs stand as community watchdogs bridging the gap between citizens and duty bearers, driving inclusive development from the ground up.

Young people are also vital to ensuring transparency in public service delivery. Transparency International’s Integrity Ambassadors initiative has supported youth and marginalised communities, especially young women, who are already active in anti-corruption and gender justice spaces to better understand how to report corruption and push for justice by raising awareness around the impacts of corruption on communities.

In Zimbabwe, young women have organised through WhatsApp to build consensus around access to education. The sharing of information about corruption in education – such as unfair allocations of resources, resource hoarding and unfair treatment of girls in school – through regional WhatsApp groups has encouraged others to speak out and ask questions, and has even resulted in direct engagement with a Member of Parliament on educational aid allocation within the Silobela constituency. These digital organising efforts are not only practical where resources for activism are limited but also reflect an innovative and responsive approach to tackling corruption that centres accessibility and inclusion.

Amplifying the voices of women is vital when tackling corruption. When working to ensure accountability and transparency in public service delivery, we must build meaningful partnerships with grassroots movements and community leaders. This requires allyship not as a performance, but as a commitment to sharing power and increasing accessibility, resources and the space to be part of decision-making processes.

Any effort to fight corruption must be intersectional and gender-responsive, recognising how multiple forms of exclusion including economic, social and political, interact with corruption. This will help us build strategies that reflect real-world experiences and prioritise community knowledge. Because the fight against corruption will only succeed when those most affected are at the centre as the leaders and drivers of change.