What's Being Done On...

Transparency & Accountability

 The October/November 2003 theme is Transparency, Accountability, and Access to Information. This issue highlights projects and organizations around the world that work at the local, national, regional, and international levels to promote democratic governance, transparency, and accountability, and to fight corruption. Some organizations monitor legislative activities and lobby the national legislature to establish Access to Information laws. Others educate the public and government officials about accountability and train citizens on how to combat corruption.

The issue has been divided into four sections found under the menu to the right: Transparency and Accountability in Legislative and Governmental Institutions, Corporate Governance, Political Finance, and Access to Information.

Projects and organizations, listed by region and country, are presented as illustrative examples that democracy activists, practitioners, and educators might consider as they develop their own initiatives.

Please send us information on work your organization may be doing on transparency, accountability, and access to information so we can consider adding it to the list of projects and organizations. Please send the information via e-mail to the World Movement for Democracy or by fax to (202) 293-0755.

A special section of this issue features an interview with World Movement participant, Ernesto Villanueva, president of the Steering Committee of Libertad de Información-México A.C. (LIMAC).

This issue also contains a list of online resources, including links to support organizations and other information.

At the World Movement's Second Assembly in November 2000, Ethos Institute of Brazil and Transparency International organized a workshop on "Corruption in Party Financing and Election Campaigns: What can Civil Soceity Do Against it?" The workshop participants discussed strategies to combat corruption in the financing of political parties in democratic systems. Some of the strategies focus on instilling value commitments, publicizing data, and creating disincentives to help keep parties and corporations from engaging in corrupt practices. The report includes the participants' recommendations.

In addition, the Parliamentary Centre of Canada and the World Bank Institute organized a workshop at the Second Assembly on "How Can Parliaments Strengthen Accountability in the Fight against Corruption?" The participants identified the issues and priorities associated with strengthening parliamentary systems of accountability to fight corruption. Members of Parliament from Cambodia, Canada, Chile, and Uganda provided examples of their parliaments' efforts to combat corruption. Based on the discussions and recommendations from this workshop, the Parliamentary Centre and the World Bank Institute organized a second workshop on "Establishing a Global Network of Parliamentarians against Corruption" that examined practical parliamentary actions to curb corruption. As a result, the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption (GOPAC) was launched to serve as a global point of contact, connecting and supporting the work of regional groups of parliamentarians promoting good governance and fighting corruption.

We encourage you to review the workshop reports by visiting:

• Corruption in Party Financing and Election Campaigns: What can Civil Society Do Against it?
• How Can Parliaments Strengthen Accountability in the Fight against Corruption?
• Establishing a Global Network of Parliamentarians against Corruption.

The World Movement would like to thank its intern, James Brown, for his assistance in assembling this issue.