# Speak Up: Empowering Citizens Against Corruption URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/speak-up-empowering-citizens-against-corruption Type: Publication or report Published: 2015-04-21 Updated: 2020-04-02 --- 21 April 2015 There are many barriers that prevent individuals from speaking up. Public trust in the ability of institutions to deal with corruption is low and reporting channels are often unclear or unreliable. Laws that protect whistleblowers are poorly implemented or non-existent and citizens often do not know their rights or how to effectively exercise them. This report provides examples of how Transparency International has worked with citizens to challenge the assumption that nothing can be done about corruption. Drawing primarily on the experience of seven European Union (EU) countries (the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg) participating in a multi-country project to empower citizens to speak up against corruption and wrongdoing, we highlight how we can work effectively with individuals to break the corruption cycle. ### Related publications ## [Connecting the Dots: How financial intelligence units expose corrupt money flows and how they could do more](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/connecting-the-dots) Publication • 24 June 2026 Financial intelligence units can play a key role in uncovering corruption, but only if they have the powers, resources and access to information they need. ## [Defying Exclusion: Stories and Insights on the Links between Discrimination and Corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/defying-exclusion-corruption-discrimination) Publication • 06 July 2021 Corruption and discrimination are each major obstacles to the achievement of sustainable and inclusive development. This report identifies and explores the direct, causal… ## [In the dark: Who is behind Luxembourg’s 4.5 trillion-euro investment fund industry?](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/in-the-dark-who-is-behind-luxembourgs-4-5-trillion-euro-investment-fund-industry) Publication • 08 February 2021 Our investigation with the Anti-Corruption Data Collective has found investment funds in Luxembourg largely operate in an opaque manner. ## [Open data to fight corruption – Case study: Lithuania's judiciary](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/open-data-to-fight-corruption-case-study-lithuanias-judiciary) Publication • 18 March 2016 ## Countries - [Czech Republic](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/czech-republic) - [Greece](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/greece) - [Hungary](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/hungary) - [Ireland](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/ireland) - [Latvia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/latvia) - [Lithuania](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/lithuania) - [Luxembourg](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/luxembourg) ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2015_SpeakUp_EN_116.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) [Download](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2015_SpeakUp_EN.pdf)