Immediate equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines critical for Southern Africa and the world to prevent more suffering and deaths
MSF is asking rich states and pharmaceutical corporations for solutions that urgently ensure that all countries can access effective vaccines quickly and affordably before it is too late, this is because there is a risk to generate new pandemics of vaccine-resistant COVID-19
Open procurement and transparency of company ownership needed as Zimbabwe responds to covid-19
Transparency International Zimbabwe (TI-Z) highlights a recent instance of skewed public procurement process for medicinal supplies to combat COVID-19. They raise concerns over price gorging as well as a lack of transparency in company ownership. They therefore call on the government to take measures to mitigate risks such as hidden contracts, conflict of interests and price gouging of medicinal goods and services during the COVID-19 crisis. They offer several recommendations including maintaining public and open procurement systems and monitoring, detering , and taking relevant action against individuals and companies involved in unfair trade practices.
The Incinerator: How a Politically-Connected Albanian Built an Empire on Waste
Article investigating the role of Mirel Mertiri - close associate of former Albanian finance minister Arben Ahmetaj -- in receiving controversial and allegedly corrupt contracts both in Albania and abroad. Most recently, one of Mertiri's companies signed contracts with the Zimbabwean government worth $60 million to supply Zimbabwe with equipment in the fight against COVID-19, in suspected violation of public procurement rules. The affair resulted in corruption charges against the Health Minister and officials at state company NatPharm.
Zimbabwe: ICTs Strategic Tool to Improve Governance Accountability
According to Farai Danny Mhlanga, the lockdown and social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the participation of young people in civic and governance processes. He therefore argues that young people should leverage on information and communications technologies (ICTs) to improve accountability within governance processes for better disaster management and response.
The webinar is about a tracker tool created by Civil society in Zimbabwe. The author talks about the absence of appropriate equipment for the protection of personal and the necessity of increasing ventilators and healthcare workers. Main objectives of this tool is to raise citizens concerns around the administration of COVID-19 resources.
Coronavirus: Zimbabwe health minister in court on corruption charges
Obadiah Moyo, Zimbabwe's health minister, was arrested on Friday, June 19th after the government came under pressure from the opposition and on social media over a scandal surrounding the procurement of coronavirus tests and equipment.The minister faces corruption charges related to a $20m (£16m) contract awarded to a Hungary-registered firm, allegedly without going through proper processes. The government has since cancelled all contracts with the firm, according to the state-run Herald newspaper.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53119989
BBC
6/20/2020
Article
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Zimbabwe
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Media
Accountability
Corruption
Complaint
English
No
C-19: Zimbabwe and the rule of law
This report presents the situation of Zimbabwe, and analyses corruption in procurement contracts. It presents further investigations in laundry money with the company Drax International who also awarded a 60 million contract to supply COVID-19 medicines.
Why fighting corruption matters in times of COVID-19
With the publication of the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2020, it is easy to see how corruption undermines the ability of states to respond to emergencies such as the dual health and economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Venezuela's Humanitarian and Human Rights Crises: The Search for Innovative Responses
Discussion webminar on Venezuela's Humanitarian and Human Rights Crises and the search for Innovative Responses. Recent UN meassures by an independent fact-finding mission and a successful initiative to use frozen Venezuelan state assets to fund Covid-19 response efforts, activated proposals to address the emergency in the country.
Corrupción, pandemia y restricciones gubernamentales: grandes retos para la asistencia humanitaria en Venezuela
Article about the risk on humanitarian aid which is victim of corruption in many countries and that has not been different in the responses to COVID-19. From 2010 to 2020, he said, aid on a global scale went from $ 16 billion to $ 28 billion. In the Venezuelan, humanitarian aid that arrives in the country is used for proselytizing purposes.
Corruption and Crisis in Venezuela: Asset Repatriation for Humanitarian Relief
Policy brief from the Inter-American Dialogue's Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program proposing policy options for repatriating potentially billions of dollars of stolen assets for the benefit of the Venezuelan people as a means of combating industrial-scale corruption in the midst of ongoing institutional breakdown and humanitarian crisis.
Uzbekistan: Civil society hindered in ability to contain COVID-19 corruption
The chair of the Senate in Uzbekistan reports that the anti-corruption agency established to avoid misuse and mnisappropriation of coronavirus funds has discovered that more than $171,000 has been embezzled by employees of a department within the Health Ministry.
No siempre al mejor precio, Uruguay invierte US$1,35 millones en respiradores
This report review Uruguayan government procurement which spent nearly USD$1,350,000 to buy 104 new respirators and repair existing ones since the coronavirus health emergency was declared, according to a survey by Sudestada. All purchases were made without recourse to bids, through direct awards or purchases by exception. No opinion on the matter appears on the website of the Court of Auditors.
Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodistica (CLIP)
6/30/2020
Article
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Uruguay
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Government
Media
Accountability
Policy Response
Trend
Spanish
No
Cuidarse de la COVID-19 sale caro: el Estado compra tapabocas al triple de su costo de importación
Investigation on Uruguay payments for disposable masks a price four times higher than their import cost. The government promised to control price abuses, but there are no regulations limiting profit margins.
Inside the Pandemic Cash Bonanza for Private Equity-Backed Firms
At least 1,322 companies backed by private equity investors obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans from the Small Business Administration -- loans intended for struggling small businesses, which can be forgiven in full -- totalling between $1.5 billion and $3.4 billion.
National Whistleblower Day Panel Discusses Whistleblowers and COVID-19
Virtual conference on July 30 --National Whistleblower Day- at the National Whistleblower Center who featured speeches and panel discussions by whistleblowers, whistleblower advocates, and government officials. One of the panels was titled “Covid-19 Crisis: The Contribution of Whistleblowers to Public Health and Economic Revitalization.” This panel covered the ways in which whistleblowers are helping ensure transparency and accountability in connection with the COVID-19 crisis, both in the health care sector and in regard to trillions of dollars of federal relief funds.
Coalition for Integrity releases a report: Oversight is Better than Hindsight: Anti-Corruption Recommendations for the CARES Act
Press release detailing CFI's Report analyzing and compiling anti-corruption issues and current oversight gaps in the CARES Act, as well as recommendations on how best to close those gaps. Includes specific recommendations for Congress, the administration and also for the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
How to See What the World Is Teaching Us About COVID-19
This blog post examines how those working in philanthrophy, government, and social change can look to COVID-19 responses from around the world to inform domestic responses.
How Integrated Data Can Support COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery
As the COVID-19 crisis reveals weaknesses in the U.S. social safety net, states and localities with integrated administrative data -- the information collected during the course of routine service delivery, program administration, and business operations -- provide an essential tool to help policymakers, community leaders, and researchers understand short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic. This blogpost demonstrates how nimble state and local data integration efforts have leveraged their capacity to quickly respond to and understand the impacts of COVID-19, while also reflecting on what can be done to mitigate harm and shift thinking about social welfare and the safety net.
Irregularities In COVID Reporting Contract Award Process Raise New Questions
An NPR investigation has found irregularities in the process by which the Trump administration awarded a multi-million dollar contract to a Pittsburgh company whose CEO has links to a firm that financed billions of dollars in porjects with the Trump Organization - to collect key data about COVID-19 from the country's hospitals.
So much money, so little oversight: Coronavirus bailout cash is a big target for fraud
In prioritizing expedeincy, the US Congress' response to COVID-19 relief leads to great potential for scams, misuse, and fraud. Despite attempts to incorporate oversight and accountability into the CARES Act, CSOs allege that President Trump has taken aggressive steps to undermine oversight.
A Company Promised Cheap Ventilators to the Government, Never Delivered and Is Now Charging Quadruple the Price for New Ones
The Dutch company that received millions of taxpayer dollars to develop an affordable ventilator for pandemics, but never delivered them, has struck a much more lucrative deal with the federal government to make 43,000 ventilators at four times the price - raising allegations of profiteering.
GAO Can’t Solve the $2.7 Trillion Mystery of Covid-19 Aid
Timothy L. O'Brien and Nir Kaissar from Bloomberg argue that a lack of transparency and accountability means few know where federal money is landing, what impact it’s having and how the effort to battle the virus is going.
Inclusive Policymaking Tools: A COVID-19 Pandemic Case Study
This article synthesizes existing literature to identify best practices that can not only be used to inform COVID-19-related public policy activities but will also continue to inform inclusive policymaking processes in the future. It identifies specific tools for policymakers at all levels of government to better operationalize the DEI framework and enact inclusive, equitable public policies as a result.
Coronavirus-Gear Broker Used Political Ties to Sell Goods to States, Data Show
A former political fundraiser reached deals to sell roughly $630 million in Covid-19 medical supplies to government entities after using Republican political connections to facilitate business, according to emails and contract documents.
Administration Seeks to Minimize Transparency of Coronavirus Relief Funds
In a recent guidance memo to federal agencies on how to report on allocation of relief funds, the Office of Management and Budget defied Congress by ignoring a number of clear reporting requirements in the CARES Act.
Leveraging Open Data with a National Open Computing Strategy
Policy brief on a national open data computing strategy, beginning with a $2 billion investment in solving challenges related to cancer, the coronavirus pandemic, social determinants of health, climate change, agriculture, and many other essential areas for resilience and innovation
Regaining U.S. Global Leadership on Anticorruption
Recommendations for the next administration to substantially increase American impact on anticorruption through taking measures to defend against the weaponization of corruption, to provide politically responsive anticorruption assistance, to mainstream anticorruption, and to enable U.S. leadership.
No-bid Florida COVID contracts flow to DeSantis donors
According to the Florida Bulldog, millions of dollars in no-bid state contracts issued as part of Florida’s COVID-19 response have gone to a trio of firms tied to men who’ve contributed hefty sums to support Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political ambitions
Tracking Federal Purchases to Fight the Coronavirus
The federal government is spending billions of dollars to combat the coronavirus, and spending shows no sign of slowing down. Explore who the U.S. is buying from, what it’s buying and how much it’s paying.
Deterring Fraud, Corruption & Mismanagement in COVID Stimulus Programs
Online panel discussion on recommendations on how to enhance accountability and oversight of the stimulus, sponsored by George Washington University Law School and Coalition for Integrity
Blog highlighting new report from Brookings assessing the challenges that the new coronavirus oversight authorities have faced in getting up and running, including from the White House. The report explains the relative strengths and weaknesses of those authorities, and lays out a strategy for how they can do robust oversight in connection with the pandemic.
Coronavirus Meets Corruption: Recommendations for U.S. Leadership
Corruption could stifle global efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak, but the U.S. government can take swift action to prevent the worst outcomes from happening.
Report from Brookings assessing the challenges that the new coronavirus oversight authorities have faced in getting up and running, including from the White House. The report explains the relative strengths and weaknesses of those authorities, and lays out a strategy for how they can do robust oversight in connection with the pandemic.
Prioirites for Phase 4 COVID-19 Response Bill in the US
Blog outlines some priorities that the US Congress should consider when designing the next CARES act, focusing on clarifying oversight jurisdiction, beneficial ownership, creating T/A requirements for tax expenditures, etc.
Oversight is Better than Hindsight: Anti-Corruption Recommendations for the CARES Act.
Report analyzing and compiling anti-corruption issues and current oversight gaps in the CARES Act, as well as recommendations on how best to close those gaps. Includes specific recommendations for Congress, the administration and also for the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
Shifting practices, sharing power? How the US philanthropic sector is responding to the 2020 crises
Report on a survey of more than 250 U.S. foundation leaders and 14 in-depth interviews to understand how the US philanthropic sector is responding the Covid-19 crises and public outcry against racism. The report assesses how the sector is changing through three lenses: Resourcing, priorities, and internal operations. Across all three areas, there have been significant shifts in practices (e.g. approximately 60% of foundations are increasing giving beyond planned 2020 levels, with an average increase of ~17%) yet few examples of truly sharing power through ceding decision-making, control, space, and wealth to historically marginalized communities.
House Democrats find administration overspent for ventilators by as much as $500 million
Internal emails and documents obtained by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee suggest that the Trump administration failed to enforce an existing contract with a major medical manufacturer, delayed negotiations for more than a month and subsequently overpaid as much as $500 million for tens of thousands of the devices.
Watching the watchers: More accountability needed to ensure responsible COVID-19 tracing tech
Quentin Palfrey, President of the International Digital Accountability Council, calls for the US Congress to empower nonprofit watchdogs to monitor data use practices in real time and identify risks and harms to data protection and privacy before they become full-fledged public policy and law enforcement problems.
US Congress must proactively prevent corruption from derailing coronavirus response
Recommendations on anti-corruption measurements to congressional leaders to ensure that government contracts go toward fighting the virus and are not stolen or misappropriated by corrupt actors.
Federal COVID-19 Provider Relief Funds: Following the Money
The Urban Institute argue that "Transparent, public information on the formulas used to distribute [provider relief] funds are needed to ensure that aid flows equitably to providers & that those hardest hit by COVID-19 receive the support they need."
Congress is Investigating Contracts Tied to Mask and PPE Shortages
Congressional investigators are launching an inquiry into a handful of companies that landed government contracts related to COVID-19, calling the deals "suspicious" because the companies lacked experience and, in some cases, had political connections to the Trump administration.
More Than 131 Million Shots Given: Covid-19 Tracker
In the U.S., more Americans have now received at least one dose than have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. So far, 42 million doses have been given, according to a state-by-state tally. In the last week, an average of 1.46 million doses per day were administered.
‘Sole Source’ Contract for Covid-19 Database Draws Scrutiny From Democrats
A $10.2 million “sole source” contract to run a centralized Covid-19 database for the Trump administration drew sharp criticism from congressional Democrats, who demanded that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be reinstated as the primary repository of coronavirus data. While CDC spokespeople have claimed that the database is necessary to expedite and streamline data and that experts would still have access to the data, officials were unable to privde an explanation for the contract.
Why Coming Up With Effective Interventions To Address COVID-19 Is So Hard
This article is about multiple difficulties in formulating responses -policy or programs- to the coronavirus by decision-makers which has an important impact to help solve problems that arose as a result of the pandemic.
Grenades, Bread and Body Bags: How Illinois Has Spent $1.6 Billion in Response to COVID-19 So Far
Illinois state agencies have spent more than $1.6 billion in federal and state COVID-19 funding since late March, buying everything from face masks to Subway sandwiches. This report details how Illinois has spent their aid funds.
Guest Post: The Coalition for Integrity’s New Report on How To Ensure Oversight of U.S. Coronavirus Response Funds
Blog post highlighting CFI's report analyzing and compiling anti-corruption issues and current oversight gaps in the CARES Act, as well as recommendations on how best to close those gaps. Includes specific recommendations for Congress, the administration and also for the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a webinar examining congressional oversight of COVID-19 relief funds to date and what oversight ought to look like going forward. Panelists discussed what Congress and other oversight actors need to do to implement vigorous oversight to ensure that the money disbursed by the relief packages gets to the people who need it the most.
Whistleblowers said this company is a fake small business. It got a PPP Loan.
This report presents the case of Atlantic Diving Supply, a company that obtained a large number of resources from a small business rescue program around the time of the pandemic. The report says that the company was ineligible for the benefit and therefore would have engaged in fraud for it.
While the Trump Administrations attempts to block oversight of coronavrius relief spending is well documented, this article explores the three distinct kinds of funding delays that cause the prevention of billions of dollars in federal grands and related forms of financial assistance from reaching communities and organizations, countering the prevailing belief that it is driven by government inefficiency.
PALLONE & DOYLE REQUEST PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY FOR FCC’S COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) sent a letter on the 12th of June to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai requesting that the Commission provide additional transparency on the distribution of public funds through the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, which Congress created in the CARES Act.
Enduring systemic health and social inequalities have put many racial and ethnic minority people at greater risk of becoming ill and dying from COVID-19, which is why the Department of Health (DOH) has worked to make the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 address these disparities and this article tells how they do it.
Supporting an equitable distribution of Covid-19 Vaccines: Key Themes, Strategies, and Challenges Across State and Territorial COVID-19 Vaccination Plans
The analysis aims to support the identification of key issues and promote sharing of promising practices across the country while recognizing that the plans are initial drafts that will be refined by states and territories as they engage with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and respond to new information and challenges that continue to emerge
The announcement of the first results of Phase 3 trials for vaccine candidates for COVID-19, exactly with the 4 manufacturers reported efficacy rates in excess of 90% for each of their candidate COVID-19 vaccines, opens questions on future global access to licensed vaccines. Countries will have to ensure that they have the infrastructure for mass immunisation campaigns. Vaccine hesitancy will have to be overcome.
A call for equitable distribution of covid-19 vaccines
Reflections on equitable response have been an afterthought, and it has only happened thanks to the struggle and upholding of social justice by global health activists. It is for this reason that this time it is sought that as the UK approves the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, it calls for an inclusive approach to vaccine allocation.
In this interview, the CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Richard Hatchett discussed the state of vaccine access in developing countries and how the private sector can help speed up vaccine delivery.
What we have learnt from the UK’s unexplained Wealth Order legal cases
With the pandemic and the economy in the doldrums, there are fewer resources to investigate potential corruption cases and perhaps less political will to turn away dodgy cash. It is vital that the fight against suspicious financial activity
https://ace.globalintegrity.org/wealthorder/
GI - ACE
4/24/2020
Blog
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
United Kingdom
Illicit assets
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Risks
English
No
Revealed: Palantir secures £1m contract extension for NHS data store work
Peter Thiel’s controversial data analytics firm Palantir has secured a £1 million contract extension for its work on NHS England’s Covid-19 data store. Palantir’s initial contract to provide engineering services for the data store, which assesses and predicts demand on the health service, was worth £1 and came to an end on 11 June. But NHS England confirmed on 15 July that the contract, which did not go to competitive tender, has been extended for four months.
Latest Updates on UK Government COVID-19 Contracts and Spending
Tussell has been tracking UK Government contracts and spending in response to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic to provide the latest insights. You can scroll down for a summary of the data or you can download all of the underlying COVID-19 contract award data by entering your details at the bottom of the page.
https://blog.tussell.com/covid
Tussell
Repository
Yes
National
Europe and Central Asia
United Kingdom
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Lessons
English
No
Serco wins Covid-19 test-and-trace contract despite £1m fine
According to the Observer, Serco, one of the companies that has secured a lucrative government contract for the Covid contact-tracing programme, was fined more than £1m for failures on another government contract just months ago. The revelation has led to campaigners against the privatisation of public services to call for the £45.8m test-and-trace contract to be cancelled.
Database of every known contract in the UK for consulting contracts around the UK since March 2020, giving anyone the ability to monitor contracts being issued by the Government as part of their Covid-19 response.
https://spendnetwork.com/consulting-contracts/
Spend Network
Repository
Yes
National
Europe and Central Asia
United Kingdom
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Tech
Experiences
English
No
What can COVID-19 teach us about how to rebuild a more equal society?
Q&A with Fozia Irfan, Director of Children and Young People at Children in Need, and a member of the expert advisory panel for the Health Fiundation's COVID-19 impact inquiry. The discussion addresses how COVID-19 is exposing existing inequalities and creating new ones, the disproportionate impact it’s having on some groups, and Irfan's hope that learning from the inquiry will help build a more equal society in the future.
When secret coronavirus contracts are awarded without competition, it's deadly serious
Blogpost highlighting recent issues with transparency and corruption in the UK's COVID-19 response contracting. The Good Law Project has issued proceedings over multiple instances of potential fraud and abuse.
A Force For Good in the World: Placing Democratic Values at the Heart of the UK’s International Strategy
The document talks about the need for international leadership in support of democratic governance and the confrontation of authoritarianism, which has taken advantage of the Covid-19 crisis. This document also states that the role should be taken by the UK for its values, interests, and resources.
Report produced by the UCL Institute of Health Equity and commissioned by the Health Foundation as part of its COVID-19 impact inquiry to investigate how the pandemic has affected health inequalities in England.
The pandemic has forced British health authorities to embrace technology, writes WIRED’s Matt Burgess. At least £52 million have gone to new technology contracts, according to data analysis by Spend Network. Some are routine, others ‘questionable,’ but overall, the crisis has exposed just how little transparency and accountability there is around NHS purchasing.
Cummings ally's PR firm given Covid-19 contracts without tenders
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a firm co-founded by an ally of Dominic Cummings, Chief Advisor to PM Johnson, was awarded two contracts without competitive tenders. This is the fourth Tory-linked firm to have been awarded work without competitive tenders since the pandemic began. While emergency rules allow public bodies to bypass the standard procurement rules during the pandemic, the Cabinet Office failed to publicize the existence of this contract, in violation of official guidelines.
A £56m bill and rising: the cost of Covid consultancy contracts
Article detailing the large amount of money being paid to private management consultancy firms for assistance managing the COVID-19 response in the UK.
UK’s record spending on PPE comes under growing scrutiny
This document shows how the UK is mired in a possible case of corruption due to the high volume of tender processes without an award without due diligence. Contracts have been made for the purchase of personal protective equipment, but they have been obtained at highly inflated prices that may highlight the mismanagement of resources by the government.
Government faces lawsuit over £108m PPE contract with pest control firm
British nonprofits Good Law Project and Every Doctor UK filed legal proceedings against the government over a “curious” no-bid contract for protective equipment worth £108 million that was awarded to a pest control company with 16 employees and net assets of £18,047
Transparency International UK's statement recommending the UK Government take certain steps regarding contracting, conflicts of interest, accountability and oversight, and upholding the rule of law so as to ensure that the COVID-19 emergency response is effective, maintains public confidence, and lays the foundations for an inclusive economic recovery.
Monitoring COVID-19 procurement and emergency spending
This is a business intelligence tool developed by civil society organizations in the Ukraine to monitor COVID-19 related medical procurement and emergency spending, and includes information such as the name of items, the price per item, terms, and supplier
COVID-19 data-driven monitoring in Ukraine: how much do gloves cost?
The civic procurement monitoring initiative DOZORRO and Transparency International Ukraine have analyzed the demand and prices of medical gloves in 2020
100 days of quarantine procurement: how the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and others used the pandemic for millions of corruption schemes
Transparency is good, but it’s not a silver bullet for stopping manipulation. One hundred days into Ukraine’s ‘quarantine procurement’, the Anti-Corruption Action Center analyzes the million-dollar corruption schemes used by the ministries of health and internal affairs, in a feature for Pravda.
COVID-19 Procurements: Approaches Need to be Changed
After almost five months of uncontrolled procurements via direct contracts, Transparency International Ukraine is advocating for changes to the emergency procurement system for COVID-19. The article discusses some of the common issues in Ukranian COVID-19 procurement before suggesting a more effective, controlled, and competitive system.
COVID-19 data-driven monitoring in Ukraine: how much do masks cost?
The civic procurement monitoring initiative DOZORRO and Transparency International Ukraine have analyzed the demand and prices of surgical masks in Ukraine over the first quarter of 2020, using ProZorro’s open contracting data and OCDS-based business intelligence tool. With a global shortage of masks, it is critical to keep prices transparent to avoid potential manipulation by procuring entities and speculation by suppliers. The Ukrainian approach is a great example of how the disclosure and use of open contracting data can help manage such risks.
Aidan Eyakuze: Covid-19 may alter the social contract between citizens and their governments
In this webinar, Aidan Eyakuze, Executive Director of Twaweza East Africa, describes: (1) How the governments of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania reacted differently to Covid-19. (2) How Tanzania has emulated Sweden’s approach to Covid, but without Sweden’s health infrastructure. (3) A debate about whether civil society should scrutinize the government during a time of emergency. (4) The economic effects of Covid as tourism and trade subside and inequality increases. (5) What is the role of civil society to spark active citizenship during a time of such dependence on government decision-making?
Global Emergency Funds Must Not Be Pocketed for Corruption
Never before have agencies in the United Nations system, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other official lenders and aid agencies moved on such a giant scale so rapidly to provide relief. But will these vital resources be stolen? Passblue say yes, but they note that thefts of these vital resources are not a foregone conclusion. They say that there must be an increased push now for transparency in all the transactions related to disbursing these emergency funds especially as some governments are acting to prevent thefts by declaring emergency powers, curbing press freedoms and confining the activities of local civil society watchdog groups.
When governments were forced to act quickly to counter Covid-19, many of their policies did not consider the gender perspective at all. If they had done their background planning correctly and adopted a gender mainstreaming approach in policy making before the pandemic, we could have avoided problems such as the deepening of gender-based violence in the pandemy.
The impact of Covid-19 on people with disabilities – emerging findings
A set of narrative interviews made it possible to document the experience of people with disabilities, taking into account that people with disabilities are among the groups most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in all aspects of their lives.
Corruption limits access to safe water and the effectiveness of the Covid-19 response in developing countries: The case of Uganda
In this article, U4 Anti-corruption Resource Center argues that corruption can actually hinder the progress of COVID19 protections, as in the case of Uganda, where corruption contributes to limited access to clean water and sanitation.
The research seeks to see if it is possible that with the application of the Feedback, Referral, and Response Mechanism (FRRM) method, Uganda will improve accountability and empower communities. The goal is to increase protection of the community against incidents of mismanagement, corruption, and fraud with humanitarian aid resources
CSOs call for transparency and accountability in the use of IMF’s covid-19 emergency loan to ensure it benefits all Ugandans
While welcoming the 491.5 Million emergency assistance funds to address the COVID-19 pandemic, civil society organizations in Uganda call for transparency and accountability from both the IMF and the government of Uganda. From the IMF, they call forthe inclusion in its facility terms, provisions which ensures the active participation of civil society in the oversight of Government’s investment of such facilities. From the government, they call for publication of Uganda’s all COVID-19 response plan, revenue generation plans, and funds raised, and budgetary allocations as well as procurement plans and notices including names of awarded companies and of beneficial owners.
Uganda’s Covid-19 supplementary budget: pandemic response or cash bonanza?
In the midst of the pandemic, the Ugandan government has tried to prioritize security over the health and well-being of Ugandans, misusing, and wasting in non-priority sectors. The situation is serious to the extent that budgetary resources are few and the health and aid system, in general, has many unaddressed precarity
COVID19 Citizens’ Transparency Initiative for Uganda
An initiative by the Anti Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) with the overall aim of influencing transparency and accountability outcomes in the management of COVID19 funds and resources.
Lessons learned from remote surveying during COVID-19
R4D has been collaborating with the Government of Tanzania to increase access to amoxicillin dispersible tablets with the goal of reducing the number of children dying from pneumonia every year. R4D and EDI Global have been working on a follow-up survey to understand trends around the availability and stocking of tablets and other essential medicines at frontline public health facilities. This blog summarizes several key takeaways from the process and provides suggestions for remote surveys going forward in a joint program to increase access to amoxicillin dispersible tablet in Tanzania.
Pursuing herd immunity in Tanzania with data on lockdown
Aidan Eyakuze explains how the Tanzanian government has taken the approach of locking down its data – not the people – to damaging effect. There has been no new data on the virus’ spread since April 29.
Bribery, gift-giving and social norms: understanding corruption in the Tanzanian health sector
GI ACE researcher Claudia Baez investigates the social norm of gift-giving in the Tanzanian health sector, which is key to be aware of when scaling up the health response to COVI19. She shows that bribery disguised as gift giving to health officials, in return for continued service, emerges as a problem solving strategy. In this case, bribery offers a means to obtain easier access to a health system where demand seriously overwhelms supply.
https://ace.globalintegrity.org/giftgiving/
Anti-corruption Evidence (ACE) and Global Integrity
5/26/2020
Article
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Tanzania
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Corruption
Transparency
Risks
English
Yes
Tajikistan: Coronavirus brings bonanza of aid, but zero accountability
There is mounting evidence that that aid to Tajikistan from the IMF and ADB earmarked for coping with the COVID-19 crisis is not being spent accountably and that sizable chunks of it will disappear into nebulous rabbit holes.
How open data and civic participation helped Taiwan slow Covid
Eric Jaffe of the Side Walk Labs discusses how Taiwan's digital platforms have led to community-driven tools that keep people safe and argues that the country offers a model for open innovation moving forward.
Oligarchy: The deadly consequences of Covid-19 theft; the dangers of exposing corruption
Blog tracking how Covid-19 and the world’s response to it is affecting the super-rich and what that means for power and politics. In some cases corrupt officials may fail to tackle allegations of corruption, but they do tend to find time to persecute the people making the allegations.
Leveraging OGP for a Transparent COVID-19 Response in Africa
Through OGP commitments, countries in Africa have embarked on important governance reforms to strengthen fiscal transparency. These reforms align with recent conditions put in place by major monetary cooperation organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to monitor COVID-19 emergency spending. The pandemic has therefore made clear that OGP member countries who successfully implement long term reforms are better placed to uphold fiscal transparency during times of crisis.
Facing the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in a corrupt health environment is a challenge that countries are facing. To respond to this issue, the TI health initiative has been working with different agencies to minimize the corruption risks in the COVID-19 response.
Gangs in lockdown: Impact of Covid-19 restrictions on gangs in east and southern Africa
Study exploring the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on gangs and illicit livelihoods, integrating research from Cape Town, South Africa, other cities in South Africa, and cities in Kenya and Tanzania. The report concludes that the lockdowns have brought about significant change in a number of areas, namely how gangs operate economically; the political power they wield over communities; levels of violence and street-level crime; and the relationship between corrupt law-enforcement officials and gang members.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
10/28/2020
Report
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Kenya
Illicit assets
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Civic Space
Inclusion
Risks
Recommendations
English
Yes
Africa’s insurance fails to deliver on COVID-19
Article recommending paths forward for African insurance companies to rebuild trust and improve its capacity to support people and businesses in the wake of COVID-19
Civil Society Observatory of Illicit Economies in Eastern and Southern Africa
The Civil Society Observatory of Illicit Economies in Eastern and Southern Africa is a network of civil society activists, researchers and journalists working across the region, coordinated by GI-TOC and with hubs in Nairobi and Cape Town. The Observatory was launched in 2019 and aims to map and analyse criminal trends and illicit flows in the region through regular reporting in our Risk Bulletin, through political economy analyses and surveys of illicit economies across the region.
https://globalinitiative.net/observatory/esa_obs/
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
Repository
Yes
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Kenya
Illicit assets
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Civic Space
Inclusion
Economic Impact
Risks
Experiences
English
Yes
Exporting Corruption
Report rating the performance of 47 leading global exporters in enforcing rules against foreign bribary - only four countries (United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Israel) are deemed to exhibit "active enforcement."
Covid-19 anti-corruption unit: no one can explain why it hasn't been set up
More than two months after South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, proposed the formation of a Covid-19 anti-corruption unit to expedite the prosecution of those involved in corrupt activities, cases continue to pile up as the unit is yet to be set up. Attempts to reach the relevant authorities such as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the department of justice to inquire why the unit has not been set up, have been unfruitful.
South Africa sets up body to probe coronavirus corruption
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has set up a ministerial committee to investigate alleged corruption in state tenders in the fight against the coronavirus, as the government faces criticism over its response to the pandemic.
Cape Gangs in Lockdown: Saints or sinners in the shadow of COVID-19?
Multimedia investigation into the response of gangs in Manenberg, Cape Town, South Africa to COVID-19. While hospitals in Cape Town are reporting fewer gang-related casualties, gangsters are continuing with their illicit activities and, according to Manenberg residents, it is 'business as usual'. Having had time to regroup, recruit and expand their reach in communities, there is a strong likelihood that bloody turf wars between gangs will flare up again once the COVID-19 lockdown begins to ease, and police and soldiers are redeployed elsewhere.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
4/22/2020
Report
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Illicit assets
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Participation
Civic Space
Economic Impact
Risks
Experiences
English
Yes
Finding money to fight Covid-19: Transparency and participation are the bottom-lines
According to the BJC, the attempts by Treasury to foster participation in decision-making processes about public finances and the disaster response have been very limited. They urge the government to do better: "We recognise that ensuring space for public engagement in a disaster is difficult, but transparency remains a constitutional imperative. Transparency in and of itself fosters public engagement “outside the room” while channels of participation are established. While public participation may not be reasonably possible during this period, in the meantime, we need to see a commitment to establishing the conditions where it will become possible by laying the groundwork through comprehensive reporting mechanisms, civil society engagement and transparency."
Voices of South Africa’s Informal Settlement Residents during the COVID-19 Crisis
The Asivikelane initiative gives voice to informal settlement residents in South Africa’s major cities who are faced with severe basic service shortages during the COVID-19 crisis. Residents answer three questions about their access to water, clean toilets and waste removal – the results will be published bi-weekly and shared with the relevant government actors.
South Africa: Ruling Party in disarray over COVID-19 corruption
This article talks about a series of corruption scandals in the high ranking ANC members and how the government of the president Ramaphosa in South Africa it is trying to adapt to the allegations of corruption.
South Africa’s COVID relief fund dogged by delays and corruption
Amid public outcry over what has been descirbed as "large-scale 'looting' of [the South African government's] $26 billion coronavirus rescue pacakge," the government's Special Investigating Unit is probing more than 600 corruption cases linked to $294 million in coronavirus procurement tenders.
South Africa to firmly act on COVID-19 corruption cases
Article detailing South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's intent to actively seek out and deal harshly with officials and businesspeople who have allegedly enriched themselves during the COVID-19 crisis through corrupt activities.
Organization that partners with government, organisations, industry leaders and civil society to identify, gather and make accessible information that supports open communities and an empowered citizenry. Site contains multiple civic tech tools focused on South Africa.
https://www.openup.org.za/
OpenUp
Repository
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Civic Space
Tech
Civic Response
English
Yes
South Africa investigates COVID-19 contracts for corruption
In South Africa investigations due to corruption in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, through personal protective equipment that was overvalued, non-compliance with the procurement rules, and the non-provision of services despite having paid the money.
Keep the receipt is a volunteer-driven project aiming to catalogue South African provincial and national government spending related to COVID-19, converting existing documents into a machine-readable, searchable format.
https://keepthereceipts.org.za/
The Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM)
10/3/2020
Tools
Yes
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Procurement
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Tech
Civic Response
English
Yes
COVID-19 in South Africa: The Outsized Impact on Women in the Informal Economy
Article exploring the historical and contemporary reasons for the COVID-19's disproportionately negative impact on women in the South African informal economy.
South Africa investigates COVID-19 contracts for corruption
South African investigators are investigating 10.5 billion rand ($636.2 million) of the government’s coronavirus spending for corruption, more than double the amount they were investigating in August. Most of the 10.5b rand under investigation was spent by provincial government.
Coronavirus in South Africa: Misuse of Covid-19 funds 'frightening'
Article detailing some of the findings of the South African government's COVID-19 relief fund audit, revealing overpricing, potential fraud, and other findings of corruption. In response, politicians accused of corruption have been told to resign and submit to investigation from law enforcement agencies.
Makes government budget data and processes accessible to all citizens & interested parties. vulekamali is a project by the South African National Treasury and IMALI YETHU is an open coalition of civil society organisations driven by an interest in promoting budget transparency and public participation.
https://vulekamali.gov.za/
South African National Treasury
Repository
Yes
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Tech
Recommendations
English
Yes
South Africa's double blow: Corruption and the coronavirus
Anti-corruption groups in South Africa say that in Gauteng alone, some 91 companies who received purchase orders from the Department of Health are under investigation due to overpricing of PPE, substandard products and services, and preferential dealing. Civil society groups are demanding actions be taken against state officials, private companies, and individuals who are siphoning funds meant to bolster COVID-19 response.
Budget Justice Coalition submission calls on Parliament to put a stop to corruption in emergency procurement
The Budget Justice Coalition proposes that, in the interests of transparency and accountability in public spending, the Finance Ministry and National Treasury must take urgent steps to make procurement and contracting data publicly available. During this global health pandemic where resources are scarce, the need for transparency is even more critical. Emergency procurement must be monitored rigorously, and transparent processes will enable more effective monitoring.
Blog on International Budget Partnership's collaboration with Planact (a civil society oprganization dedicated to alleviating poverty through community development shaped by resident participation in local government) to conduct a social audit in Ekuthuleni that will lead to toilets and improved sanitation for the more than 600,000 individuals and families who rely on outdoor toilets due to lack of indoor plumbing.
The corruption virus weakens public trust in the government
The South African government’s muted response to C19-related corruption allegations is fuelling concern among civil society organisations and the public.
Government considers central procurement for Covid-19 goods to stem corruption; emergency Budget approved
Article about South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni who said central procurement for Covid-19 personal protective equipment and goods is under consideration. Closing the first debate on the Special Adjustment Appropriation Budget, effectively the Covid-19 emergency Budget, Mboweni said it was ‘incorrect’ to believe every contract was corrupt.
South African corruption watchdog probes COVID-19 tenders
Following investigations into the procurement of PPE in Gauteng province, the South African Public Protector is launching probes into coronavirus-related tenders, including over a quarantine site that is believed to be owned by a government official and PPE procurement
2020 edition of the annual report from Corruption Watch analyzing data from 1,995 whistleblowers who approached Corruption Watch to share their accounts of corruption across multiple sectors. The report provides a snapshot of the acts of graft manifesting across government and social sectors, including police, schools, and the health sector.
The South African Treasury and Auditor General's offices have proposed a new set of protocols to "identify the risks of misappropriation, fraud, and corruption before a transaction takes place," and to overhaul the country's public procurement system to ensure increased due dilligency and efficiency.
South Africa Publishes Virus Contracts Amid Corruption Fury
In response to the mounting graft scandal related to procurement of medical equipment, President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the South African government to publish the names of all companies that won coronavirus-related government contracts in a bid to crack down on corruption. The list details procurement information from all provinces, national departments, and over 70 public entities, and is meant to demonstrate the government's commitment to transparency, accountability, and combating corruption.
South Africa Publishes Virus Contracts Amid Corruption Fury
South Africa published the names of all companies that won coronavirus-related government contracts in a bid to crack down on corruption, making it the first country on the continent to do so. This was an answer to deal with allegations that the political elite are making money out of a public health crisis.
When the smoke clears: The ban on tobacco products in South Africa during COVID-19
Report analyzing the impact of South Africa's decision to outlaw all domestic trade in tobacco products in response to COVID-19, finding that the policy undermined national revenue generation abilities while also failing to deliver public health benefits. The report outlines the illicit tobacco trade, paper identifies the shortcomings of the government’s approach to the issue, both prior to and during the country’s lockdown, and presents policy recommendations. Recommendations include :implementing a track and trace system to account for all cigarettes produced in the country, increased sanctions for contravening laws and regulations pertaining to the trade of tobacco products, and the imposition of export taxes, among others.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
9/30/2020
Report
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Budgets
Illicit assets
Health
Government
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Policy Response
Civic Space
Economic Impact
Experiences
Recommendations
English
Yes
Valekamali Online Budget Data
Vulekamali is a project by the South African National Treasury and Imali Yethu with the goal of making government budget data and processes accessible to all citizens and interested parties. It promotes the use of the data by citizens to advance social change.
https://vulekamali.gov.za/
South African National Treasury and Imali Yethu
Tools
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Open data
Transparency
Tech
Trend
English
Yes
The R500bn Covid-19 relief package and the case for procurement reform
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to act strongly against any corruption and profiteering from the Covid-19 crisis, but the systems in place to guard against this may be falling short. In this article, Spotlight looked at preliminary spending figures and asked some experts about how public money can be safeguarded during this time.
Escalation of measures to combat COVID-19 epidemic prioritizes lives, but not livelihoods
The Budget Justice Coalition commends the South African government's response to contain the virus, but notes that the measures do not protect and support livelihoods. They argue that the state should commit to a comprehensive pro-poor economic stimulus; first to stabilise the health and pending food security crisis and then to catalyse an inclusive economic recovery.
Collection of resources on South African financial and governance data including: National & provincial budgets, procurement, spending; Municipal budgets, procurement, spending; Performance and audits; Legislation and laws; Meeting records; Administrative boundaries; Elections; Community-based monitoring; and media.
A guide put together by Public Service Accountability Monitor on the South African adjusted budget 2018/2019. Six months after the beginning of the financial year, an Adjusted Budget is tabled which shows how the South African government is planning to change its spending plans to deal with any unexpected circumstances. Unused funds, including the money from its rainy day fund and money which departments do not think that they are going to spend, are moved or removed through the Adjusted Budget.
Fog of corruption has enveloped South Africa in its deadly tentacles
According to Cape Argus, endemic corruption is growing in South African society. As a result of COVID-19 the country is now caught up in a situation where many sectors are steeped in endemic wrongdoing including those charged with controlling corruption itsfel --from the politicians who write laws to the law enforcement authorities charged with enforcing them.
COVID-19: R500bn and the case for procurement reform
South Africa is reallocating funds from its budget to finance a multi-billion-rand coronavirus relief package. In a feature for Spotlight, Alicestine October explores the risks for the country and its provinces, as experts call for more transparency and procurement reforms to deter wasteful spending
Fighting Covid-19 also requires intensifying anti-corruption efforts
South Africa's existing procurement legislation allows for a deviation from the normal procurement processes during an emergency, and National Treasury has given further guidance with a series of instructions on how emergency procurement should take place during the state of disaster. Under these rules, government is able to avoid the lengthy process of inviting competitive bids for goods or services. In light of conversation regarding the role of corruption in the inability of Eastern Cape hospitals to meet demand for COVID-related care, there must be a renewed commitment to ensuring public spending is not wasted.
En Sudáfrica, la lucha contra el coronavirus está empañada por la corrupción
Blog about corruption cases in South Africa where governmental leaders and politic associates diverted money destined to the unemployment insurance, and how relatives of public officials received inflated contracts. It also presents some Civil society initiatives to provide and help families in difficult situations.
Ensuring Equitable Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution in South Africa
President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, stated that his government aims “to make the vaccine available to all adults living in South Africa, regardless of their citizenship or residence status.
Reflections on Islamic edicts and authority in the COVID-19 response in Somalia
Different forms of authority in Somalia show certain factors have weakened the government’s ability to use the religious tools at its disposal to inform and advise the wider population on the risks of Covid-19. Blog about the limited government’s options including a low literacy rate, mistrust of government, lack of capacity of the state and the fact that a large proportion of the population live outside the territories controlled by the government.
London School of Economics - Conflict Research Programme
5/18/2020
Blog
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Somalia
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Adaptive Management
Policy Response
Thought Piece
English
Yes
Opaque Coronavirus Procurement Deal Hands Millions to Slovenian Gambling Mogul
As part of its COVID-19 response, the government of Slovenia has approved tens of millions of euros worth of bids under emergency measures that bypass open tender measures. Journalists from OCCRP found that the largest beneficiary of these deals has been a powerful businessman with investments in gambling, electronics, and real estate, but no known experience in healthcare.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
4/3/2020
Blog
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
Slovenia
Illicit assets
Procurement
Civil society
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Complaint
English
No
New CARE report: how COVID-19 is changing gender norms in West Africa
The analysis reveals how coronavirus is also creating opportunities to disrupt deeply entrenched gender inequalities, even though women are initially excluded from the exchange of information on COVID-19 and key high-level decision-making processes at the national and regional levels
Together we are resilient: COVID-19 Response Efforts
The pandemic has reached Sierra Leone, and One Village Partners has added programs to refocus their programming on prevention and mitigation efforts. They are providing training on the virus to all their partner communities, delivering handwashing stations, working with local tailors to make masks, all while practicing physical distancing and adhering to safety protocols.
World Bank Providing More Information on Some Government Contracts
The World Bank has begun to reveal more information about its scrutiny of how governments spend Bank funds. The Bank now reports when it has made "post reviews" of government contracts. The unannounced policy change was described, in addition to the Sierra Leone experience
CGG launches a perspective for a policy review on the state of Maternal Health, Water, Electricity
Campaign for Good Governance has launched a perspective for a policy review on the state of Maternal Health, Water, Electricity, and its impact on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The launch is a component under the Project: Building Women’s Capacity For Democratic Dialogue And Accountability. The project is funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF).
This is a briefing note that makes a platform of convening between NGOs that shows in advance the impact of Covid-19 with specific information that serves as a guide to make decisions and actions before and thus avoid a worse result.
Government Attempts to Restrict Reporting on Coronavirus
The article shows how the Serbian government has promulgated a conclusion saying that the only ones authorized to give information about the COVID 19 pandemic are the prime minister and the persons authorized. This is done to prevent unauthorized people from causing disinformation.
Center for Investiagtive Journalism of Serbia (CINS)
4/1/2020
Article
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
Serbia
Service delivery
Government
Media
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Complaint
English
No
Serbia: Journalist Ana Lalic arrested for reporting on inadequate hospital facilities for coronavirus
The article is about the investigation against journalist Ana Lalic who was arrested in April, in the town of Novi Sad in the Serbian region of Vojvodina, after reporting on the coronavirus pandemic. The article shows how the new Serbian regulations limiting the distribution of information about the pandemic are corrupt and insufficient to arrest a journalist who only provided information.
Serbian government’s procurement of medical equipment during the pandemic still a secret
Article detailing the controversies around the awarding of state contracts under suspicious circumstances to firms connected with family members of the doctors in the Crisis Staff.
Citizens struggle as promised covid-19 aid goes missing
Blog post documenting worldwide instances of corruption in the distribution of COVID-19 aid, highlighting stories from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, El Salvador, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda. Also included are Transparency International's recommendations for Governmental response to COVID-19.
COVID-19: Africa fears vaccine shortage, urges equity
This article shows how policymakers and health experts in Africa are calling for equity and fairness in the distribution of vaccines to ensure the continent is not left behind in the global fight against the coronavirus
The article seeks to establish the importance of a solid legal framework and measures such as the simplification of import policies and processes complemented with other elements that address the root causes of corruption in customs worldwide.
This blog highlights the obstacles faced by local civil society organizations around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic — and the unique and innovative ways that local organizations are at the forefront of response and prevention in low- and middle-income countries
Transparency & accountability is crucial if a vaccine is to overcome COVID-19
With the current crisis, the EU and different countries are letting aside accountability and responsibility that pharmaceuticals must have in normal conditions. For instance, the EU Commission Strategy for COVID-19 Vaccines stated that: “the liability for the development and use of the vaccine, including any specific indemnification required by a given APA will remain with the purchasing Member States”. Meaning that pharmaceuticals have successfully waived of the responsibilities that usually are atributed to them if something goes wrong.
Head of Romania’s Covid Procurement Company Faces Bribery Charges
In Romania, authorities have opened an official investigation into allegations of bribery against the head of the state-owned coronavirus procurement company. This comes two months after the OCCRP exposed details of murky procurement practices.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
6/25/2020
Blog
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
Romania
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Corruption
Complaint
English
No
COVID-Business: Get Rich and Let Them Die Trying
Blog highlighting how widespread embezzlement of resources and health donations, the lack of containment measures, and the underfunding of state care are combining to lethal effect in the Republic of Congo.
Corrruption and the COVID-19 vaccine: The Looming Problem of distribution
Diversion of vaccines and extorsion is the most probable corruption situations associated with the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. This blog address this issue and explains with previous experiences of how this could happen. Finally, it also suggests some actions taken for the UNDP to coordinate actions to reduce the risks and effects of corruption.
Reversing Accountability: Learning from Accountability Frontliners’ Observation of the DSWD Social Amelioration Program Validation
Are governments now holding citizens to account - rather than the other way around? This report summarizes findings from the Government Watch's latest experiment with accountability for COVID social protection in Philippines.
How Vulnerable are the COVID-19 Procurements to Corruption?
According to G-watch, in Philippines, the COVID-19 emergency has allowed the use of a special clause in the Government Procurement Reform Act (GRPA) that allows the governent to move away from competitive bidding to negotiated bidding in times of emergencies. Additionally, the government passed the Government Procurement Policy Board Resolution 03-2020 in March 2020 that further loosened procurement safeguards. Given these developments, G-Watch emphasizes the need to control corruption in the country's COVID-19 response so as not to undermine the country's chance at defeating this global pandemic.
The tool helps to track the government's effort in solving the COVID-19 crisis. It aims to promote public awareness of how funds are being spent and to hold government accountable for a timely response to the crisis
https://covidbudget.ph/
Citizen´s Budget Tracker
Tools
No
National
East Asia and Pacific
Philippines
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Tech
Civic Response
English
Yes
Drilon sees overprice in COVID-19 testing kits bought by government
Article detailing recent questions and call for investigation regarding the Government of the Phillipines' procurement of allegedly overpriced testing kits and medical equipment.
According to the morning star, open corruption from central government in the pricing and supply of testing kits exacerbates the coronavirus crisis in one of south-east Asia’s most populous countries
According to the social news network, Rappler, the coronavirus pandemic is limiting Philippines' anti-corruption work in procurement when the government is exempt from public bidding. The Office of the Ombudsman physically closed its offices nationwide since the lockdown in March, and suspended the period of filing pleadings, motions and affidavits, and other relevant documents. The Ombudsman, Samuel Martires, told reporters on June 6th that the agency is still not fully operational, and most personnel are still working from home.
FUNES, the corruption-detecting algorithm that 'never forgets'
Peruvian news outlet Ojo Público has dveloped a platform to systematically investigate the Peruvian public procurement system. The tool, named FUNES, calculates corruption risk as a percentage by cross-referencing hundreds of documents such as public contracts, electoral campaign contributions, lists of suppliers and the Official Gazette of the country. More than 20 parameters, each carrying a certain weight, are used to calculate the corruption risk of the company in a few seconds.
Coronavirus: nuestra cobertura en tiempos de pandemia
Main stories in times of pandemic, from investigative series, reports based on data analysis, fact-checking articles, photo galleries, regional reports, news coverage and opinion columns
Peru's President calls for joint efforts to fight endemic problem of corruption
The article shows the dissatisfaction of President Martin Vizcarra over allegations of corruption in the government without evidence by smearing people's reputations. In addition to the statement of the focal points of government action in the response of the pandemic for the recovery.
Peru leads international process to strengthen fight against corruption
This blog presents how Peru it's going to begin its role as co-facilitator in the negotiation crafting the political declaration to be adopted at the Nations' special session of the General Assembly against corruption (UNGASS 2021). This event is one of the most important international events in the fight against corruption
Peru's President: The great challenges require us to act responsibly
Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra has urged State-run institutions to join efforts to fight the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and corruption in order to boost economic reactivation and strengthen democracy. This call comes after a a majority of Congress members rejected an impeachment motion against Vizcarra.
El otro virus: riesgos de corrupción en la pandemia
Interview with Transparency International Peru to analyze how not to lose sight of corruption cases that may appear in tenders or calls launched to mitigate the Covid-19 outbreak in Peru. Controls to manage resources and respond to the emergency are relaxed and a favorable environment is generated for the corrupt use of funds.
Recursos para el COVID-19: Consulta de Ejecución del Gasto
This information platform from the Peru government allows any user to have real-time economic information centralized by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), from the Transitional Government to date.
Paraguay usa MapaInversiones para transparentar los recursos de la emergencia del COVID-19
The government of Paraguay is using the Mapa Inversiones platform, developed by the IADB, to follow up and monitor the resources earmarked for the COVID-19 emergency.
Transparencia y previsión, la estrategia paraguaya
This blog shows how Paraguay has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and international recognition given by the FMI because of the good handle of the pandemic, his transparency, and good accountability, all of these keys to control mortality in Paraguay.
COVID-19 emergency procurement data and transparency: An example from Paraguay
Purchasing procedures to streamline government contracting processes in Paraguay: simplified direct contracting and contracting by way of exception with subsequent dissemination. Law for contracting processes related to COVID-19 must go through the Public Procurement Information Systems
Quick guides for providers on public contracts. General open information on Covid19. Ministries of Paraguay publishing procurement data and contract progress
Gobierno pone en marcha plataforma para transparentar uso de recursos de la emergencia por el COVID-19
This platform facilitates citizen oversight of the accountability of the Paraguayan government. The foregoing refers to any resource that was used in the midst of the health emergency.
World Bank supports stronger PFM and digital services in Punjab
Public finance management reforms in the Pakistani state of Punjab have been boosted by $304m of World Bank financing. With prolonged restrictions of face-to-face services due to Covid-19, the program will help the provincial government expand its existing citizen feedback model and accelerate the use of technology for revenue mobilisation and public procurement.
In this article, Sope Williams-Elegbe points out that oversight of relief funds is not only important – it is urgent, as the costs of ex post corruption inquiries can snowball into enormous amounts
Health workers are vital to defeat COVID-19: but only if they are at work
A blog on a a persistent problem which is vital to solve now more than ever. ACE suggests five questions emerging from their research that should be asked by policymakers trying to tackle absenteeism (survival corruption) during this pandemic.
https://ace.soas.ac.uk/health-workers-covid19/
Anti-corruption Evidence (ACE)
4/3/2020
Blog
No
Global
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanzania
Democratic Republic of Congo
Bangladesh
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Policy Response
Lessons
English
Yes
Navigating Civic Space in a Time of COVID-19
The study in course examines changing civic space in Nigeria, Mozambique and Pakistan under the impact of COVID-19. It builds directly on two bodies of research: the Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) programme, and ‘Measuring the Impact of Closing Civic Space on Development’, a series of case studies on the implications of closing civic space for development.
Article examining "data colonialism" in Africa, alleging that Big Tech exploits the continent's rich data resources under the guise of internet-for-all initiatives, thereby undermining the data sovereignty of African nations and impeding their ability to develop their own digital economies. The article goes on to argue for the development of a pan-African approach to cross-border data flows.
The high cost of water corruption — and how to stop it
In light of the renewed focus on water, sanitation, and hygiene amid COVID-19, this article details risks of corruption in the water aid sector and best practices for combatting it
BUDGIT, CODE Launch Pan-African program on COVID-19 fund accountability
The article talks about the launch of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project (CTAP), an initiative that seeks to promote responsibility and transparency through the monitoring of COVID-19 intervention funds in 7 African countries. This tool seeks to strengthen civic awareness and ensure that governments use funds to intervene in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.
Report examining the potential for Africa to become one of the world's primary growth markets over the next decade or, possibly, a longer time-horizon.
As the pandemic shrinks fiscal space, will governments prioritize nutrition funding?
This blog is about how COVID-19 pandemic is affecting overall funding for nutrition, specially for children and vulnerable communities. It follows on domestic financing for nutrition that looked at trends between 2015 and 2016.
Innovative and independent journalism promotes transparency and government accountability, all thanks to the use of social media to relocate the importance of citizen participation in governance. New opportunities are opening up for donors, with potential for social and economic impact, who must begin to take advantage of these innovative means to promote their work.
African civil society is busy ensuring accountable Covid-19 relief
The article talks about how ordinary citizens are involved to monitor government services through programs that want to improve accountability in African countries. Then, they evidenced fraud or corruption when projects are not delivered as described.
4 Simple Steps to Implement Beneficial Ownership Under COVID-19
How can governments implement beneficial ownership during C19? This blog provides advice on how to meet beneficial ownership commitments. At least ten countries, including Gabon, Nigeria and Pakistan have committed to the IMF in the context of the coronavirus response to disclose the beneficial owners of contracts awarded to companies. The task now is to ensure these commitments are implemented effectively.
Wicked Conversations on Covid-19 and african leadership response
Series of blogs, writers in six countries – Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa – are looking at how their governments are dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic over the 12-week campaign. Information about each theme can be found here and is also described below.
https://gga.org/c-19/
Good Governance Africa
Repository
Yes
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Cameroon
Kenya
South Africa
Zimbabwe
Service delivery
Health
Debt relief
Civil society
Government
Media
Collaborations
Policy Response
Civic Space
Trend
Experiences
English
Yes
Advancing transparency and accountability in public expenditure in a pandemic environment
Blog detailing the World Bank's work toward transforming Nigeria's governance landscape through the publication of COVID-19 pandemic contract information on a public domain.
Strengthening Civil Society’s Response to COVID-19 in Nigeria
MacArthur’s Nigeria office is providing more than $900,000 in grant support to the following organizations responding to the pandemic, fighting back against misinformation, and keep tracking funds allocated for response and recovery to the crisis
Searchable database of Covid-19 donations given to the federal and state governments of Nigeria ranging from private and public, local and international organizations.
CSOs Call for transparency in the use of IMF’s covid-19 emergency loan to Nigeria
In this press release, civil society organizations in Nigeria call for transparency and accountability in the use of US$3.4billion approved by the IMF for disbursement to Nigeria for COVID-19 emergency support. They also asked for the creation of a civil society network to contribute to monitor the disbursement of the funds
Oxfam, BudgIT, Connected development, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre
5/4/2020
Joint Statement
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Aid
Debt relief
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Transparency
Civic Space
Call to Action
English
Yes
COVID-19: Nigeria’s health agency inflates prices of infrared thermometers by more than 200 percent
ICIR investigations of records obtained from the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal show that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency offered lucrative contracts without fully competitive bidding processes to four companies, procuring 2,615 infrared thermometers and other breaches of the 2007 Public Procurement Act.
Action Research on Monitoring Emergency Procurement during COVID-19 pandemic through user engagement with disclosed data in Kaduna OGP local.
Due to the challenges of Covid-19, the report seeks to evaluate the efficiency levels of the open procurement systems Kaduna has implemented and their impact. This is important because the state of Kaduna has ensured that the government is more open and accessible to the public.
“Following the Money” During a Pandemic is Tough but OGP Could be the Game-Changer
In this article Hamzat Lawal discusses "We constructed our theory of change and engagement process on participatory, open, and consultative principles. We carefully avoided a confrontational model in order to de-escalate risks associated with environments where governments are seen to possess pale popular support, distrust, and illegitimacy. A collaborative model ensures that authorities open their doors for citizen engagement (amidst reluctance and grumblings) without intimidation, arrests or physical attacks."
Nigeria takes a significant step toward greater accountability with a new financial transparency portal
In this article, Benjamin Holzman and Desteo Mugabi introduce Nigeria’s financial transparency portal – the country’s most comprehensive effort yet, pooling data building on financial transparency requirements for 800 government Ministries, Departments and Agencies
Enabling Citizen Driven Improvement of public services
The ICT for Social Accountability project developed My Voice, an improved public service model driven by citizen's voices. My Voice-enabled an unprecedented constructive dialogue between citizens, service providers, and policymakers around the quality of primary health care services. Feedback from citizens of the pilot led to changes in operating practices at health facilities and informed investment decisions and broader program design
A website set up to track donations given to the federal and state governments by both private and public organizations in Nigeria with the aim of promoting accountability in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
https://civichive.org/covidtracka/
BudgIT
Tools
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Aid
Budgets
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Civic Space
Civic Response
English
Yes
Health misinformation: False stories from ebola to coronavirus.
The publication tells us about how, from the fight against misinformation generated in the Ebola pandemic, the same organization finds similar patterns in the current Covid-19 pandemic and therefore calls for action to implement what was learned in the past pandemic.
How we spent N31BN in 4 months to fight COVID-19’, FG replies SERAP, CODE
In response to a letter sent under the Freedom of Information Act requesting information on Federal Spending, the Nigerian Fedearl Accountant-General has disclosed that it “spent N30,540,563,571.09, representing 84% of the N36.3 billon public funds and donations received to respond to COVID-19 between 1st April, 2020 and 31st July, 2020, leaving the balance of N5.9 billion.”
FEC approves 1.6bn for e-Government Procurement Platform to check corruption
The Nigerian Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N1.6billion for the establishment of e-Government Procurement Platform to address corrupt practices in government’s procurement system.
The article hightlights the demands made by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, among other CSOs, for the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria and state governments to furnish Nigerians with details of the public funds and private donations made to assist in fighting the coronavirus outbreak
₦173 Billion Payments Without Description Defeats Nigeria’s Open Government Initiative
According to Dataphyte, the Office of the Accountant General, Nigeria, has continued to neglect proper description of payments issued to contractors and government agencies. An analysis of the open treasury data by Dataphyte fears the negligence may defeat this transparency and accountability initiative of the Federal Government.
In collaboration with various organizations, an application was created that was designed to simplify the reporting of incidents of corruption and, in the fight against corruption, incidents of threats, sexual violence, and cyberbullying were also discovered.
Tackling COVID-19: The Need for a Nigerian Response
This report contains information about the situation at the beginning of the year in Nigeria concerning Covid-19, in addition to gathering information on the responses implemented by the governments of three countries to make recommendations that Nigeria should implement to confront the virus from the beginning. The information is given to prevent a worse outcome due to the consequences that the pandemic would bring.
COVID-19 Funds: NCDC spends N202 million on six items without procurement plan
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting has discovered that the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has spent N202 million on six contracts from the COVID-19 Intervention Fund without evidence of procurement plans, in violation of Bureau of Public Procurement guidelines.
This study explores the experiences of the most marginalised at the beginning of the programme, so decision-makers can better understand how community members feel and live day to day, and how the organization adapted to the Covid-19 issues
Coronavirus: corruption in health care could get in the way of Nigeria’s response
Blog about the war against COVID-19, health system resilience, accountability and integrity are more important than ever. Weaker, corruption-prone and less resilient health systems of many low and middle income countries are vulnerable. Research has underscored the vulnerability of Nigeria’s health system which is unaccountable and health resources are in short supply
COVID-19 Procurement: Ministry of Water Resources erased ₦326 Million following FOI request
Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Water Resources modified the contract figures and eliminated £ 326 million following a request for freedom of information. The response measure of the Nigerian state opened questions about the transparency in the COVID-19 intervention fund by a government that defends the fight against corruption.
What can Nigeria and other countries do to prevent corruption in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines? Lessons from the COVID 19 response so far
The podcast discussed some of the corruption risks associated with the delivery of vaccines and measures that can be put in place to ensure that the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine is corruption-free so that it reaches those in most need of it. Also discussed the role of the private sector key lessons from the COVID 19 response so far.
“Transparency is a right.” In the lead up to the launch of the 2020 Aid Transparency Index, Publish What You Fund’s CEO Gary Forster talks to Henry Asor Nkang of the Nigerian Government about his experience of using aid data, the demand for data, why aid transparency matters and the role of trust and engagement.
Soro Soke: Integrity Organization Shows Support for #EndSARS Movement to End Police Brutality
The executive Director of the Integrity Organization declares his support for the #EndSARS movement and provides a few pointers on how to ensure the youths are one step ahead of reactions by corrupt forces to destroy this movement.
COVID-19 Transparency Portal for Local Governments
Online tool for finding status of those affected from the virus, for emergencies information on hospitals and available pharmacies with their address, bed capacities for quarantine and isolation wards, as well as updates on major activities and programs being carried out to address COVID-19 generated crisis in the Local level. Users can also send their details via the portal if they are showing any signs of symptoms of the virus to get help from their respective local agencies. In these times of pandemic, this portal for local government aims to promote transparency, accountability and citizen-state engagement.
https://susasan.org/covid19
Susasan
Tools
No
National
South Asia
Nepal
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Donor
Government
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Donor Response
Tech
Civic Response
English
Yes
Deuba demands fair probe into alleged corruption in Covid-19 response
The main Nepalese opposition party has demanded an investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption in the procurement of medical kits and protective gear.
A New Normal for Data Collection: Using the Power of Community to Tackle Gender Violence Amid COVID-19
A shocking increase in violence against women and girls has been reported in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, amounting to what UN Women calls a “shadow pandemic.” As illustrated by experiences in Nepal, data collected within communities can play a vital role to fill the gaps and ensure that data-informed policies reflect the lived experiences of the most marginalized women and girls.
International Institute for Sustainable Development
10/13/2020
Article
No
National
South Asia
Nepal
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Policy Response
Tech
Lessons
English
No
Nepal Coronavirus CivActs Campaign
The Coronavirus CivActs Campaign (CCC) gathers rumours, concerns and questions from communities across Nepal to eliminate information gaps between the government, media, NGOs and citizens. By providing the public with facts, the CCC ensures a better understanding of needs regarding the coronavirus and debunks rumours before they can do more harm.
COVID-19 has focused attention on and exacerbated weaknesses in Nepali governance including corruption, poor service delivery, and lack of domestic employment opportunitites. Notably, there was a healthcare procurement-related scandal in early April where the health minister and several senior advisors to the Prime Minister were accused of taking kickbacks while purchase Chinese PPE. Investigations are underway, and crisis-related responsibilities have been transferred to the Army (which, itself, has been accused of corruption and lacks oversight).
Citing difficulties in obtaining information regarding the buying of essentials needed to fight the pandemic, the IPPR calls on the governement to ensure transparency in procurement
Ian Gary of Oxfam America asserts that as the world deals with the COVID-19 emergency, there is an underlying accountability emergency —the need to pair rapid spending with increased transparency, oversight and participation to help ensure that huge new sums actually go to help the most vulnerable in our societies. He asserts that there is need for short-term action now–including enhanced fiscal transparency and citizen participation–by all actors to address the accountability emergency as well as longer-term action to fulfill the spirit of the Call to Open Budgets to build back better once the crisis phase has passed.
Open letter regarding the upcoming Mozambique COVID-19 loan agreement
This is an open letter to the IMF commending them for their swift action to support Mozambique tackle the COVID-19 crisis on the one hand and on the other, urging them to ensure that "transparency and accountability are firmly ermbedded in the governance of this loan agreement"
Virus fears as Mozambique conflict fuels overcrowding, hunger
An Islamist insurgent group is causing more than 300,000 people to flee further south to Mozambique. There is overcrowding, a lack of government aid and people displaced by the attacks also leave their livelihoods behind, further exacerbating their precarious situation. International organizations try to act but the situation is serious and worrying.
https://news.trust.org/item/20201016020709-nietk/
Thomson Reuters Foundation
10/16/2020
Article
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Mozambique
Aid
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Donor
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Collaborations
Participation
Donor Response
Civic Space
Inclusion
Complaint
Experiences
English
Yes
Contracts, Data and Investigations – COVID-19: Edition 2020-10-09
Open Contracting Partnership's newsletter, "Contracts, Data, and Investigations," gathers stories from Angola, Bolivia and UK covering the use and abuse of government contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Building a campaign for COVID monitoring in Moldova in 60 days
Group of civil society organizations with government ministries regularly meet to find solutions together and deliver transparency on the use of public money
The tool analyzes data from contracts provided by Compranet, in order to visualize the proportion, quantities and amounts in the contracts made by the government to meet the health contingency caused by COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This is a joint initiative between Serendipia and the Project on Organization, Development, Education and Research (PODER) that seeks to make the purchases made by the Federal Government of Mexico transparent to cure and protect the country's inhabitants from the pandemic.
https://contratoscovid.serendipia.digital/
Serendipia and the Project on Organization, Development, Education and Research (PODER)
Tools
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Mexico
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Tech
Civic Response
Spanish
No
Mexico’s INAI launches new open-source tool to upload and visualize open contracting data
This blog highlights how in Mexico, INAI, Mexico’s transparency and data protection regulator, has created the Contrataciones Abiertas tool that allows open contracting data from the entire procurement cycle to be uploaded and visualized.
Por Covid-19 urgen instituciones robustas anticorrupción: Council of the Americas
International organizations are concerned about the lack of investment in anti-corruption institutions, specially with few controls that are traditionally established in government purchases. Improving anti-corruption policies is approving major reforms, long-range investments and time to transparency institutions, regulatory improvements and strengthening civil society.
IMSS no canceló contrato de ventiladores con Levanting Global
Report on the inconsistencies of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) which said that it would cancel a contract for 80.7 million dollars with the company Levanting Global Servicios LLC. The institute said it had canceled the procedure for non-compliance by the company, but it is still active on the Compranet platform.
Experiencias y acciones del Gobierno de México para el combate de la pandemia
This is a repository of efforts to show initiatives on: support for indigenous and afro-descendant peoples and communities, actions with a gender perspective, agreements to guarantee the protection of personal data and access to the information before the contingency situation, and human rights guide for measures by the coronavirus COVID-19.
Incumplen entidades transparencia en contrataciones por COVID-19
Article about a civil initiative in Mexico called "Susana Vigila". This is a mechanism to follow plans, programs, resources and actions in procurements matters in order to find possible corruption risks
This blog presents mexican risks in procurement processes because of a presidential decree that establishes emergency faculties to the federal government during the pandemic without a tender process.
El gobierno de México ha gastado 7 mil millones de pesos para atender la pandemia de COVID-19
Blog on purchases risks to address the COVID-19 between January and August in 2020. In comparisson to contracts related to the response to the epidemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus represent 3.4 % of the total contracting processes carried out during the first eight months of 2020. Furthermore, 94% of these purchases were made through direct award, procedure that is carried out without competition. This makes the government purchase faster than when it is done through public bidding. However, the law does not regulate the process or the way to document it.
Reviewing upcoming Covid-19 bill in Malaysian parliament — Fakhrurrazi Rashid
As the Malaysian Parliament enters a session to address the Supplementary Bill related to the Prihatin Economic Stimulus Package and COVID-19 bill, calls mount for the Malaysian government to include transparency practices ensuring the government's integrity in managing the COVID-19 crisis.
Report: The Pandemic Is Not Good For Freedom And Democracy. But There Are Exceptions
According to Freedom House - a nonpartisan group that advocates for democracy - the COVID-19 pandemic has had a chilling effect on freedom around the globe. Only one country, Malawi, has had a positive trend in freedom over the last year.
African activists fight violence against women one law at a time
In southern Africa, activists are pushing for legal and social changes to protect women from domestic abuse. Under the lockdown caused by the Covid-19, it seeks to protect women trapped inside with abusers from an increase in violence and also from an increase in HIV infections.
https://news.trust.org/item/20200804001215-hf5nc
Thomson Reuters Foundation
8/4/2020
Article
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Zimbabwe
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Multilateral Organizations
Collaborations
Adaptive Management
Policy Response
Donor Response
Inclusion
Lessons
Call to Action
English
Yes
Africa's female journalists use radio to dispel coronavirus fake news and sexism
Radio is the only source of information in many parts of rural Africa and is considered an important means of stopping the spread of the coronavirus across the continent, which is why the radio has summoned an increasing number of female broadcasters who are taking the air to dispel fake news and myths about the new coronavirus and address sexism.
https://news.trust.org/item/20200527115620-685p4/
Thomson Reuters Foundation
5/27/2020
Article
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Cameroon
South Africa
Service delivery
Civil society
Media
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Civic Space
Inclusion
Tech
Civic Response
Experiences
English
Yes
Coronavirus banishes female inmates to far-flung jails in Malawi
Steps were taken with the female prisoners in Malawi amid the pandemic to stop the spread. But those actions end family visits, leaving women isolated and without the basics, from food to sanitary napkins.
https://news.trust.org/item/20200817113822-n45zz
Thomson Reuters Foundation
8/17/2020
Article
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Government
Adaptive Management
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Inclusion
Complaint
Experiences
English
Yes
COVID-19 National preparedness & response
CONGOMA strongly urges development partners to come forward quickly and support the government's national response budget so that planned tasks are carried out on time, as national resources are too low.
CSOs urged to harmonize efforts in fighting COVID-19
An inclusive presidential working group on COVID-19 is created in which civil society organizations, Chiefs, Political Parties, among others, have largely been included. This group works to fight against the problems derived from Covid-19
The Intersection of irregular migration and trafficking in west Africa and the sahel understanding the patterns of vulnerability
Several policies and security changes in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Sahel during the last five years have led to a change in mobility options for Europe. This study seeks to understand how the changing patterns of irregular migration to Europe have affected the dynamics and patterns of migration vulnerability to human trafficking.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
2/1/2020
Report
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Libya
Niger
Mali
Civil society
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Policy Response
Civic Space
Inclusion
Complaint
Recommendations
English
Yes
Anti-Graft Audit Dispute Amid COVID-19 Emergency
The head of Libya's anti corruption body was detained in early May due to an audit dispute related to the COVID-19 emergency. He is also the head of the committee that supervises the emergency budget. Emergency measures have provided opportunity for corruption to go unchecked and it is leading to conflict between the ministry of interior and anti-graft body
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
5/11/2020
Blog
No
National
Middle East and North Africa
Libya
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Corruption
Transparency
Complaint
English
No
Accountability lab challenges government to be transparent in COVID-19 fight
Accountability Lab urges stakeholders fighting killer virus Corona, to consider accountability and transparency as key pillows in the national effort. The organization's Country Director for Liberia, Lawrence Yealue, suggests the opening up of the procurement process and beneficial ownership associated with the pandemic fight
No Transparency in Kyrgyzstan’s Coronavirus Spending
The government of Kyrgyzstan is planning to spend $645 million on the COVID-19 crisis. But whether donations from its own citizens or grants and loans from international institutions, it is offering no detailed information on where the funds are going. One spokesperson said the government did not have the resources to track down the spending.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
6/24/2020
Blog
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan
Aid
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Transparency
Risks
English
No
Kyrgyz Companies Rigging Public Contract Auctions
This article details a recent investigation's findings that private companies in Kyrgyzstan are illegally obtaining public procurement contracts by rigging auctions online, with some suggestion of collusion with government agencies.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
7/21/2020
Article
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Complaint
English
No
Follow the Money, Stop Misinformation and Support Innovation: Accountability during COVID
The article talks about how Accountability Lab has become a global network of local laboratories that are finding new ways to change social norms. The organization seeks to resolve the challenges around corruption and accountability that worsened during the pandemic, for this, they renewed their program and actions.
There are certainly more social accountability initiatives being established with a COVID-19 response focus, and even donors are using new tools to solicit feedback from grantees and partners.
Who is responsible for supporting gig workers left vulnerable by COVID-19?
The covid-19 and its crisis have exposed the vulnerability and lack of a social safety net for the self-employed in the country, although government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and corporate companies across the country are doing everything possible to implement policies to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initial COVID-19 responses in Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Uganda: Documentation and learning from March to May 2020
The report synthesises the findings from a series of rapid situation analyses on the initial response to COVID-19 in the first few months of the outbreak in five countries: Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. It shows the effects on all public social systems directly and indirectly on education, gender and equity, governance, health, and social protection. Lessons from this work will be used to inform policy and practice at both national and global levels.
The State of African Regional Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms 2019-2020
Report from Amnesty International documenting the many, enormous challenges (including the disruptive effects of COVID-19) facing the mechanisms established to safeguard human rights across Africa. The report reviews and analyses the performance of Africa’s human rights treaty bodies: the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission); the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (African Children’s Committee); and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Court).
Modelling Reform strategies for open contracting in low and middle income countries
This report aims to evaluate the effectiveness and fit of open contracting reforms to LMIC contexts and to provide recommendations on how and when countries should pursue open contracting reforms. This objective was broken down into the following questions on reform outcomes and reform drivers.
The International Budget Partnership’s SPARK (Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge) initiative is a bold, innovative approach to advocacy that closely links budgets to grassroots, community-based campaigns and social movements working to improve the lives of poor and marginalized communities in Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa.This paper provides an overview of the SPARK initiative’s innovations, impacts and key learnings during the first six months of the COVID-19 crisis.
The COVID-19 Crisis and Fiscal Reform in Low-Income Countries
Sanjeev Gupta and Jianhong Liu from the CGD discuss the range of fiscal measures implemented by policymakers in low-income countries to provide income support to the households and sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They highlight revenue and expenditure characteristics and discuss some political and other impediments to higher revenues as well as expenditure inefficiencies such as corruption. They put forward a set of recommendaitons which include instituting enhanced budget transparency.
Findings and recommendations for better emergency procurement from 12 countries
Report from OCP examining the implementation of emergency procurement in response to COVID-19 in 12 countries (Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, Paraguay, Philippines, and Uruagay) and providing recommendations for six critical areas to improve emergency procurement.
Civil society organizations around the world advocate for transparent and just responses to COVID-19
Jason Lakin & Guillermo Herrera from the IBP summarize the work being done by their partners in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic in four key areas namely: demanding transparency in the spending of new relief funds; promoting greater equity and inclusion in governments’ policy responses; advocating for the expansion or introduction of cash-transfer programs to support incomes; and encouraging more progressive taxation to fund the response (and investments in health and social security more broadly).
Domestic Resource Mobilization and Economic Recovery in Africa
OGP report covering the following types of open government reforms: Extractive industries; Beneficial ownership; Tax policy and administration; Land management; Open contracting; Audits; Open budgets, and; Social audits. It also includes examples from the following African governments about how they have used the Open Government Partnership as a platform to achieve these reforms: Burkina Faso; Nigeria and Kaduna State, Nigeria; Sierra Leone; Liberia; Kenya, and; South Africa.
Media, Corruption And Integrity In Kenya – Media Forum
Blogpost detailing the success of a media forum, “Media, Corruption and Integrity in Kenya: Performance of the Watchdog at Jubilee Administration’s Mid-Term”, which aimed at enhancing stakeholder’s involvement in the work of Eye on Corruption and Action for Transparency project, increase coverage of corruption and strengthen partnership engagements with University of Nairobi School of Journalism Alumni Association.
State Capture – Inside Kenya’s Inability to Fight-Corruption
This is a ‘State of the Nation’ report by the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG), explaining why President Uhuru Kenyatta’s current anti-corruption efforts are unlikely to work. The problem, the study shows, is state capture; that is, the repurposing of state institutions for private profiteering. The study concludes that publicity-driven prosecutions are likely to deepen rather than undermine corruption, as indictments and prosecutions get weaponised to partisan ends for the 2022 elections.
Auditor general: Kenya to lose millions in COVID-19 response
Kenya's auditor general has announced that the country stands to lose $21 million due to the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency's failure to follow procurement law. This report comes after public outcry over reports of pilfering.
Covid-19 in Kenya: Putting accountability and transparency at the forefront of a health response
Given the increased spending associated with COVID-19, the author argues that, like in most pandemics, there is likely to be an increase in corruption risks and practices, contributing to illicit financial flows. The author thus emphasizes the importance of putting accountability and transparency at the forefront of the country's health response to COVID-19
COVID-19 Fact-Checking and Verification Workshop for Kenyan Journalists
Blog detailing successful workshop on COVID-19 fact-checking and verification for Kenyan journalists held by Action for Transparency where participants learned how to use fact-checking and verification tools, and learned about using credible information sources when writing and publishing news articles about Covid-19 and Info Finder tool, that journalists can use to find accurate data.. The majority of participants indicated that the training has significantly improved their ability to verify and fact check information as journalists.
Interactive site built by Development Gateway (DG) that provides detailed information on each step of the tender, award, and contract implementation process at the county level.
https://opencontracting.makueni.go.ke/
Development Gateway
Tools
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Civic Space
Tech
Civic Response
English
Yes
Summary Report Findings: A Joint Monitoring survey on the status on human rights during COVID-19 response in Kenya
The main objective of this project was to asses how COVID-19 pandemic has affected communities in Kenya economically and socially, and also wants to present the situation of human rights during the pandemic in this country
Exposed: Limits of State and Public Trust during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Kenya
Blog examining the impact of COVID-19 policies on state and public tyrust in Kenya. While providing an opportunity to unleash state disciplinary tendencies on the public in the name of securing health of the people, COVID-19 has exposed the limits of its power to frame, define and control the conceptual and discursive meanings of crises.
How persistence, proactiveness, partnership and social media bridged the access to information gap in Mombasa
Blogpost detailing key lessons from recent adaptations to COVID-19's impact on the public finance environment in Mombasa County, Kenya. The public and stakeholders have a role to play in demanding information and engaging fully in influencing decisions that affect them.
World Bank's Kenya Economic Update, detailing recent economic developments and the outlook and discusses policy options as Kenya continues to navigate through the pandemic. There are three key policy messages: First, authorities should continue to allocate sufficient resources to the health sector to combat the pandemic, continue with mass testing, support self-quarantine, social distancing, and protect the most vulnerable groups. Second, supporting firms’ liquidity and digital capabilities remains important to safeguard healthy firms from permanent closure. Third, and critically, authorities should pursue an appropriate and balanced fiscal consolidation over the medium term to reduce mounting debt vulnerabilities and safeguard macroeconomic stability.
Transparency is the much needed vaccine to save more lives in Kenya
Joint statement from 13 civil society and non-governmental organizations, professional bodies, and the private sector in Kenya urging the Government to enhance transparency and accountability measures through specific steps.
Lessons learned: engaging the public in budget discussions despite social distancing
Given prevailing COVID-19 restrictions in Kenya, Abraham Mugo of the IBP discusses ways of engaging the public on budgets using virtual budget cafés and shares key lessons from IBP's experience in Kenya.
United States announces $7 million to help Kenya to recover from economic losses from COVID-19
The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced a new, three-year Local Works program that will provide up to $7 million to support local communities in the Mara landscape, northern and Coastal Kenya as they recover from the loss of tourism and livelihoods because of the pandemic of COVID-19.
NGO partnerships and COVID-19: A power imbalance of a new kind
Blog detailing Integrity Action's work in Kenya to adapt to the COVID-19 operating environment in a collaborative way, ensuring the safety of community monitors while respecting power dynamics.
This is a tool that provides an overview of the capacity and commitment of a country's government, citizens, civil society, and an economy based on data collected in recent years. The tool also gives us an approach to the country's risk of falling into External Debt Distress.
https://selfreliance.usaid.gov/country/kenya
USAID
Tools
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Budgets
Procurement
Debt relief
Multilateral Organizations
Accountability
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Economic Impact
Tech
Experiences
English
Yes
Transparency And Accountability In Kenya’s Health Financing Models
A report on Kenyan health financing models, evaluating various models' transparency and accountability potential. The report finds that, to develop a sustainable health financing model for Kenya, there is need to work on an essential benefit package of health services while putting in place strategies to cushion the poor through subsidy programs. There is also need to ensure that public funds are primarily invested in public goods
Kenyan President Seeks to Silence Allegations of Covid-19 Graft
This blog presents investigations done by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority about the bought of substandard and overpriced equipment to combat COVID-19 by the Kenyan Government. Kenyan President pledged to make government spending more transparent to temper a political backlash over allegations of corruption in coronavirus-related contracts.
África: Entorno político adverso dificulta la actuación de los organos regionales de derechos humanos
Countries like Kenya prohibit the presentation of cases by any individual or body before the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights, limiting the possibility of acting in cases of rights violations.
Urgent Call for Debt Relief, Transparency and Accountability in Management of COVID-19
Emergency Funds to Ensure they Respond to the Needs of the People Affected
In this joint statement, 9 civil society organizations in Kenya call on the government and multilateral donors to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability; facilitate stakeholder engagement and civic space and ensure that open contracting measures are adhered to.
A Rapid Assessment Report On Transparency And Accountability Measures By County Governments In Response To COVID-19
A report on the availability of transparency and accountability measures in 12 Kenyan counties across three areas: institutions and policy frameworks; tracking COVID-19 resources; and serviec delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Report assessing Kenya's procurement system, focusing on i) the establishment of protocols and controls for a transparent and competitive procedure; ii) the performance of the procurement system to adhere to the protocols and controls, including emergency procurement, and iii) Kenya’s performance in the implementation of OGP National Action Plan III 2018-2020 commitments. The report finds that the procurement system is unable to facilitate the assessment of the procurement outcomes and enforcement of the established protocols and controls for procurement, and recommends including amendments to the procurement law to address identified weaknesses, redesigning and promoting interoperability of the various ICT platforms for efficient application of technology, and mainstreaming of Open OGP process in the broader governance systems.
Tackling COVID-19 requires a more progressive and targeted tax policy: a look at Kenya
This article examines the tax changes undertaken by the Kenyan Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the logic and equity of the government's tax response and suggesting improvements to the targeting of tax policies given existing resource constraints.
This blog is about the obstacles faced by Civil Society Organizations around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ways that local organizations are at the forefront of response and prevention in low- and middle-income countries.
Universal basic income helped Kenyans weather COVID-19 - but it’s not a silver bullet
Blog examining the effects of universal basic income (UBI) on pandemic responses in Kenya. Recipients of basic income in two counties were between 7% and 16% less likely to report experiencing hunger, and were 9-14% less likely to have had a sickness of any kind, and were also less depressed. Basic income did not, however, encourage recipients to participate in activities that risk spreading the coronavirus.
As part of Transparency International Kenya efforts to enhance transparency and accountability during this period, a COVID-19 Page has been developed, with up-to-date information and tabular presentation on monetary and non-monetary aid from public and private institutions in Kenya, Confirmed COVID-19 cases – country based and Global comparisons.
https://actionfortransparency.org/covid-19/aid/
Transparency International Kenya
Tools
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Aid
Civil society
Donor
Accountability
Transparency
Civic Response
English
Yes
The Politics of crime: Kenya's gang phenomenon
Report describing the conditions that allow criminal gangs to be so resilient and powerful. It also aims to understand the drivers of their engagement with the urban economy, and the obstacles to more effective handling of the problem by the state and communities. Ultimately, this report argues that it is relationships of protection and patronage between gangs and politicians that allow gangs to flourish and undermine the state response to the problem. The degree to which this is the case is particularly pronounced in Kenya and is one of the defining characteristics of its gang world.
https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/gangs/
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
11/16/2020
Report
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Illicit assets
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Corruption
Civic Space
Inclusion
Risks
Recommendations
English
Yes
In Kenya, Open Contracting Improves Efficiency & Curbs Corruption
Blog detailing Development Gateway's work in Makueni County, Kenya, where the Makueni Open Contracting Portal has been implemented to improve the efficiency of pulbic procurement manageent and delivery of hgiher-quality goods, works, and services for residents of Makueni County through enhanced citizen feedback. Insight from the implementation of the OCP are presented as well.
Parliamentary fellows take the lead to respond to COVID-19 in Jordan
This article presents how with jointly coordinated actions, the DNI fellows closed the gap between the Jordanian citizens and the government in the middle of the pandemic obstacles
Jordan presses sweeping tax evasion crackdown to aid ailing economy
In the face of the negative economic shock from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jordanian government has been using its wider powers under a state of emergency to give prosecutors and the main anti-corruption agency greater powers and to stiffen penalties, going after senior businessmen and former politicians suspected of tax dodging, money laundering, and customs evasion.
This page presents a database that shows how money is managed in the Covid-19 emergency in the different regions of Italy.
https://bandicovid.openpolis.it/
OPENPOLIS
7/17/2020
Tools
Yes
National
Europe and Central Asia
Italy
Budgets
Procurement
Government
Civil society
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Tech
Experiences
English
No
Better governance needed for Indonesia's COVID-19 job stimulues programme
The blog is about fiscal stimulus package implemented by Indonesia's government in order to respond to the rising youth unemployment because of COVID-19. The problem presented its the lack of transparency and the absence of database on beneficiaries. The program does not have a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that this is ‘purely social and not political’.
Corruption Watchdog Calls for More Transparency in Pre-Employment Program
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), citing the 2008 Public Information Disclosure Law that requires all state agencies to disclose to the public all information related to agreements they make with a third party, has called on the governent to disclose the partnership agreement made between the pre-employment card – the government's flagship unemployment benefits program – and its digital platform partners to make sure the latter are not taking undue advantage from the deal. .
Police probe 92 cases of COVID-19 social aid embezzlement
Indonesian National Police are currently investigating 92 cases of alleged embezzlement of COVID-19 social aid in 18 provinces across the country. Social aid disbursement has been criticized in Indonesia due to slow or mistargeted distribution, data disparities, and a lack of coordination between central and regional governments. Civil society groups are urging the government to be more transparent about the use of funds.
In Indonesia, civil society tries to bridge information gap on COVID-19
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has expressed hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine by 2021. However, civil society organizations in Indonesia worry that the public proclamation of such hopes risks creating a false sense of security. Indonesia has the second highest rate of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia and one of the lowest testing rates in the world. Continued issues with risk communication may hinder the effectiveness of governmental response.
COVID-19 fears bring down corruption cases in Bihar, India as officials refuse to accept cash
According to this news report, Covid-19 has brought corruption cases significantly down in the eastern Indian state of Bihar with bribe-seeking officials reportedly refusing to accept cash out of fear of contracting the deadly virus.
PPE Priced High In Private Hospitals, While Public Hospitals Face Shortage
Indiaspend investigations into PPE availability in Hospitals in India find private hospitals flush with PPE and charging patients as much as Rs 10,000 per day for each while the public sector, which does not charge patients for PPE, is struggling to meet requirements, in terms of both quantity and quality. Foul play is suspected
Transparency concerns raised over India COVID-19 fund
The Associated Press requested a list of donors and payments to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES) from Modi's office under the Right to Information Law, which entitles citizens to access information from India's often opaque bureaucracy. The request was denied. Modi's office, which manages PM CARES, has refused to disclose the information, arguing that even though it is administered by the Indian government, the fund is not a public authority and therefore is not subject to right-to-information laws.
India Cannot Expect to Beat Covid-19 Without Tackling Hate and Corruption
Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director for the Human Rights Watch, asserts that India's COVID-19 response has exposed longstanding concerns including the need for labour protections, reforming a broken healthcare system, adopting stronger measures to protect those who are often excluded, and addressing inequity and food insecurity for those who survive on basic subsistence. She argues that repressive and corrupt practices are even more harmful under these conditions and calls on parliament, the media, civil society, constitutional authorities, and the courts to hold the government to account over its failings.
Corruption fears emerge as Karnataka grapples with coronavirus
There is mounting evidence of corruption in the Karnataka state government's response to COVID-19, namely: the purchase of key equipment at inflated prices, mismanagement and escalation of the price of food kits and packets supplied to migrant workers and BPL families, and in the procurement of medical equipment.
Maha BJP chief alleges corruption in COVID-19 fight in state
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil has raised allegations of corruptions in the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and intends to raise the issue once the pandemic has ended.
Solutions in Not So Short Supply: E-Procurement and COVID-19 Recovery
COVID-19 has made the case for e-procurement more compelling. As the pandemic disrupts supply chains and poses a threat to the functioning of the state, the digital procurement infrastructure enables governments to better serve their populations
Mr. HispanoPreneur™: The Man Behind Honduras’ $47-Million Coronavirus Disaster
But a scathing report from Transparency International’s chapter in Honduras, Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ), found that INVEST-H, the organization tasked with emergency procurement, conducted no proper bidding process and only emailed several companies seeking information on mobile hospitals. INVEST-H chose an apparently unknown company it found on the internet and paid out a vastly inflated fee of $47 million for the hospitals without even signing a contract. Confidential documents show a middleman hiked the price by at least $16 million while delivering equipment that was useless for the task — and months late.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
10/16/2020
Article
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Honduras
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Experiences
English
No
Lack of planning in Honduras COVID-19 purchases risks millions in public funds
The Honduran government purchased overpriced mobile hospitals without a clear medical case for doing so, an audit by Transparency International's chapter has found.
Honduras: A estas empresas COPECO e INVEST-H compraron mascarillas «no aptas»
This article shows information about the companies that participated as suppliers of inputs in the purchase of unsuitable personal protective equipment by government institutions in Honduras.
Presidente Hernández y su familia aprovechan pandemia para hacer negocios
This article presents a corruption case in Honduras. A company named Sergel has connections with the presidential family and there is prove that between March and August, they received contracts related to the hospital vigilance demonstrating the conflict of interests presented between the State and this company.
Observatorio de Precios para Insumos de la Emergencia - ONCAE
Government procurement platform providing information to general audience
http://oncae.gob.hn/observatorio
Observatorio de Precios para Insumos de la Emergencia - ONCAE
Repository
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Honduras
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Tech
Experiences
Spanish
No
Interview with Alex Flores, investigative journalist and winner of CoST Honduras Journalism Prize
CoST Honduras held the third annual Journalism Prize for Transparency in Infrastructure on 29 May, with a virtual event streamed live on Facebook. The prize recognises investigative journalists in Honduras – key social accountability actors – for the top three stories uncovering mismanagement in public infrastructure. Alex Flores from El Mundo won first prize this year for a two-part investigation, using information gleaned from combing through 400 pages of contract data. This article summarizes the interview done by CoST with the award winning journalist.
CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative (CoST)
6/4/2020
Blog
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Honduras
Procurement
Civil society
Media
Corruption
Open data
Transparency
Experiences
English
No
Auditoría descubre corrupción en el control de la pandemia en Honduras
The article presents a case of corruption in Honduras, in which millions of dollars were misappropriated and wasted to acquire emergency medical supplies to combat the coronavirus
Over $650M paid to Ocean View COVID-19 facility contractors -sources
In this article, Guyana’s Stabroek News reports on a secret contract to build an emergency hospital. While construction works began in April, the contract for the billion-dollar coronavirus facility was only approved in June and $650 million have already been paid out.
COVID-19 crisis: a key moment to strengthen transparency and accountability in Guinea
Malado Kaba, Economist & Former Minister Of Economy & Finance, Guinea believes that the COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity, a decision point, a key moment for Guinea and other countries to strengthen transparency and accountability in three key areas. (1) digitalizing the public sector; (2) practically implementing local policies: (3) fostering participation of the general public
Digital conversations about centralization of power, low control of budgets in the emergency, and the need of municipal transparency.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySFdg64QqbQ&t=52s
Accion Ciudadana
4/2/2020
Webinar
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Guatemala
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Policy Response
Risks
Spanish
No
Registro sanitario no es requisito para las compras municipales de covid19
Municipalities acquired protection supplies and masks from suppliers whose business is construction, without requiring sanitation endorsement. The Ministry of Health warns that they must request it to guarantee the quality of the product.
Guatemala: Municipalidades pagan hasta cuatro veces más por insumos contra la pandemia
Since the emergency, local authorities have prioritized their purhcases of medical supplies and products from the basic food basket. However, some products have been paid above their price in normal situations.
Organizaciones fiscalizarán fondos destinados a programas sociales
Webinar presentation of a joint initiative by different civil society organizations with the purpose of denouncing possible anomalies and corruption cases in Guatemala
The note highlights the obstacles faced by the local civil society organization Asociación Bienestar Progreso Desarrollo (ABPD) during the COVID-19 pandemic and the innovative ways in which the organization is at the forefront of response and prevention in indigenous and rural communities.It answers how the ripple effects of the pandemic are felt by the world’s most vulnerable people and what can be done to “build back better".
A solution tool supporting systems-focused multisectoral response to the pandemic. Provides direct support to the country's agents of change, acts as an aggregator of evidence and innovation, facilitates exchange and learning between countries, and informs on policies and global stocks
Helping Countries Respond During a Pandemic and Beyond
USAID’s programs have helped create designs to address the impacts of de pandemics issues, building more resilient and self-reliant health systems that can adapt when needed without risking interruption of essential and routine health services.
Empowering communities in Ghana to participate in the oversight of the Extractive Sector
The study identifies opportunities, stakeholders, and avenues to maximize the impact of EITI disclosures to encourage the Sub-national debate on extractive industries in Ghana. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative sought to support the Multi-stakeholder Group in Ghana in enhancing its communication and outreach activities to ensure that the entity's disclosures encourage local discussions on the management of the extractive sector.
Ghana’s Supply Chain Control Tower Success in Public Health
Control towers are agile cloud computing platforms that provide granular and actionable visibility and control of the end-to-end supply chain. They have been transformed into centralized data and information centers, fostering collaboration and information sharing. They are critical to promoting agility while leveraging advanced data analytics mechanisms such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to process big data and guide both strategic and operational business decisions, and the public sphere is seeking to introduce this tool to its own power.
Overveiw of the Ghanaian government's response to COVID-19, with recommendations for how the international community can support Ghana to ensure a free and fair election in December while also ensuring infections do not spike and salvaging its economy.
Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
8/26/2020
Blog
No
National
Sub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Aid
Procurement
Health
Debt relief
Donor
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Participation
Policy Response
Recommendations
English
Yes
Extension service delivery amid COVID-19: Farmers stand to lose
Send Ghana discusses the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the delivery of extension services to farmers and what can be done to lessen the negative effects of the shock. They propose using community radios, mobile information vans, and community information centres to disseminate information to farmers. They argue that farmers should be trained and supported to adopt ICT technologies such as WhatsApp.
SEND West Africa - COVID 19 Updates: Daily Updates on the Corona Virus Situation in Ghana
Repository with daily updates on the COVID-19 situation in Ghana, including opinion and editorial pieces along with documenting the government response, public response, and community response to the pandemic.
Peasant farmers provide solutions when Government fails
The article tells us how the Ghana Peasant Farmers Association trains farmers to manage their farms properly. The organization offers a self-help banking system for those unable to obtain loans and help to learn how to protect themselves from the virus. He also talked about how I face the challenges of the covid by implementing Zoom to continue training farmers.
German authorities have filed at least 2,500 charges in response to suspected financial crimes tied to the novel coronavirus pandemic since March 25, when federal lawmakers approved an unprecedented €1.1 trillion relief package to mitigate the economic impacts of the disease. Separately, out of the more than 17,000 total suspicious transaction reports received by the German financial intelligence unit, or FIU, in the two months since the package’s approval, one in five flagged potential fraud, according to transcripts of a June 2 parliamentary debate published by Heute in Bundestag, the news service of the country’s legislative branch
Corruption in Coronavirus-Related Public Tenders in Georgia
Investigation shows that beneficial owners and stakeholders behind a large number of companies — many of which were established during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic — participating in public procurements are also financial supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream party and President Salome Zurabishvili, thus, raising concerns about corruption.
The African movement tracking coronavirus cash corruption
FTM’s Covid-19 Transparency and Accountability Project is engaging its network of over 6,000 members in Nigeria, Liberia, Cameroon, The Gambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Malawi to track funds provided as part of the COVID-19 response. Members are mapping, documenting and monitoring donations, loans, procurement processes, food packages as well as cash transfer programmes and amplifying their voices for shared change using the hashtag #FollowCOVID19Money.
CIPE Awards Four Grants to Strengthen Accountability and Integrity in Africa
This document deals on how in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, African governments took advantage of the instability situation to commit transparency failures in public spending, politicized human aid and made inadequate contracting procedures.
Blog highlighting the human cost of kleptocracy: While Estafanía Johnson died for lack of the $96 required to pay for oxygen while hospitalized due to COVID-19, kleptocratic ministers and their affiliates are enriching themselves while silencing dissent and criticism
CICIES inicia asistencia técnica y monitoreo de fondos por emergencia sanitaria COVID-19
This document reports on the assistance provided by the OAS to Salvador to conduct a constant audit of the use of resources by government institutions concerning expenses arising from the pandemic.
Ministerio de Salud compró $3 millones en mascarillas a un vendedor de porcelana y cerámica
Journalist report about Government paying millions of dollars to acquire 1.5 million KN95 masks from Lasca Design LLC, a company based in Florida, specialized in ceramics and porcelain. The report is part of a regional investigation, led by the Latin American Network of Journalists for Transparency and Anti-Corruption (Red PALTA)
Budget Transparency Series: A Guide to Egypt's State Budget
Joint effort from UNICEF as part of their efforts to enhance transparency and citizen engagement in the budget process. The publications provide insights on the public budget, including allocations and expenditures for children, in an easy way to make public finance more understandable by the citizens.
Una oleada de casos de corrupción golpea Ecuador en medio de la pandemia
There have been hundreds of irregularities in purchases of medical equipment at the three levels of the Administration. 17 people have been detained including former President Bucaram
Fiscalía anuncia la creación de una fuerza de tarea multidisciplinaria para seguir los casos de corrupción denunciados en esta emergencia sanitaria
This document deals with how the Ecuadorian Prosecutor's Office created a specialized group to strengthen the state's reaction to cases of corruption that are generated as a result of the COVID-19 emergency.
Côte d’Ivoire and COVID-19: how a political crisis can jeopardize an effective pandemic response
COVID-19 is not responsible for the current political crisis, it simply exacerbates existing dynamics of authoritarian measures and growing polarization. Hence, it could jeopardize country’s effective response in the pandemic.
This report talks about the health system's susceptibility to corruption, anti-corruption initiatives, and tools used to understand the complex dynamics that led to corrupt behavior. Also, have as objective give practical tools to donors to amplify its influence where they want to impact.
Propuestas contra la corrupción en épocas de pandemia
Opinion about the simplification of regulations and procedures. Full transparency. Efficiency indicators. Accountability. Immediate attention lines. Citizen oversight. Fiscal and disciplinary controls Simplification of regulations and procedures. Full transparency. Efficiency indicators. Accountability. Immediate attention lines. Citizen oversight. Fiscal and disciplinary controls .
“Contratistas multipropósito”, otra cara de la pandemia
This article is about the increase of multipurpose contractors during the state of emergency declared in Colombia. The authors underline the lack of expertise and suitability of these companies providing the services necessary to attend the crisis and the possible increase of corruption due to this practice.
Open for Business: Colombia's data-driven procurement reforms increase competition.
The article presents the positive changes that emerged after Colombia adopted open contracting reforms that included transparent publications, user - friendly procurement data, and widespread use of this data by numerous government entities.
Tapabocas con sobreprecios y algunas empresas con nexos en Panamá en contratos de COVID-19
Journalist investigation about procurement for 400,000 million pesos, some companies some sellers have connections in Panama and N95 masks have also been sold for up to 42,000 pesos (US $12)
Segundo reporte de seguimiento a la contratación en el marco de la emergencia Covid-19
The Active Citizenship initiative with an eye on resources COVID-19 presents its second analysis report on public procurement. 11,676 contracts identified for emergency care amounted, for an approximate amount of 2 trillion pesos, nearly half of these contracts were assigned directly, arguing manifest urgency. The resources are being used as a priority for food expenses and aid for the vulnerable population. Contracts for the purchase of health goods and services represent a smaller proportion. Emphasize in seven territories in the country.
Con plata de más en 48 contratos de mercados, se habrían alimentado 68 mil familias
Investigation of 48 contracts distributed in 17 Colombian government deparments, with issues around pricing integrity of the distribution of market contracts
Competencia en la compra pública: medicina para la economía
This document shows how through public procurement and concessions distributed among a large number of companies, the economy could be reactivated and employment boosted efficiently in Colombia. This is also accompanied by a small recommendation that emphasizes the need to improve procurement planning and monitoring in the country.
Using contract-level information on public spending from Colombia’s e-procurement platform, and a difference-in-differences identification strategy, we find that municipalities classified by a machine learning algorithm as traditionally more prone to corruption react to the pandemic-led spending surge by using a larger proportion of discretionary non-competitive contracts and increasing their average value.
Latin American and Caribbean Economic Assosiation (LACEA)
5/14/2020
Article
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Colombia
Budgets
Procurement
Government
Corruption
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Trend
English
No
Ciudadanía Activa Con los Ojos Puestos en los Recursos Covid-19
The emergency generated by Covid-19 has been a challenge for public institutions and Colombian society. Active citizenship (Ciudadanía Actica) is part of a Transparency strategy to save lives in the context of the pandemic and oversight public resources to face the emergency.
In a volatile, uncertain and complex environment, this artcile propose new ways of collecting local information that contribute to public decision-making. It considers taking into consideradion citizens opinion reflected in tools such as the "Cómo vamos" programs to follow up and monitor the quality of life in cities and information contributing to improve public decision-making.
El camino de $426 mil millones del Gobierno para los ventiladores
This report presents how Colombian government destined resources to purchase ventilators. The report explains why the purchasing process stopped and revision started on contractors experience and the normal overpricing because the overdemand.
Colombia abrió las puertas a la adjudicación sin concurso y a la modificación de contratos
Regional investigation led by the Latin American Journalists Network for Transparency and Anti-Corruption (PALTA Network) started since the state of emergency opened the door for the government to promote decrees with the rank of law.
Countries must follow 5 principles to guide their response and shape long-term recovery plans. This pieces responds to the uncertainty of Covid-19 that requires adaptive leadership, which is defined as the ability to anticipate future needs, articulate those needs to generate collective support and understanding, tailor responses based on continuous learning, and demonstrate responsibility through engagement. Transparency in the decision-making process is key to leverage successful adaptive leadership.
Los datos que analiza la FNE por posible colusión: sector público paga $500 por mascarillas que antes costaban $13
This blog discusses PPE purchases in Chile that are being investigated for possible collusion after records revealed eye-watering price increases for certain items and a drop in competition. Data reviewed by CIPER’s Catalina Albert and Matías Jara showed the government paid $500 for masks that cost $13 before the pandemic.
The article presents a descriptive analysis of the health sector purchases in Chile. In general, It mentions direct contracts, its justifications, the data problems, the tenders with a unique offering, and some general recommendations of the procurement process.
Director de Cenabast confirma que el Estado tuvo que pagar $335 por mascarillas que antes compraba a $13
This document presents how, due to non-compliance and various irregularities in state contracts to purchase supplements to combat the pandemic, Chile has had to spend huge amounts of money a fact that is still being investigated.
Caracterizando el inaudito aumento de las compras por trato directo en Salud: ¿cuánto, quién y por qué?
The article raise awareness on direct procurement contracts increase in Chile. Data proves that this kind of contract has increased by 40% compared with 15% in 2009. Additionaly, It shows that in 58% of the cases, authorities lack justification for these processes.
The magazine collects articles, newsletters, and news on current affairs that tries to show how the Chilean government has had to adapt to the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Attention on article about the challenges on procurement in response to Covid-19
Diagnosis open: how open contracting is bringing down the cost of medicines in Chile
CENABAST, bought 60% of medicines at a lower cost in 2020, saving the government an estimated $5 million. This results from a new law that allows CENABAST to deal with private pharmacies to increase purchases and set maximum retail prices to benefit citizens.
Registro y transparencia de datos societarios de empresas
Proposals from civil society to register and make the property of legal persons transparent, such as important tool to combat corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, while helping to promote economic efficiency.
Transparency International Chile, Fundación Observatorio Fiscal
4/18/2020
Joint Statement
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Chile
Budgets
Illicit assets
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Call to Action
Spanish
No
Opening Central Africa: The Stories
Online repository of emblematic stories from Central Africa (Chad, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Congo Republic) highlighting the ongoing issue of kleptocracy in Central Africa.
https://openingcentralafrica.com/en/the-stories/
Opening Central Africa
Repository
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Chad
Cameroon
Equatorial Guinea
Republic of Congo
Aid
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Donor
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Complaint
English
Yes
Chad: When Kleptocrats Strike Harder than the Disease
Account detailing the many far-reaching failures of the Chadian government's pandemic response, including police repression, inconsistent public guidelines, procurement and service delivery issues, and allegations of self-dealing and worsening kleptocracy.
Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine
The report contains recommendations to address the commitments needed to implement equitable allocation policies for the COVID-19 vaccine, a framework to assist policymakers in the domestic and global health communities, built on accepted foundational principles, and recognizing the distinctive characteristics of COVID-19
Fraud, Corruption And Money Laundering In A Pandemic – Why Compliance And Risk Based Approaches Should Remain Top-of-Mind
According to the authors, the weakening of the world economies, the breaking of supply chains and a rise in financial strain has led to the proliferation of fraud, corruption and money laundering globally. Nearly $1.2 million dollars was reported lost as a result of 766 instances of COVID-19 related-fraud between March 6 and May 1, 2020 according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The problem is not limited to consumer-targetted crime but is also affecting corporations as supply chains break. Despite prevailing concerns due diligence measures have relaxed across the board in Canada and abroad. The authors end with several recommendations for corporations including ensuring awareness of relevant emergency orders or changes to legislation that have a direct impact on them.
Contrat sans appel d'offres: Québec demande des explications au CHUM
Investigation (in French) into the Center hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) offering a contract without a call for tenders to a company headed by one of the members of CHUM's board of directors.
Organizations call for COVID-19 transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures
In this joint state, several civil socieity organizations operating in Canada notes that the country's federal and provincial governments are spending unprecedented amounts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They argue that while the emphasis has been on getting funds out as quickly as possible to areas where it is needed, this does not mean that accountability conditions on these funds should be cast aside. They offer several recommendations including publishing details on COVID-19 procurement and other contracts during the emergency and recovery periods
Taking stock of the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Africa
The third Account4COVID webinar and final for 2020 sought to shed light on the socio-economic urgency imposed by COVID-19 surrounding vulnerable groups. Participants explored the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on African economies and vulnerable groups and how civic actors are informing governments’ response and recovery efforts to ensure effective dissemination of relief to beneficiaries on the ground.
COVID-19 and Anti-Corruption Strategies in Africa: What Are We Learning?
Summary of a webinar highlighting what civic efforts are doing to expose and fight COVID-19 related corruption across Africa. The second #Account4COVID webinar brought together speakers from across the African continent to fix a lens on their experiences in implementing anti-corruption strategies. Presentors include Gilbert Sedungwa, Executive Director of the Africa Freedom of Information Centre; Leonida Mutuku, CEO of Intelipro Limited; Janet Zhou, Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development; and Nathalie Sidibe, the founder of the anti-corruption platform Suivi de l’Aide au Développement (Said).
Community of Practice for Social Accountability Monitoring (COPSAM)
8/22/2020
Blog
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Cameroon
Uganda
Kenya
Nigeria
South Africa
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Collaborations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Tech
Experiences
English
Yes
What Happened? How the Humanitarian Response to COVID-19 Failed to Protect Women and Girls
A new report from the International Rescue Committee funded by Irish Aid, finds that more than 70% of displaced and refugee women in Africa have seen a rise in domestic or gender-based violence in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also documents a rise in sexual violence and in early and forced marriage. The study surveyed women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda, finding that economic hardship caused by the pandemic has heightened women and girls' exposure to violence and exploitation both within and outside their homes.
What Ebola Crisis Can Teach Us About COVID-19 Compliance
Where national institutions have been damaged by corruption and other unethical behavior, a crisis such as COVID-19 exacerbates business pressures and compliance risks. Corporate compliance and legal teams can learn from risks and responses during the Ebola outbreak to anticipate and address similar fraud, corruption and compliance risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blogpost highlighting recent work from the Central African Coalition Against Kleptocracy. The Coalition has recently published new stories on how citizens are affected by kleptocrats is an important step in raising awareness, and eventually fighting back against regimes who mobilize resources for the profit of a few despots and their supporting cronies.
While Cameroonian citizens face significant difficulties in receiving health care, the wealthy elite are profiting off of money intended to help the pandemic response and controlling aid. The Government's attempts at transparency have fallen short, omitting important data and obscuring figures.
Cameroon Citizens Raised $40M for COVID Relief, But Where is It?
After civil society organizations found that 4,000 bags of rice donated to COVID-19 patients had been illegally sold, the Cameroonian government has launched an investigation into the management of the COVID-19 solidarity fund. Rights groups are alleging that most of the $40 million fund has been embezzled.
Street-level corruption in Burundi: research reveals critical influence of social norms
Corruption in Burundi is systemic. Corrupt practices persist mainly due to insufficient monitoring, as controllers also reproduce the same corruption dynamics under scrutiny. Programs and anti-corruption actions that aim to support integrity and good governance are undermined by relationships at the local level and informal practices of public officials.
Study to understand how people’s lives are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and government meassures. This will enable policymakers to better understand the situation in their countries and make data-driven policy decisions. Survey being implemented in Ghana and Colombia, and soon in other countries such as Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone,
This blog is the first of a series documenting how the African Collaborative for Health Financing Solutions (ACS), in partnership with Réseau Accès aux Médicaments Essentiels (RAME), a Burkinabé CSO, supported the creation of the COMVID COVID-19 social movement (loosely translated as “Communities combat COVID-19”) to fight COVID-19 as well as the coalition’s march toward universal health coverage (UHC) in Burkina Faso.
Resetting the state for the post-covid digital age
The document takes the example of Brazil to tell how with the Covid-19 crisis the need to accelerate the digital transformation of governments and companies emerged, to have more agile, open, and receptive bureaucracies.
Carlos Santiso - Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
8/3/2020
Blog
No
National
Latin America and the Caribbean
Brazil
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Government
Adaptive Management
Policy Response
Tech
Experiences
English
No
2 Brazil governors under fire in probes of COVID spending
Two Brazilian governors have come under fire over allegations of corruption related to COVID-19 spending, with one having his home raided and another set to face an impeachment process. Federal police raided Gov. Helder Barbalho’s home as part of an investigation into alleged fraud in the purchase of ventilators for treating COVID-19. Barbalho is the second governor to be investigated in relation to suspect medical expenditures during the pandemic.
Brazilian leader's ally nabbed with nearly $8G stuffed in underwear during anti-corruption raid
A Brazilian lawmaker stepped down from his position representing President Jair Bolsonaro’s government and was suspended from the senate after police searched his house and found cash as part of the misappropriation of COVID-19 funds.
Brazil: Government must publish verified coronavirus figures
Call to action on Brazil government to verified coronavirus figures. The lack of information violates international standards and recommendations on the information that States should provide during the pandemic.
Benin as a regional leader: expanding fiscal transparency and inclusion during a time of crisis
Governments have scrambled to employ all possible fiscal tools to protect the health and livelihoods of their citizens. This document is on Benin and how it has made a fiscal effort by applying open budgeting. It is considered one of the most transparent countries on Africa, and one of the best able to act in the face of the pandemic.
Transparency International Bangladesh asserts that corruption in purchases of medical supplies and lack of transparency in procurement processes were going on during the COVID-19 crisis. At a press conference, the non-governmental anti-corruption watchdog revealed findings from a study it has carried out recently. According to the study, substandard medical supplies were issued at five to 10 times higher prices cashing in on the coronavirus crisis.
ACC to probe corruption in COVID-19 safety gears procurement
In Bangladesh, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formed a four-member team to probe the alleged irregularities and corruption of the health sector in procuring coronavirus safety gears.
http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/248528
The Independent
6/18/2020
Article
No
National
South Asia
Bangladesh
Procurement
Media
Corruption
Trend
English
No
Budget financing, fighting Covid-19 the biggest challenge
According to the Center of Policy Dialogue (CPD) financing the budget and proper implementation of the budget without corruption, and fighting the covid-19 pandemic, would be the biggest challenge for the government. In this article, CPD offers several recommendations to the government including using fiscal policy to boost domestic demand.
Acccording to doctors and health experts in Bangladesh, the main reason why the general public is not benefitting from increased allocation to the health sector budget is "overwhelming corruption at the institutional and personal level". They further noted that corruption is why Bangladeshi citizens have to pay more to avail medical services that their counterparts in other Asian countries. The experts shared these views in a meeting on COVID-19 and health systems in Bangladesh organized by the South Asia Network on Economic Modeling or SANEM.
COVID-19 is Straining Azerbaijan’s Oil-Dependent Economy
Political scientist Farid Guliyev offers an analysis from Azerbaijan on the economic impacts and corruption risks during the coronavirus pandemic. This blog is the latest in a series taking a look at corruption and COVID-19.
Mask millions: Did ÖVP Oberösterreich take advantage of the corona crisis to finance their election campaign?
In this article, Kontrast's Marco Pühringer examines the blurred lines between public contracts, campaign financing and political interests in Austria, revealing how a well-connected political consultant sold overpriced protective gear, despite having no experience in purchasing medical supplies, and bought ads in the party’s newspaper.
Integrity in Covid-19 Response: Civil Society Organizations
Integrity in COVID-19 response (comprised of health services including vaccination, social protection, and income transfer programs) requires transparency, adherence to rules, accountability, and control of corruption. The first wave of response programs has shown that government-run efforts do not always embrace integrity or equitably meet the needs of the communities they serve. That is where civil society steps in and tries to complement the covid-19 response.
Respiradores: la Argentina tuvo ventajas por las compras locales, pero da poca información
The national government intervened the market for local producers. This allowed him access to a better price than other countries in the region. The contracts are not public and there is no information on the total number purchased under this modality.
PTF and Poder Ciudadano Launch COVID-19 Procurement Oversight in Argentina
Partnership for Transparency has made a $10,000 grant to Poder Ciudadano to lay the foundation for a substantial program to enhance the integrity, transparency, and effectiveness of COVID-19 emergency responses in Argentina, intending the project to be a catalyst to attract substantial funding to scale-up this urgent and important program.
Política fiscal y derechos económicos y sociales en tiempos de crisis: reflexiones sobre la respuesta de Argentina
The development of the global crisis due to the contagion of COVID-19 and the necessary social distancing measures to slow its progress, put fiscal policy and budgetary decisions at the center of public debate. This is so because it is the main tool that States have to have sufficient resources to respond to the crisis.
Falta de transparencia y rendición de cuentas en las compras realizadas por el Gobierno Nacional en el marco del COVID-19
Analysis of the availability of information on public purchases since the emergency declaration, and the obstacles to adequate access, showed that minimum standards of transparency and accountability are not guaranteed for all purchases made by the National Government to combat the effects of the pandemic by COVID-19.
Compras del Estado. Entre la falta de transparencia y la ausencia de controles en tiempo real
Inefficiency in the state's procurement processes is exacerbated in times of crisis. Since the expansion of the health emergency caused by the coronavirus in Argentina, the direct purchase of goods and services has been enabled.
Navigating the complexities around a COVID vaccine in
Africa
The article gives us a broad overview of the strategies for Africa to confront health and economic crises created by the COVID-19 pandemic and emerge stronger than ever. These strategies need constant support in collaboration with developed nations and entities that allow Africa to react in a better way to the challenges that the pandemic imposed on the territory due to its own characterization.
The United Arab Emirates: A key Piece in the global money laundering puzzle
The report highlights several major weaknesses in the UAE’s anti-money laundering framework. Not least, a chaotic approach to registering companies, making it incredibly difficult for law enforcement to find out who is actually behind a suspicious company registered in the Emirates.
Concern in Albania over String of Secretive COVID-19 Tenders
Questions are being asked of the Albanian government’s decision to conceal the details of more than a dozen COVID-related public tenders worth millions of euros. More than a dozen tenders for the purchase of protective equipment, medical supplies and other health equipment in Albania worth hundreds of thousands of euros between March and May this year remain shrouded in mystery, triggering warnings about the possible misuse of state funds.
Afghan Anti-Corruption Efforts 'Slowed' Due To Elections, COVID-19
According to a UN report, anti-corruption measures taken by the Afghan government in 2019 and 2020 have made slow progress due to the crisis over the last election and COVID-19.
Kabul under fire for alleged misuse of pandemic aid
Multiple Afghan Government ministers and heads of department have resigned amid accusations of mismanagement and graft as well as allegations of monopolization of emergency assistance funds from the EU, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1695511/world
Arab News
6/26/2020
Article
No
National
Europe and Central Asia
Afghanistan
Aid
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Complaint
English
No
Millions lost due to corruption in the fight against coronavirus
In Afghanistan, Hasht-e Sobh’s Mojtaba Beigzadeh compares the contracted price of protective equipment purchased for health facilities in four of Afghanistan’s provinces with market rates, identifying huge variations.
Money Launderers, Corruption See A Coronavirus Advantage, Transparency International Warns
Transparency International is warning about the potential for "serious corruption” in public procurement processes, along with bribery, embezzlement and other forms of corruption that could end up hindering states’ coronavirus relief efforts.
Thinking and Working Politically in the times of COVID-19: Recognizing and capturing opportunities
In this blog, USAID talks about new approaches in the way problems are solved and how it is necessary to think and work politically to recognizing and capturing new opportunities all over the world
Humanitarian crises including Hurricane Katrina and the Ebola outbreak show that graft can dilute the best donor intentions. More vigilance is necessary.
What we can learn from Covid-19 and anti-corruption strategies in Africa
Op-Ed detailing the #Account4COVID initiative, which brings together activists from across Africa to fix a lens on their experiences in implementing anti-corruption strategies focusing on transparency, accountability, and public participation.
The Future of Sustainability Report 2020: From System Shock to System Change
Report from the Forum for the Future on predicted changes and transitions coming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The report explores the five key dynamics that lie at the heart of these transitions. It considers the interconnected nature of human and planetary health, and reveals four trajectories emerging from the COVID-19 crisis
https://www.thefuturescentre.org/fos/
Forum for the Future
Report
Yes
Global
Civil society
Donor
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Collaborations
Adaptive Management
Participation
Policy Response
Donor Response
Civic Space
Inclusion
Economic Impact
Tech
Recommendations
Call to Action
English
Yes
CPI 2020: Trouble in the top 25 countries
This is the top 25 countries on the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index del and their corruption challenges, an overarching analysis of the root causes of corruption in top countries and five high-profile corruption cases in otherwise "clean" countries.
Open Data Charter and OECD have partnered to launch an international collaboration to identify high value open data in a pandemic, aiming to develop guidance on the responsible release and consistency of data for equitable recovery, and better preparedness of governments, business and communities around the world for future emerging diseases.
Different resources generated by the GIFT community
http://www.fiscaltransparency.net/covid19/
Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency
Repository
Yes
Global
Budgets
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Civic Response
English
Yes
COVID-19 casts a long shadow for the malaria fight in Africa
The novel coronavirus presented added challenges for the malaria response, putting millions more people at greater risk from this preventable and treatable disease, straining already fragile health systems, and further threatening historic progress-to-date against malaria. This article discusses ways that, through greater investment, innovation and accountability, the fight against malaria can emerge strengthened from the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://newafricanmagazine.com/24863/
New African Magazine
11/30/2020
Article
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Adaptive Management
Participation
Policy Response
Civic Space
Economic Impact
Experiences
Call to Action
English
Yes
Responding to COVID-19 through Surveys of Public Servants
This report argues that timely, up‐to‐date surveys of public sector workers are essential tools for identifying problems, resolving bottlenecks, and enabling public sector workers to operate effectively during and in response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. This essay presents the COVID‐19 Survey of Public Servants, which is currently being rolled out in several countries by the Global Survey of Public Servants Consortium to assist governments in strategically compiling evidence to operate effectively during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
The rise of autocratic strongmen didn’t begin with COVID-19. Corruption didn’t either. But as with many trends underway prior to this crisis, the pandemic has accelerated democratic decay, and whatever undermines democracy enables corruption. To counter these worrying trends and avoid squandering years of global anti-corruption efforts, liberal democracies must put preventative safeguards in place now.
Las mujeres y las niñas no deben pagar la factura de la pandemia
This blog shows how the pandemic and its consequences have affected the female population more considerably worldwide. The note shows that governments need a gender approach to equalize the situation with ,ore redistributive public policies to intervene: from universal access to health, water and sanitation, to education and social protection.
Special edition weekly podcast will look at how the ongoing Coronavirus is impacting organized crime around the world – and how the illicit economy may affect our ability to respond to the virus.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
3/27/2020
Webinar
Yes
Global
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Risks
English
Yes
COVID-19: Locking in solutions while in lockdown
Paper about the governance constraints that limit the emergency expansion of basic COVID-19 testing and treatment facilities. Even if developing countries could find emergency funds, governance weaknesses and corruption may constrain the emergency scale-up demanded by COVID-19. Existing governance and corruption problems will become more crippling if countries have to expand their health capacity at speed.
Joe Powell, Deputy CEO at the Open Government Partnership, discusses how COVID-19 has affected government DNA on the 'Stories from the Open Gov' podcast.
Where the infodemic came from and where it’s headed
Thought piece examining social trust and misinformation in the context of COVID-19, providing some recommendations for building the trust that citizens have in their governments.
Investigations on Mexico and other countries in Latinamerica about the response to the pandemic. Articles related to corruption, procurement, civic and policy response.
https://quintoelab.org/covid-19
Quinto Elemento
Repository
No
Regional
Latin America and the Caribbean
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Accountability
Transparency
Policy Response
Thought Piece
Spanish
No
As the pandemic continues: adapting approaches to social accountability
A selection of examples of organizations and communities that are working to promote accountability in development.
Corruption could cost lives in latin america´s response to the coronavirus
The report highlights several corruption risks and key preventive strategies to ensure that public purchases and contracts benefit ordinary citizens during this crisis, including recommendations. Comments also for the private sector has an essential role to play in keeping corruption out of the emergency response.
Michael Seo and Khadija Rheto from ReaMedica Health argue that in a time of crisis, the ease of side-stepping accountability checkpoints and the opportunities for abuse increase as oversight narrows. What the COVID-19 crisis has done is to compress and funnel where corruption occurs. The urgency of resource mobilization, understandably, weighs process safeguards against expediency but a crisis should not camouflage environments where corruption is pervasive, self-enforcing and punishing to the most defenseless
Principles of Public Participation in Fiscal Policies
Resources detailing the importance of the principles of accessibility, opennness, inclusiveness, respect for self-expression, timeliness, depth, proportionality, sustainability, complementarity, and reciprocity in fiscal policy, along with other materials on public participation cases from around the world.
http://www.fiscaltransparency.net/pp_principles/
Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT)
Repository
No
Global
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Recommendations
English
Yes
Our money, our responsibility: how civil society can follow the COVID-19 money trail
Recommendations for CSOs to follow the money expended to respond to the effects of COVID-19, based on the suite of innovative ways to follow the money developed over the last 20+ years.
Corruption is rife in the COVID-19 era. Here's how to fight back
This document is a complaint on increasing corruption and mismanagement in governments, financial resources, lives, and credibility of society have been lost in their rulers. The author, therefore, raises important points of focus that bring together the collaboration of civil society, business leaders, dedicated government officials, and donors to improve the situation and strengthen government
Ojos que no parpadean: El estado de la vigilancia en América Latina
Report that compares surveillance laws and practices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The report seeks to show the consequences of uncontrolled surveillance that is triggered more in times of pandemic.
Covid has put Governance at the heart of debates on Development, but how has it changed the questions we ask?
A blog analyzing the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted discourse around governance, focusing on five dominant pre-COVID 'overarching' governance questions and initial judgment as to what they will be post-COVID.
Coronavirus: The perfect incubator for corruption in our health systems? 7 key COVID-19 points to consider.
Series of recommendations from Transparency International Health Initiative synthesizing lessons from previous outbreaks on how to prevent corruption from further weakening the daily functioning of health systems.
The Great Reset: Strenghtening Economies, COVID-19 and Corruption
Webinar on current challenges to request more transparency to government responde to covid-19. What type of dialogue can civil society use to demand pubic trust? Conversation with International Budget Partnership, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and OCP leaders to understand how can these resources be more accountable.
Open Data Day 2020: Tracking public money flows with contracting data
Detailed data dictionaries, standardized infrastructure data and legal amendments – This year’s Open Data Day event participants identify these and other areas for improvement to effectively monitor government spending.
Promoting accountability and transparency during COVID-19
Given the increased risk of corruption as countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, this article recommends applying a risk-based prioritization framework to determine which governance, transparency and accountability mechanisms must be integrated into all COVID-19 public health response planning and design. it also recommends the adoption of a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral oversight body, involving governments, civil society, academia, and anti-corruption, audit and oversight institutions, that will help to raise awareness, and to bridge the health and anti-corruption communities, promoting dialogue and cooperation to mitigate corruption risks and make the most of available resources. They also make a case for community-led monitoring mechanisms which place greater reliance on botttom-up social accountability from the public.
Covid-19, cash transfers, and corruption (U4 Brief 2020:9)
Cash transfer programmes are being created and extended in developing countries as an economic response to Covid-19. Many donors are increasing their support for these programmes. However, the scale and speed of these programmes will intensify the corruption risks, in terms of fraud and embezzlement. This also extends to political abuse, particularism, and clientelism. Navigating the risks, dilemmas, and opportunities of cash transfer programmes via mobile telephony is important – with the right approaches for targeting mechanisms, distribution systems, monitoring, and more.
This book is a collection of commentaries and dispatches from around the world to provide point-in-time and local reflection on the role that data, technology, and industry are playing in the COVID-19 reponse and supplemented by thematic commentary. Each contributor was asked: "What effects is the current global state of emergency having on the relationship between technology and authority? Are we seeing new trends? A different scale or acceleration of existing trends? What is the effect of theintensity of global attention to the emergency? Who are the points of articulation or facilitating actors for these developments? And who are the winners and losers in these changes?"
Help our children make it through COVID-19: we need transparent budgets
With COVID-19 response overstretching the capacity of many governments to finance the delivery of essential services to children and their families, public oversight of government spending is imperative. The blog makes the argument that open budgets can be an effective tool in creating a better future for children.
Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodistica (CLIP)
6/30/2020
Report
No
Regional
Latin America and the Caribbean
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Accountability
Transparency
Policy Response
Trend
Spanish
No
IMF make Covid-19 funds transparent, accountable
The International Monetary Fund should include transparency and anti-corruption measures in coronavirus-related emergency relief programs to ensure that the billions of dollars it is disbursing to dozens of countries help the most vulnerable,
Interview with Gayle Smith: Building Global Leadership for an Inclusive COVID-19 Recovery
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Gayle Smith, President and CEO of the ONE Campaign, about the global response to COVID-19, inclusive access to an eventual vaccine, and the role of civil society in responding to the pandemic.
Rethinking and Reducing Tax Expenditures is Urgent: The Pandemic Is Compelling Us to Review and Eliminate Privileges that Disproportionately Benefit Those Who Have the Most
Joint statement from Latin American civil society organizations asking all Governments and Parliaments in Latin America to make all existing tax expenditures transparent, to eview and eliminate those that provide unjustified and inequitable tax privileges and to redistribute the tax burden onto the wealthiest sectors of the population and those who can afford to pay more.
Beyond the Numbers: Why the World Needs a More Ambitious MDB Response to COVID-19
The World Bank, and other multilateral development banks (MDBs) for that matter, are unlikely to pull out the stops in their response to this once in two generations crisis unless they get clear guidance from their major shareholders to do just that. The evidence suggests the rich country shareholders on whom the Bank depends for financial support are not sending this message. This blog argues that MDBs ought to double their contribution over the next five years.
Digital forum landing page for Open Response + Open Recovery
Homepage for OGP's OR + OR initiative and digital forum, which has a lot of different events (at least 5 on open government, data transparency during a pandemic, etc.) and resources
Entre la adaptación y la sospecha: Empresas reconvertidas con la pandemia
Companies from other sectors than health are importing and selling face masks as an opportunity in the crisis. These companies have managed to sell the products to health operators in different Latin American countries.
Options for funding flows for COVID-19 preparedness and response
Blog on the various sources of funding available to respond to the pandemic (DRM, debt, grants, private sector, etc.) and a list of funding appeals as of April 21
COVID-19-related
Money Laundering and
Terrorist Financing
The increase in COVID-19-related crimes is creating new sources of proceeds for illicit actors.The COVID-19 pandemic is also impacting government and private sectors’ abilities to implement anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing (AML/CFT) obligations. These threats and vulnerabilities represent emerging money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF) risks. AML/CFT policy responses can help support the swift and effective implementation of measures to respond to COVID-19, while managing new risks and vulnerabilities
The IMF, Covid-19 and anti-corruption: The story so far
Article about IMF member countries measures on anti-corruption commitments in their loan agreements, helping funds reach their intended beneficiaries. This to ensure the US$1 trillion goes to those most in need and help save lives, more countries need to make similar commitments, and all of them have to prove they can move from words to action.
The impact of COVID19 on fiscal transparency and public participation
Juan Pablo Guerrero argues that with the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis, risks of corruption are huge in every corner of the world, for example in the procurement of hospital supplies, and have been widely denounced by investigative media and civil society organizations (CSOs). External influences are also prevalent in many developing countries, as countries are heavily dependent on external aid to provide emergency relief and funding. The case for increasing fiscal transparency is unarguable.
Where we're headed - Proudly presenting the engine room's new strategy
The blog talks about the strategy of an aid group fighting for
social justice supporting civil society using technology and data in strategies, effective and responsible ways, amid the pandemic and the challenges of Covid-19
Drawing on a survey of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on EITI implementation in 53 countries, EITI examine the threats to resource transparency from the pandemic and offer some ideas on what it will take to keep transparency on track.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)
4/27/2020
Blog
No
Global
Budgets
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Transparency
Thought Piece
English
No
Moody's - Negative global sovereign outlook for 2021 reflects economic, fiscal and social shock of coronavirus
Moody's analysis of the impact of COVID-19 and its attendant economic, fiscal, and social shocks on global sovereign creditworthiness in 2021. Moody's predicts that large fiscal deficits will push government debt levels to record highs in 2021, and that weakest credits will remain most exposed over the near-term. Exit strategies and structural reforms will challenge issuers at all levels in medium-term
The Next Generation Humanitarian Distributed Platform
The report is about a cross-sector blockchain platform, is a digital database that can be used and shared simultaneously, with a decentralized and publicly accessible network. This platform is to improve the efficiency of agencies managing contributions to overcome crises and maximize the utility given to them.
In this blog, Michael Jarvis, executive director of the Transparency and Accountability Initiative, writes about why transparency, accountability and trust matter now more than ever and the tools governments, civil society, and their partners have at their disposal.
In this article, Catherine Cheney looks at the likelihood that funders will stick with their commitment to flexible funding – something that Hewlett Director and TAI Chair, Dana Hovig, urges.
If we want a less corrupt and more equitable world after the COVID-19 pandemic, we must plan for it
When faced with extraordinary circumstances, governments have too often resorted to extreme measures such as suppression of civil and political rights making it difficult for citizens, civil society and media, as well as accountability and oversight institutions such as courts, to mitigate corruption risks. The COVID-19 crisis risks widening the gap in the quality of governance across the world. However, it also present opportunities. Citizens and activists are increasingly able to use online tools to participate in public life and to organise and the crisis has provided the opportunity to rethink basic concepts such as the basic good. Combined, these opportunities provide great momentum to anti-corruption efforts in the short and long term and would contribute to systems where power is exercised and held accountable to benefit societies rather than vested interests.
Measuring COVID-19’s Impact on the Fertilizer Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa
This report presents how the association of several NGOs with foundations and private sector entities, developed a virtual dashboard to improve the response to ensure productivity and food security in Africa. They used 11 indicators to track the specific mitigation measures of each country of COVID-19 in the delivery and use of fertilizers.
What I learned from tackling Ebola: we need to prioritize agile, electronic procurement systems to beat COVID-19
Blog based on Ebola experience and the impact on current lack of standardization in data and the consequences + need for electronic procurement tools and other supply chain platforms
New blog series by Transparency International that is taking a closer look at how the IMF can tackle coruption, while promoting transparency and accountablity
Compliance in Times of Crisis Dialogue Series: Key Risk in Emergency management
The first session of the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative’s “Compliance in Times of Crisis Dialogue Series” in April 2020, the risk mapping exercise identified procurement as a top concern. As a result, the PACI Community suggested holding a follow-up session focused on emergency procurement. This provides a summary of that discussion tackling critical challenges and corruption risks in procurement and highlights mitigation strategies.
Respuesta integrada de la secretaría general de la OEA ante el COVID-19 desde sus 4 pilares en apoyo a los Estados miembros
The OAS has carried out efforts towards Democracy, Human Rights, Multidimensional Security, and Integral Development pillars. The document is about different actions on coordinating different entities and media at the international level to facilitate aid to member states during the pandemic.
OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum: Webinar series
Series of webinars on corruption and integrity, which focuses currently (but not always) on integrity elements of COVID-19 response. Launch of the OECD Public Integrity Handbook
Questionable paperwork lets fake and faulty masks flood Europe
This report presents the case of falsified masks that were imported from China to all over Europe. The responsible of the falsification is the company Kangyuan Jiankang who also falsified the documents of the Ente Certificazione Macchine.
Open Response + Open Recovery: Conversations with Asia-Pacific’s Open Gov Community
Webinar hosted by OGP in which government and civil society reformers across the Asia-Pacific region shared challenges the pandemic has created for their open government work and opportunities to leverage the OGP platform to ensure transparency, accountability, inclusion and participation in the response and recovery from the pandemic.
The panelists discussed the immediate need to enhance transparency and accountability with existing resources, and the ultimate need for an International Anti-Corruption Court to punish and deter the shameless kleptocrats that the pandemic will eventually expose.
Covid-19 Poses Heightened Challenges for Public Budgets
Blog by IBP's executive director reagrding the newest Open Budget Survey and areas of concern around budget accountability and transparency, particularly in Covid-relevant sectors—as well as opportunities for civil society to support
Open Response, Open Recovery - Building Trust as the Antidote to COVID-19
Open Government Partnership review we examining concrete and practical ways in which openness — through transparency, citizen engagement and oversight — can help tackle three stages of the pandemic response, recovery and longer-term reform
Corruption was a problem before the crisis, but the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the importance of stronger governance for three reasons. First, governments around the world are playing a bigger role in the economy to combat the pandemic and provide economic lifelines to people and firms. Second, as public finances worsen, countries need to prevent tax evasion and the waste and loss of funds caused by corruption in public spending. Third, crises test people’s trust in government and institutions, and ethical behavior becomes more salient when medical services are in such high demand.
Ready to Act: Open Gov, Service Delivery & COVID-19
Thought piece exploring how to put the Open Government Partnership to work for service delivery, hand in hand, with efforts to strengthen health systems. In acting for delivery, the open government movement has a unique opportunity to become stronger, too.
The paper discusses how trust in government may support a sense of social connection and thus help bring about an effective collective action response to the crisis. As such, the article explores the role of trust, communication, and collaboration amid the pandemic.
In this article, Sanjah Pradhan, CEO of the Open Government Partnership, argues that open government can serve as a bridge of mutual trust. He argues that making government transparent, participatory, and responsive can empower citizens, businesses, and others through reliable information and engagement opportunities to shape and oversee an “open response, open recovery” approach that saves lives and livelihoods.
Ensuring Adequate Anticorruption, Accountability, and Transparency Measures During the Pandemic
Shruti Shah and Alex Amico from the Coalition for Integrity make the case that the need to act swiftly to respond to COVID-19 does not abrogate the government’s responsibility to adhere to principles of anticorruption, accountability, and transparency. They provide several recommendations for the US Stimulus package including the creation of a Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board to oversee the management of the stimulus funds.
Reaching Out and Checking In: Listening to 70 Partners in a Time of Crisis
Article on a comprehensive outreach process to make sure needs of partners across the world were front and center for adaptations to COVID-19. Adjust and adapt pre-existing work and helping partners to navigate strategic questions and partnerships around new COVID response work, at the policy and grassroots levels.
Covid-19 and Illicit Financial Flows: What’s to Come
Covid-19 concerns are growing because the scale and scope of IFFs could be increasing as authorities are distracted and overwhelmed by the unprecedented economic fallout.
Debt relief, aid and accountability in the wake of Covid-19
In this articile, Richard Dion, former regional director for Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative argues that the aid that is needed to get people through this crisis must go hand in hand with accountability.
Tracking aid flows in light of the Covid-19 crisis
Development Initiatives (DI) is tracking the flows of development assistance, assessing how assistance is responding to the crisis and how aid trends may be changing. Tracing these commitments enables improved planning, and allows donors and recipient countries to see how pledges translate into assistance.
If we focus our recovery efforts solely on government we are bound to fail
Robin Hodess, director of governance at the B team and OGP Civil Society Co-chair, argues that we need all hands on deck to steer us out of the pandemic — including the private sector and civil society
Researching Government Contracts for COVID-19 Spending
As countries rapidly spend billions of dollars to fight the coronavirus pandemic, digging into government contracts is taking on a new urgency. In this article, the Global Investigative Journalism Network discuss a new resource to help journalists track government spending on contracts to curb the coronavirus.
Overpromising and underperforming budgets during COVID-19: possible solutions
The report examines national government budget data in 94 countries from detailed reports issued by the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) program.
Ensuring Integrity in the Governance and Institutional
Response to COVID-19
One of a series of briefs on governance and institutional responses to the pandemic. This brief provides guidance on addressing and mitigating corruption risks in the COVID-19 response, both in the initial response and in the medium term—particularly in response to health and food emergencies
The costs of corruption during humanitarian crises, and mitigation strategies for development agencies
The COVID-19 outbreak poses particular challenges to anti-corruption efforts. The health sector is especially vulnerable to corruption; causing estimated annual losses of at least US$ 455 billion of the US$7.35 trillion spent. With a huge influx of cashflows and medical supply shortages, humanitarian emergencies create fertile ground for such problems. Corruption in humanitarian assistance results in a reduced quantity and quality of aid reaching the targeted beneficiaries, which may prolong humanitarian crises. Donor agencies can take some immediate steps to reduce the exposure of their own operations. These range from communication and coordination strategies to aid transparency and preventive safeguards in the area of internal controls and procurement processes.
K4D COVID-19 Conflict and Governance Evidence Summaries
Intended to be weekly Conflict and Governance Evidence Summaries to signpost DFID and other UK government departments to the latest relevant evidence and discourse on COVID-19 to inform and support their response. Summaries are drawn from policy papers, blogs, articles and journal artilcles.[ Formerly hosted on Heather Marquette’s “CCC” blog (see Row 36)]
OSCE Human Dimension Commitments and State Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Report on the human rights challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). The report provides lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and recommendations to strengthen institutions ahead of future challenges. It begins with an overview of obligations when declaring a state of emergency and any attendant restrictions on fundamental freedoms and human rights, and goes on to describe the impact of the emergency measures implemented around the OSCE region on democratic institutions and human rights.
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europ
7/17/2020
Report
No
Regional
Europe and Central Asia
Civil society
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Collaborations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Participation
Policy Response
Civic Space
Inclusion
Trend
Recommendations
English
Yes
Reflections and recommendations for fiscal openness in times of emergency: Budget management adjustments for Covid-19
Measures to make the most of the available resources, including necessary management adjustments and how open government
https://youtu.be/7Ty4Czcw3Mw
Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency
4/8/2020
Webinar
No
Global
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Recommendations
English
Yes
COVID-19 in Women’s Lives: Reasons to Recognize the Differential Impacts
The report is about how the emergency stemming from COVID-19 has specific impacts on women and is deepening existing gender inequalities, both inside and outside homes, in hospitals and health centers, at work, and in politics. The document recommends that equal participation in decisions and a gender perspective be central elements of crisis mitigation and recovery policies.
The Organization of American States (OAS)-The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM)
4/10/2020
Report
No
Global
Procurement
Government
Civil society
Adaptive Management
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Civic Space
Inclusion
Experiences
English
Yes
In times like these, transparency matters more than ever
The COVID-19 emergency increases risks of corruption and the stifling of the freedom of expression. TI urges transparency, openness, and integrity to be maintained in the health sector and beyond as well as the protection of free media and civil society.
Lessons from Africa: Building Resilience through Community-Based Health Systems
Webinar on how crises have shown innovative decision-making and locally-led interventions can improve resilience and responsiveness of health systems. COVID-19 has revealed shortcomings in the health systems, and in sub-Saharan Africa, the health crisis threatens limited public health services. Join the discussion with experts on the role of trust in enabling crisis response and holistic approach to access to services like girls’ education and maternal health, ultimately increases the resilience of at-risk communities.
Using data for social good: transparency of public finances is vital
In the fourth of the 2020 #AidTransparency Index launch blogs, Claire Schouten, Senior Programme Officer at the International Budget Partnership reflects on the role of aid transparency as it relates to national budget transparency and provides many examples of how and why this information is so much in demand.
As COVID-19 spreads, CSOs argue that government budgets should address inequality and discrimination
Article on the pre-existing inequalities and intensifying the gross social injustices of extreme poverty while the coronavirus crisis. Civil society organizations around the world working on budget issues have geared up to advocate for more transparent and just responses and to address the very unequal impact of COVID-19
Account4COVID Webinar Summary: Reflections of an online conversation with some of Africa’s frontline civic actors
Webinar sessions to facilitate dialogue, networking and exchange between civil society organizations, and other change agents seeking to address TAPchallenges and opportunities related to Covid-19 in their context and analyze impacts of COVID19 on fiscal governance.
Corruption and the Rule of Law in the Time of COVID-19: Spotlight on Asia Pacific
Webinar examining the intersection between the COVID-19 crisis and rule of law. Co-sponsored by the Open Government Partnership and the Chandler Foundation, this discussion focused on the principal corruption risks the pandemic poses to three countries in Southeast Asia and highlighted relevant norms, good practices, and resources to combat corruption in the pandemic response and recovery period.
Policy note providing suggestions and guidance in three action areas: ensuring business continuity for treasury operations; operationalizing emergency arrangements; and managing the post-pandemic environment.
La respuesta anticorrupción a la Covid-19 debe ser transparente y debe incluir a las mujeres
Transparency International and UN Women call for public policies to be inclusive, transparent and free from corruption throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Governments must ensure that these funds are distributed equitably, considering a gender approach, equity, inclusion, transparency and the fight against corruption.
The #CovidCrimeWatch archive is an initiative of a Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) that explores the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on illicit economies around the globe. The articles are from around the world pertaining to organized crime and the COVID-19.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
7/30/2020
Repository
Yes
Global
Budgets
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Donor
Government
Media
Accountability
Corruption
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Donor Response
Tech
Risks
English
Yes
IMF Covid-19 Anti-corruption tracker
Transparency International has developed a tracker to flag the presence (or not) of anti-corruption and transparency measures in each loan agreement, financial assistance and debt relief from IMF. The tracker classify them including public procurement, beneficial ownership, expenditure reporting and audits.
https://www.transparency.org/en/imf-tracker
Transparency International
Tools
No
Global
Budgets
Debt relief
Civil society
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Accountability
Transparency
Policy Response
Experiences
English
Yes
Abrir los datos de la pandemia para colaborar en América Latina
International cooperation mechanisms to share information between countries have not been efficient despite all the technological infrastructure available. If States open their disaggregated data, civil society and the press could better analyze, accompany and report on the development of the pandemic.
Ensuring Integrity in Governments' Response to COVID-19
World Bank note providing guidance on addressing and mitigating corruption risks in the COVID-19 (coronavirus) response, both in the initial response and in the medium term. The note identifies the broad areas of government response where corruption risks are present and heightened in the context of a pandemic emergency, describes the types of risks that are likely to arise, and provides recommendations for addressing and mitigating them.
56 Local Jurisdictions Join Global Partnership to Promote Open Government
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) had admitted 56 new local jurisdictions composed of 64 local governments and civil society organizations to OGP Local, a partnership of reformers in and outside of government working to transform how government serves its citizens. OGP Local members have brought citizens closer to their governments, creating a robust sense of trust and collaboration between them, a key challenge in responding to COVID-19
Interview with University of Birmingham
Professor Heather Marquette on the threat C19
poses to public and private corruption, and the
need for urgent action
Global Initiative against transnational organized crime
6/3/2020
Blog
No
Global
Budgets
Illicit assets
Procurement
Civil society
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Thought Piece
English
No
A Future COVID-19 African Debt Crisis?
Ongoing analysis of the potential for a debt crisis in Africa caused by the COVID-19. While evidence for economic crisis due to COVID-19 is currently weak, recoverywill only be possible with careful management.
Ensuring the Public’s Right to
Know in the COVID-19 Pandemic
In responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, many governments have taken measures that limit access to information held by public bodies relating to the pandemic and other crucial areas of public interest. This reduction is counterproductive. The right to information is crucial for ensuring public awareness and trust, fighting misinformation, ensuring accountability as well as developing and monitoring implementation of public policies aimed at solving the crisis. This document reviews access to information obligations that should be maintained, and proposes a list of key information and data sets that should be proactively published by authorities to facilitate the fight against COVID-19 and ensure accountability
COVID-19 Corruption Risk Spikes amid Global Procurement Race
The global rush to procure medical equipment to deal with the coronavirus crisis has generated a wave of corruption investigations as under-pressure governments shortcut purchasing and transparency procedures, creating opportunities for unscrupulous politicians and officials to enrich themselves.
Getting ahead of the curve: exploring post-covid-19 trends and their impact on anti-corruption, governance and development
The COVID-19 pandemic has already forced many changes on our world and lives. These changes may be even more consequential when the crisis has ended. In fact, we may never return to the world we left behind before COVID, and that has huge implications for anti-corruption, governance and development. Given the gravity and speed of the likely political, economic and social changes in the coming months, it is vital to reflect on the impact of these trends and to consider different potential outcomes that could serve as the basis for scenario planning or forward-looking strategic thinking. This new report by Transparency International, seeks to inform the debate in ten key areas of social, political and economic life – from reduced checks and balances to the role of big tech companies in our societies.
Las Compras de Pandemia. Opacidad y sin competencia.
Investigation of 7 countries in Latin America opened the doors to millionaire public contracts, in most cases, not very transparent and in processes without competition. A series of reports from the Latin American Journalists Network for Transparency and Anticorruption (Palta).
https://www.redpalta.org/compras-pandemia/
Red Palta
Repository
Yes
Regional
Latin America and the Caribbean
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Accountability
Corruption
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Civic Response
Spanish
No
Listening during Covid-19: a framework for funders
Piece about non-profit partners and the communities funders ultimately seek to serve is essential to doing so. Funders and philanthropic leaders have committed to listening, and especially to those communities least heard, and experiences to inform public discourse and decision-making to act throughout COVID-19 response.
In Europe, transparency was seriously affected by Covid-19. The suspension of its usual public procurement rules caused large cost overruns in tenders and contracts related to the pandemic. The report focused on gathering global data on these aspects that will yield conclusions about the state of global transparency.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
10/21/2020
Report
No
Regional
Europe and Central Asia
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Risks
English
No
The role of transparency during COVID-19
The blog discusses why we should re-emphasize the importance for transparency laws, and how the current crisis may provide an opportunity for the openness community to rethink its priorities.
COVID-19: Ten Policy Priorities for Africa’s Recovery, Growth, and Transformation
Post highlighting ten key transformative policy priorities for Africa in the aftermath of the pandemic: economic “rebound” measures that will help position economies for a more rapid and sustainable period of growth. They are organized in four broad categories: resource mobilization and management; governance, effectiveness, and transparency; business and investment environment; and industrial, manufacturing, and digital innovation. While there are many policy considerations across all sectors—first and foremost in public health, which is widely understood and not included here—the actions emphasized below provide a balanced approach for both immediate relief and longer term economic transformation.
Tackling gender inequality through access to information
Article about the access to information as a powerful way to empower women. States and other stakeholders should ensure women have full rights and facilities to access information as a mechanism to overcome gender inequality. It establishes how access to data can improve sexual disparity and provide suggestions to governments and society, in general.
This article talks about the risks and concerns presented with the emerging vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. Secretive bilateral deals and conflict of interests are topics treated in this document.
Can the COVID-19 Pandemic be a Turning Point for Democracy and Open Government?
Blog regarding a world emerging from the pandemic and questioning for a better version of democracy than before. Why would we want to build back the same systems of government that were not meeting citizens expectations before the pandemic? That were giving rise to authoritarianism and illiberal democracy, and exacerbating systemic inequalities? That over time had eroded trust in government?
Among the lessons of COVID-19 is the vital importance of political trust, of space for civil society and of strong communities in coping with covariate and highly infectious health, social, and economic shocks. Civil and political rights will be eroded as governments take on more power. But there are new opportunities to gain new rights, as governments take on responsibilities for supporting citizens in emergency support packages.
Rol de los Poderes Legislativos en la asignación y control presupuestario en el marco de la pandemia de COVID-19: ejemplos de América Latina
Since the start of the pandemic, the governments of the region and the world have allocated enormous amounts of resources to face its health, economic and social impacts. While rapid responses to address the crisis are imperative, the transparency of these processes, their control, and accountability cannot be neglected. What role are the Legislative Powers playing in allocating or reallocating resources, creating specific funds, or exercising controls over the actions of governments in the framework of this pandemic? Is this role different from the one that prevailed before its emergence?
TAI’s COVID-19 Monitor Issue 2: Funder Voices and Responses
A brief qualitative analysis and reflection tool to help Transparency and Accountability Initiative (TAI) funder collaborative follow transparency, civic participation, and accountability (TPA) issues during the pandemic and beyond. The second issue of the COVID-19 Monitor focuses on funder voices and responses to the pandemic. This issue analyzes 98 pieces of content to explore what public actions or commitments global funders have made around how they provide financial and non-financial support and offers insights around how funder practices and assumptions are evolving, the issues most referenced by funders, and roles that funder partnerships can play.
Blog detailing how access to quality budget information has allowed UNICEF to keep advocating for and supporting governments by avoiding cuts to essential investments in children's futures.
Covid-19 and Freedom of Expression in the Americas
Report on ways in which goverments' response to the COVID-19 pandemic has undermined freedom of expression. In particular, the report details a concerning trend in which governments are imposing limits on transparency and access to information.
Governments that budget transparently are more likely to spend as they promise
As part of their COVID-19 response, governments everywhere are reprioritizing resources and implementing new fiscal measures. Throughout this process, we expect them to inform the public by reporting on and justifying changes made to the budget. But do we have reason to be concerned that this may not happen? Probably.
This article argues for the shutting down of offshore financial centers (OFCs), commonly known as tax havens, to be able to finance COVID-19 response and ongoing crisis preparedness measures.
Repository from the Milken Institute's COVID-19 Africa Watch of policy developments across Africa in the following topics: Fiscal Policy Responses, Monetary Policy Responses, School Policies, Emergency Declarations, and others.
Guest Post: Measures To Counter Corruption in the Coronavirus Pandemic Response
Blog post highlighting four types of measures that will mitigate some of the critical corruption risks associated with the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
An Open Government Approach to Facing the Pandemic in Latin America: What We Heard
The open government community in Latin America came together in May to discuss ways to tackle COVID-19 regionally through open government and think about OGP’s strategic role. This blog contains some key takeaways from their online gathering
COVID-19 Emergency Powers Open Door for Corruption in Latin America
Reflection to combat corruption and support the work of the civil society. Latin America scored poorly in Transparency International’s 2019 and political leaders in the region often act in their self-interest at the expense of the citizens they serve.
A Comprehensive Response to COVID-19 Demands Redistributive Fiscal Policies
The Initiative for Human Rights Principles in Fiscal Policy, comprised of six civil society organizations in Latin America, call for governments and other stakeholders in the region to immediately adopt redistributive fiscal policies that guarantee rights and reduce inequalities. The coalition’s proposals include taxes on wealth and corporate revenues from sectors that benefit from the pandemic, consultation with international financial institutions to restructure or cancel foreign debt, and implementation of policies that reduce tax avoidance and evasion.
Digital tools, such as Twaweza's mobile phone panel survey platform "Sauti za Wananchi" ("Voices of the People") can enable citizens to exercise agency and governments to be more open and responsive. In the times of COVID-19, this can translate into saving lives.
This article argues for the importence of Latin American governments adopting the use of inspectors general to advance anti-corruption reform measures, as opposed to using auditors.
Countering Corruption and Closing Civic Space during COVID-19
Notes of a session with various Accountability Lab country directors on potential corruption risks during the pandemic and how govenrments are using the crisis to close civic space
COVID-19 and Corruption: Two Risks and One Opportunity
Reflections blog on the facet of the impact of COVID-19 on governance, more specifically on the dynamics of COVID-19 and corruption. It calls on trending opportunities to Advocate for More E-Governance
COVID-19, Fiscal Transparency and Public Participation
Blogpost from the Network Director for GIFT reviewing the challenges to fiscal transparency and public participation in fiscal policies across countries from the COVID-19 crisis, and promoting the GIFT network guide to help governments prepare emergency responses, economic recovery packages, and financial rescue plans that are open and transparent.
A short blog that considers how corruption undermines COVID-19 response and how aid agencies might try multiple-provider responses to lessen the impact of corrupt money uses
Ranking the effectiveness of worldwide COVID-19 government interventions
Study assessing the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The authors quantify the impact of 6,068 hierarchically coded NPIs implemented in 79 territories on the effective reproduction number, Rt, of COVID-19. Results indicate that a suitable combination of NPIs is necessary to curb the spread of the virus.
Transparency Makes Central Banks More Effective and Trusted
The IMF has developed a Central Bank Transparency Code to help member countries answer these demands and increase trust and support. It aims to facilitate more effective communication between central banks and their various stakeholders, reducing uncertainty and contributing to better policy choices, focusing on five pillars to privde best practices for key functions: Transparency in governance, transparency in policies, transparency in operations, transparency in outcome, and transparency in official relations.
Public procurement and infrastructure governance: Initial policy responses to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis
This policy report examines the immediate infrastructure governance and public procurement policy responses taken by OECD and selected non-OECD countries during the first phase of the crisis. It highlights which dimensions of these responses need to be revisited in order to strengthen resilience for future emergencies. Critical public services and infrastructure industries have a unique responsibility to continue operations even during these unprecedented times.
As low prices spread turmoil across the oil industry, more familiar forms of corruption will likely persist, such as companies paying bribes to win contracts or national oil companies awarding deals to political elites.
Adapting to COVID-19: Sharing, learning, and supporting
Article about how organizations can identify best way to contribute to efforts to address COVID-related challenges, and exploring potential collaboration amongst Open Gov Hub members around following the money in regard to investments in tackling COVID-19, listening to communities’ feedback, and applying open government principles.
NGOs call for continued support for transparency and accountability
In this open letter, Accountability Lab, CoST and Hivos make a joint call for providers of development assistance to maintain support for transparency, accountability, and open government in the wake of the pandemic.
COVID-19 and Corruption–Two Risks and One Opportunity
Ways that the COVID-19 pandemic will interact with corruption and hinder governments' ability to respond to the pandemic. Concerns around closing civic spaces, and the opportunity of increasing use of e-governance and other open data platforms.
Corrupción: El rostro perverso de la pandemia en Latinoamérica
Article on region's failure to respond in the most effective way to the pandemic. It collect stories of overpriced food purchases, useless fans and the sale of donated medicines are some of the practices that some officials have incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hamzat Lawal: Leading Africa Anti-Corruption Activist Shares Online Media Strategy, COVID -19 Response
In this blog, Hamzat Lawal leader of an accountability movement called Follow the Money (FTM) in Africa is interviewed to talk about strategies on where funds are coming from, where are funds going, and most importantly how judiciously these funds are being used at the grassroots level.
Blockchain technology to prevent corruption in Covid-19 response: how can it help overcome risks?
Governments and donors are currently spending billions to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes outlays on medical technology and equipment, and cash support to individuals and businesses. How can blockchain technology help prevent misuse of funds, overpricing, and counterfeit goods? This article by U4 discusses how
TAI’s COVID-19 Monitor: Making sense of torrent of information for collective learning and action
Article detailing the process by which TAI compiles its COVID-19 Monitor: a brief newspaper-style slide deck with synthesis and analysis of transparency, civic participation, and accountability (TPA) relevant content we are reading. It draws on funder responses to COVID-19, governance data tracking tools, and knowledge products from practitioners.
The pandemic tend to expose cracks in our health systems, highlighting potential risks and opportunities for corruption that may undermine the response to the pandemic and deprive people of health care.
This policy tracker summarizes key economic responses governments are taking to limit the human and economic impact of the COVID-19. The tracker includes 193 economies.
COVID-19 Africa Watch - Global Response Funding Tracker
Repository from the Milken Institute's COVID-19 Africa Watch of global initiatives and financial support packages targeted toward COVID-19 preparation, response, and budgetary support and focused on the African region or specific African countries.
Blog detailing Open Data Charter's response to COVID-19, focusing on an international collaboration with the OECD to identify high-value open data in the pandemic and organizing meetups to serve as a starting point to discuss the biggest gaps and build resources based on recommendations that fit a wide array of contexts and resources aiming for a more consistent approach to publishing quality, comparable, and trustworthy data.
Covid-19 and Official Development Assistance - Current issues and challenges
Eurodad’s Jan Van de Poel looks at all of the aid given since the start of the pandemic and finds that, while the aid has been significant, it is unclear if the aid is actual new aid or just advanced disbursements that were already committed before the start of the pandemic
https://eurodad.org/covid19_oda_challenges
Eurodad
6/15/2020
Blog
No
Global
Aid
Civil society
Donor
Accountability
Transparency
Trend
English
No
How can civil society help achieve more equitable and accountable tax systems?
Vanessa van den Boogaard from IDS argues that civil society can contribute to more equitable tax systems by playing an advocacy role in key areas of policy and administration reform, including supporting more effective taxation of the wealthy, reducing heavy burdens on the poor, and increasing fairness in administration.She argues that they can further contribute to more equitable taxation by strengthening the ability of taxpayers to hold governments to account.
Tackling Procurement Challenges in a Pandemic and Beyond
Procurement processes—which are vital to ensuring an affordable, reliable, and high-quality supply of health products—remain fraught with challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating long-standing challenges, for both COVID-related supplies and other essential health products. Disruptions to active pharmaceutical ingredient production, export bans, as well as transport interruptions are already having ripple effects globally. Supply shortages and quality issues for essential health products are likely to extend well beyond the immediate crisis.
A Guide to Open Government and the Coronavirus: Open Response + Open Recovery
Collection of the best current resources on how open government projects and approaches can support tackling the pandemic, drawing on over 350 crowdsourced examples from the open government community and amplifies the work of OGP’s wide range of thematic partners, many of whom have directly contributed their expertise to the guide. The guide is for open government reformers who are looking for practical ideas, tools and resources that can be adapted to their particular context. The guide lays out recommendations and resources for an open response and an open recovery, and some long-term reforms that OGP members should consider to build trust and resilience to manage future shocks of this nature, and stronger societies overall.
Accountability and Transparency in Opioid Access and Use in COVID-19
The webinar discusses research, public policy, and technology innovation in the real-world to solve and address the problematic aspects of the opioid epidemic as it relates to online drug diversion. It describes the problem of illicit online drug sales that have rapidly proliferated across multiple parts of the Internet, with a discussion of public policy efforts, that have attempted to address this form of cyber drug crime. Finally, technology innovation into real-world solutions to address the problem, including its ability to combat fraudulent COVID-19 products.
Can COVID-19 Generate a Massive Corruption in Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries?
The impact of COVID-19 on the generation of a massive corruption in developing countries (DC’s) and least developed countries (LDC’s) is obviously possible anytime and anywhere, but measuring such impact to get a sense of the intensity of its effects on the corruption expansion is subject to a great deal of uncertainty. As such, this paper primarily attempts to close this gap by introducing the massive corruption in times of pandemic crisis evaluation simulator (MCTPCE-Simulator), a new economic instrument that could be used to evaluate how COVID-19 crisis can generate a massive corruption. In this article, a simulation was used to illustrate the applicability of the simulator from where analyses provide a coherent evaluation how the COVID-19 can promote the country’s corruption in high and middle levels.
Social Security Research Centre (SSRC); University of Malaya (UM)
5/10/2020
Article
No
Global
Corruption
Transparency
Risks
English
Yes
Coronavirus: Latin America's corruption fighters gain new ground
Dozens of corrupt officials and politicians in Latin America are losing their jobs over fishy health care dealings during the coronavirus pandemic. The scandals are producing more transparency, but setbacks remain.
Open communication on recommendations and practice of social accountability practitioners in Sub-Saharan Africa who wrote a letter to the Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Civil Society in the Post-Pandemic World: Four ways global financial institutions can work more effectively with civil society after COVID-19
As governments right and left take advantage of emergency powers to curtail rights and regress towards more opaque, exclusionary and potentially corrupt decision-making processes, civil society is stepping up to hold them accountable. This article lays out four ways to work more effectively with civil society in the context of COVID-19
Africa CDC, ARC launch COVID-19 modelling tool for Africa
The article presents a new COVID-19 decision support tool in Africa to design timely and more informed policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a platform in which the potential size of the COVID-19 epidemic is evaluated, the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions and more effective socioeconomic measures are developed.
Coronavirus: Eight macro-financial assistance programmes agreed to support enlargement and neighbourhood partners
The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, has agreed Memoranda of Understanding on macro-financial assistance (MFA) programmes with eight partners. The agreements are part of the €3 billion MFA package for ten enlargement and neighbourhood partners, aimed to help them limit the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tight-Lipped Balkan Governments Scramble to Defend Against COVID-19
The article shows how the COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be a stress test of struggling health services in the Balkans and government transparency, specially because of lack of access to information. It presents how governments are trying to fix it, with their own tools.
Opinion: 'Accelerate your commitments' during COVID-19 -- an open letter to donors
Representatives from NEAR, Civicus, and the Global Fund for Community Foundations are calling for public and private donors to prioritize directly funding first responders and organizations on the ground combatting COVID and to serve as mutual partners in any plans that impact them and the communities they serve.
Yes to Resiliency! But How does civil society become more resilient in these uncertain times?
In this article, Partners Global highlight the Resiliency + framework they developed in 2018. Now with new timeliness and now with a curated list of multi-media resources for each of the 7 resiliency factors.
This is a call for proposals about digital rights violations committed in the context of the pandemic. The Digital Freedom Fund supports partners in Europe to advance digital rights through strategic litigation. Applications to focus on addressing negative impact felt by the most vulnerable groups in society, who generally will have limited access to justice. DFF will accept applications until 30 September 2020.
Monthly updated page providing key insights from the global data collected by the COVID-19 OpenGov Tracker managed by the Analytics & Insights team at OGP. Content focuses on freedom of assembly / association, freedom of expression, gender and inclusion, government oversight, media freedom, open data, physical violence by police and military, right to information, and surveillance.
Coronavirus and the right to online political participation
"At times of crisis, it is even more critical that citizens have a voice, and a platform where they can hold their governments to account." says Sam Bocetta. In this article he argues that making access to the internet a human right can address inequalities in access to public discourse, especially where free speech is limited.
The sentinel covid 19 is an initiative and ongoing collaboration from the CLIP and media from 15 countries in the region investigate, contrast, and publish how Latin American governments handle the pandemic
https://www.elclip.org/centinela-covid-19/
Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodistica (CLIP)
Repository
No
Regional
Latin America and the Caribbean
Budgets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Accountability
Transparency
Policy Response
Trend
Spanish
No
How the pandemic might play out in 2021 and beyond
The article is a general report of what the covid is, the challenges it has imposed, the actions that various states have taken, among other data that is collected until July. Also, from these data, we have a prediction of how the next few months could pass and how the pandemic will affect daily life.
Exploring Blockchain Technology for Government Transparency: Blockchain-Based Public
Procurement to Reduce Corruption
According to the World Economic Forum the costs to society of public-sector corruption and weak accountability are staggering. In many parts of the world, public-sector corruption is the single-largest challenge, stifling social, economic and environmental development. Often, corruption centres around a lack of transparency, inadequate record-keeping and low public accountability.Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies, when applied thoughtfully to certain corruption-prone government processes, can potentially increase transparency and accountability in these systems, reducing the risk or prevalence of corrupt activity.
New tool facilitates greater transparency and coordination in COVID-19 financing
To try to provide an overview of the collective response to COVID-19, the World Bank Group and the Government of the Netherlands, as Co-Conveners of the Workstream on Greater Transparency, initiated the development of a COVID-19 funding tracking prototype (financed by the Dutch Government). The prototype visualizes data on funding from international humanitarian, development, and philanthropic actors to help connect the dots.
Corruption and Graft Afflict Latin America’s Pandemic Response
Contracts for the coronavirus response have been riddled with irregularities in a dozen countries ranging from Argentina to Mexico, a May 19 report from the Lawyers Council for Civil and Economic Rights found. InSight Crime examines three major types of contract manipulation — fraud, favoritism, and price-gouging — that have surged amid the pandemic.
Guidance note for Supreme Audit Institutions: Long-term responses to COVID-19
Report recommending practices to build agile, forward-looking, inclusive and resilient Supreme Audit Institutions through strategic planning and management in the changing environment of COVID-19 and the resultant risks.
The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) International Development Institute (IDI)
Report
No
Global
Budgets
Civil society
Government
Adaptive Management
Policy Response
Recommendations
English
No
CSO Accountability in Focus Reports
They take a deeper look at four key areas where the civil society sector is advancing accountability: partnerships, the environment, stakeholder engagement and feedback & complaints to give a snapshot look at how their members are embedding Dynamic Accountability principles across their organisation.
Adaptive leadership in the coronavirus response: bridging science, policy and practice in a crisis
Amid unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19 to science, policy, and the interface between the two, how can policymakers, practitioners, and researchers use adaptive leadership to navigate the considerable uncertainties ahead?
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
3/31/2020
Blog
No
Global
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Adaptive Management
Recommendations
English
Yes
Lessons from COVID-19 from west african economies.
The five key recommendations aim at stimulating in-depth debate on the economic policy responses that need to be made at the level of African countries - particularly West African countries while taking into account the specificities of each economy.
Early Warning System: COVID-19 Projects by Development Banks
Tracks project-level commitments by 14 development finance banks monitored by the Early Warning System, based on information disclosed on bank websites. Read more about the monitoring effort here
https://ews.rightsindevelopment.org/
International Accountability Project
4/6/2020
Tools
Yes
Global
Aid
Donor
Accountability
Experiences
English
Yes
Citizens, Civil Society and Auditors: COVID-19 requires an “ecosystem” approach to accountability
Blog on challenges faced by citizens and governments to an urgent need for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) to be more effective in their oversight efforts to ensure scarce public resources are used most effectively. During the present COVID emergency, accountability strategies that leverage SAI, CSO and broader citizen roles – along with media, private sector and other government actors, such as parliaments and courts – can mitigate some of the challenges faced by oversight actors, particularly during the COVID emergency.
Community-led development and social accountability: mobilizing community response to covid-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated that communities are the first responders in any crises.CLD is a multi-sectoral and human-centered strategy for collaboration to achieve locally created and owned vision and goals. The Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD), a group of 67 international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and 100+ local civil society organizations (CSOs) from Africa, Asia and Latin America, believes that it is integral not just to crises preparedness and response, but to social equity, good governance, sustainability and effective programming. This session will explore the intersectionality between CLD and social accountability and discuss how the two can work together.
Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA)
6/30/2020
Webinar
No
Global
Civil society
Accountability
Participation
Civic Space
Inclusion
Civic Response
English
Yes
Policy measures to avoid corruption and bribery in the COVID-19 response and recovery
This crisis should include mechanisms for preventing, detecting and prosecuting corruption and bribery
https://bit.ly/36WpE0L
OECD
5/26/2020
Repository
No
Global
Illicit assets
Procurement
Health
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Policy Response
Recommendations
English
Yes
COVID-19 Response Tracking Prototype
Prototype tool visualizing data published to the International Aid Transparency Initiative and UNOCHA Financial Tracking Service, providing a detailed breakdown of funding at the project-level, illustrating how funding is being spent in affected countries, across sectors, and by key implementing partners.
http://covid19.humportal.org/
Development Initiatives, World Bank Group, and the Government of the Netherlands
Tools
Yes
Global
Aid
Civil society
Donor
Government
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Donor Response
Tech
Trend
English
Yes
Now more than ever: transparency and whistleblower protection
Access Info Europe joins leading transparency and anti-corruption organisations in calling on all public authorities to ensure and strengthen whistleblower protection during the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Civil Society and the Coronavirus: Dynamism Despite Disruption
The coronavirus is catalyzing new forms of civic activism. International supporters of civil society should step up their efforts to bolster these local responses.
Debrief of what the Hub community has done during the pandemic and lockdowns. It is a repository of blogs and virtual actions to understand needs during these times, and uncover offers that could help support each organization in the network
http://opengovhub.org/ogh-covid19
Open Gov Hub
Repository
No
Global
Service delivery
Civil society
Collaborations
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Civic Space
Trend
Civic Response
English
Yes
Why Governance Matters in the Time of COVID-19
In this blog, Michael Jarvis, executive director of the Transparency and Accountability Initiative, writes about why transparency, accountability and trust matter now more than ever and the tools governments, civil society, and their partners have at their disposal.
More than US$9 trillion is being committed to the recovery, including up to US$1 trillion from the IMF. Resources about the importance to ensure that emergency funds aren’t lost to corruption and that corruption doesn’t cost any additional lives.
Web coverage and investigations of those who try to benefit from border closures, commodity shortages, delayed court proceedings, and other disruptions caused by this global pandemic. In times of crisis, organized criminal groups and corrupt government officials often find new opportunities to consolidate illicit wealth and power. At the same time, existing corruption and criminality make it that much harder for governments to respond to the growing threat.
https://www.occrp.org/en/coronavirus/
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
Repository
No
Global
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Government
Corruption
Transparency
Risks
English
Yes
Trade-offs and considerations for the future: Innovation and the COVID-19 response
Blog post sharing reflections on innovation and the COVID-19 response at the UK Department for International Development (DFID), focusing on trade-offs over the last three months.
How should the UN agencies respond to the crime and corruption aspects of C19? This policy brief identifies four areas for engagement: cybercrime; informal labour; prisons; and illicit financial flows. It offers several recommendations including analyzing criminal economies on key logistics issues (e.g. food security) and strengthening the focus on illicit financial flows (IFFs)
Global Initiative against transnational organized crime
6/3/2020
Article
No
Global
Aid
Illicit assets
Procurement
Civil society
Donor
Multilateral Organizations
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Donor Response
Inclusion
Economic Impact
Recommendations
English
Yes
What more could donors be doing on COVID-19?
Aside from more funding, development experts say there are a number of other steps donors should be taking: 1. Simplify funding mechanisms for a faster response, 2. Transparency on decisions, 3. longer-term impacts
A Post-Covid-19 Social Compact Rooted in Openness and Citizen Engagement
OGP recommendations for the European Commission's Recovery Plan, arguing that open government approaches can be applied to the four most vital aspects of COVID-19 reform and recovery for Europe: Stimulus packages; Green recovery; Citizen-centric digital transformation; Protection of civic space and institutional checks and balances. Overall recommendation is to ensure that transparency, participation and public oversight are an integral and mandated part of all response, recovery and resilience measures.
Curbing Corruption in the Midst of a Pandemic is More Important Than Ever, New Report Says
Press release summarizing a new report from the World Bank, "Enhancing Government Effectiveness and Transparency: The Fight Against Corruption" which focuses on ways to enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption strategies in the sectors most effected.
This article looks at how the pandemic will change societies facing a critical juncture in which civil society may support government initiatives or escalate tensions, which have been exacerbated by concerns about amplified inequality and public accountability.
Reforming procurement in a crisis: how Lift teams are leading the way
Before coronavirus pandemic many procurement practitioners believed government contracting was overdue for a makeover. Public procurement is in urgent need of reform to attend critical issues in their own procurement systems like improving opportunities for smaller businesses, lowering the price of medicines, offering innovative public services.
Blog highlighting the importance of international funders implementing a systems response – investing in the entities which have the legal mandate and capacity to reach large numbers of people through established protocols, budget and personnel– and in the locally rooted people and organisations who have the expertise, relationships and contextual knowledge to lead response efforts to COVID-19.
Alliance for Philanthrophy and Social Investment Worldwide
4/26/2020
Blog
No
Global
Aid
Civil society
Donor
Adaptive Management
Donor Response
Trend
English
No
Threats to independent journalism post-Covid-19: What are the impacts for anti-corruption efforts?
We would not know as much about corruption today, without the courageous efforts of individuals to expose cases of gross abuse of power. how to protect these funds from corruption?
Accountability for COVID-19 Aid: Better Visibility Matters for the Quality of the Response
Aid visibility matters to inform a coherent and coordinated package for country governments, not-for-profits, and firms mounting a crisis response. Dashboards and trackers are in place, but it’s still hard to get a full picture of funding. What specific format and reporting elements would be most feasible?
As global health players pivot to COVID-19 responses, we need coordinated, real-time, formative evaluations
An estimated $15.9 trillion has been mobilised to respond to the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of this has gone to multilateral and bilateral funders to support low- and middle-income countries’ (LMIC) governments. But how is this money being spent, and how is it impacting country budgets and expenditure more broadly?In this blog, the authors set out three big challenges for programming, monitoring, and evaluation during a pandemic, highlight ways in which these challenges can be overcome, and explore the long-term humanitarian consequences that will be left in the wake of funding decisions being made now.
Contains links to readings, podcasts and videos related to the latest COVID-19 news and analysis, curated for the benefit of civic society organizations. Updated weekly
https://icscentre.org/tag/covid-19-resources/
International Civil Society Center
Repository
Yes
Global
Health
Debt relief
Civil society
Civic Space
Economic Impact
Civic Response
English
Yes
Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Budgeting and Contracting
Notes from workshop on May 5 on how to strengthen the transparency and accountability processes in budgeting and public procurement under the emergency while enabling a fast, efficient and transparent response
A Race to the Bottom and Back to the Top: Taxing Oil and Gas During and After the Pandemic
Briefing examing the taxation of oil & gas during and after the pandemic. Key questions include: Where will the oil price go next? What is the impact on currently operating projects, undeveloped projects, and those that are yet to be discovered? How should governments respond in changing oil and gas taxes? Will governments try to “race to the bottom,” but then lose a race back to the top?
This blog presents conversations in terms of transparency and accountability in Africa. It focuses on how African countries are responding to COVID-19, especially the interventions of Civil Society and the accountability in fiscal policy performed to governments.
https://civichive.org/account-for-covid/
Global Integrity
Repository
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Budgets
Procurement
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Transparency
Civic Space
Experiences
Civic Response
English
Yes
Podcast Featuring Sarah Steingrüber
Measures that are appropriate, and draws on lessons from prior health crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West African. In addition, corruption and health may contribute to undue private influence on decision-making processes in the health sector.
This guide, which is part of OGP’s Open Response + Open Recovery campaign, aims to provide easy access to guidance, tools and resources on what might be useful or adaptable in a particular context to continue the OGP co-creation process and open government dialogue online. It draws from the expertise and experience of many OGP partners, and the lessons learned in OGP. The guide is by no means comprehensive but is hopefully a useful starting point which we plan to update periodically as new resources, experiences and insights from the OGP co-creation process and beyond come to light.
What have we learned from four years’ research into empowerment and accountability in fragile/violent settings?
Reflections on the Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) consortium, addressing the importance of intermediaries, promising work on governance diaries, the implementation of power analysis on allies, research on norms, and the gulf between empowerment and accountability.
COVID-19 Role of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in Governments' Response to COVID-19 : Emergency and Post Emergency Phases
World Bank note proposing ideas on how Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) can respond to the COVID-19 crisis now and in the recovery phase to support government response mechnaisms through maintaning public financial management discipline and ensuring transparency and accountability.
The Cosa Nostra and the Camorra – whose power had been faltering due to law enforcement crackdowns and internal infighting – are seeing signs of recovery. Able to buy businesses and assets, such as restaurants, at discounted rates, they can create a perfect avenue for money laundering. Mafia are also trying to tap state subsidies. On Tuesday, Italian investigators revealed that three companies controlled by an alleged 'Ndrangheta member received over €45,000 in relief funds earmarked by the government for the COVID-19 emergency.
“There is no time to lose” - Democracy must revitalize itself to combat COVID-19 impact
Over 160 leaders from across Latin America, including 21 former presidents, have signed a joint declaration calling to defend democracy in the region, warning that COVID-related emergency executive powers, poor public services, postponed elections, and deepening social equality and poverty threaten democratic accountability throughout the region.
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
9/15/2020
Joint Statement
No
Regional
Latin America and the Caribbean
Service delivery
Civil society
Accountability
Participation
Transparency
Risks
English
No
Increasing transparency around COVID-19 funding
For organizations responding to the pandemic, lack of funding transparency creates a risk that they won’t have the information required to form a coordinated response — and allocate resources effectively. The longer these challenges occur, the greater the accountability issues down the line when assessing the efficacy of aid. With COVID-19 affecting lives and decisions today, waiting for better is not an option. To support funders, Devex convened a webinar exploring what can be done to increase transparency around COVID-19 funding.
How Civil Society Can Make COVID-19 Responses More Transparent
In collaboration with GIFT, an exploration of how CSOs can support the design of COVID-19 response policy, monitor the implementation of response, and provide oversight of public spending during the crisis
Why data is Latin America's best weapon against COVID-19 corruption
Open data has emerged as a key tool against corruption and fraud in Latin America during the pandemic. This article discusses key examples, as well as the potential for several countries in the region collaborating with support from CAF to help identify corruption risks in real time across multiple sectors.
Emergency procurement for COVID-19: Buying fast, smart, and open
Recommendations to manage that emergency procurement will play a major role in how they contain COVID-19 and how many lives can be saved. Publishing country actions also
Article announcing the release of the Data4COVID19 Living Repository. The upgraded platform allows people to more easily find and understand projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic and data reuse. In addition to a main page with short descriptions of each example, we’ve added improved search and filtering functionality. Visitors can sort through any of the projects by: Scope, Region, Topic, and Pandemic Phase.
Corruption in the time of COVID-19: A double-threat for low income countries (U4 Brief 2020:6)
Steingrüber et al argue that it is critical to continue a strong stance against corrupt practices during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anti-corruption procedures and systems of accountability will ensure that development aid is deployed to benefit those who need it the most. A wave of corruption-related incidents linked to the current situation underscores the importance of continuing and strengthening transparency and accountability efforts.
Fiscal Data for Emergency Response: Guide for COVID-19
This data guide contains a practical compilation of datasets required, within the broader context of an emergency policy response and economic recovery. It is particularly applied to the COVID-19 framework considering the pressing needs. Fiscal policies are responding to a health pandemic. This requires a broad range of information: government revenues, public debt, and on how all public resources are allocated, invested, and managed.
Blogpost promoting Global Accountability Week. The activities offered during the GAW cover basic concepts about CSO legitimacy, transparency and accountability. It also addresses more advanced topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on the importance of accountability and good practices in light of the current pandemic.
Fiscal Data for Emergency Response: Guide for COVID-19
Gathering and publishing -quality and timely- information is essential to mitigate the risks that can complicate internal and external monitoring and can be a culprit for mismanagement, corruption, and unforeseen fiscal risks.
COVID-19 highlights deadly cost of corruption and the urgent need for companies to respect human rights: UN experts
Release from UN Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises highlighting the risks of corruption and urgent need for remedy for victims.
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
7/9/2020
Joint Statement
No
Global
Procurement
Service delivery
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Risks
English
Yes
Companies Must Prioritize Anti-Bribery Compliance During the Pandemic
Francesca M.S. Guerrero and Joyce Rodriguez from Thompson Hine (law firm) urge companies that do business globally to mitigate the risk of bribery violations that can include substantial penalties, loss of reputation, and restricted access to government and other customers. They offer several suggestions including maintaining strong internal reporting mechanisms as well as ensuring heightened screening of new deals and new relationships
How transparent is global aid now? – One month until the launch of the 2020 Aid Transparency Index
During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the transparency of aid remains critically important: for holding donors to account, for tracking spending and ensuring aid gets to where it is needed. Publish What You Fund’s CEO Gary Forster reflects on the lessons from the last Index, and where to go from here.
The article emphasizes on challenges that Latin America has faced due the pandemic crisis and how corruption has been a relevant problem in the midst of it. Likewise, the article shows that this is an opportunity that could open the door to anti-corruption policies supported by relevant data analysis and open contracting data standards, that would expose networks and crimes of criminal organizations.
Webinar series: Monitoring government budget execution in the COVID era
IBP is offering a six-part webinar series for civil society groups, designed to train members to monitor and influence government expenditures. Each webinar will bring together powerful examples of budget tracking from around the world and the practitioners that pioneered them. The seminars are for civic actors who are looking to learn and use innovative tools to track funds throughout the budget execution process and ensure that scarce public funds reach their intended beneficiaries.
Grant Makers Can Improve Government Effectieness in the COVID-19 Era
Grant makers have the opportunity to focus their investments on three primary areas to improve the effectiveness of governments' response to COVID-19: improving transparency and accountability to reduce corruption, supporting data-driven approaches to shaping policy, and protecting civic engagement.
COVID-19 and Latin America's Epidemic of Corruption
Even during normal times, Latin America, including its public health sectors, struggles to provide adequate services while containing corruption. The coronavirus has only amplified this challenge, given the snowballing demand for medications and medical equipment and services. The authors of this article argue that increased corruption is not inevitable, however. Careful public procurement, real-time transparency, robust monitoring and civil society oversight help prevent corruption, or detect it early.
Tracking the trillions 6 month checkup on IMF's COVID-19 emergency aid
The blog seeks to give a series of recommendations to the IMF due to the growing concern about increasing inequality and corruption with aid funds from governments that request loans, all this amid the pandemic outlook.
Making Trillion Dollar Stimulus and Safety Nets Work for All: The Essential Steps We Can Take Now
These article present some key steps for shaping and monitoring resources and financial aid, taking into acount that goverments are movilizing the biggest stimulus and safety packages since World War II
How to Respond to a Pandemic When Our Institutions Can’t
As people everywhere grapple with the failure of public agencies to respond effectively to COVID-19, they’re taking matters into their own hands. Institutions would do well to take some pages from the organizer’s playbook. This blog post highlights what institutions can learn from community-based organizations and organizers.
Global data collected by the COVID-19 OpenGov Tracker managed by the Analytics & Insights team at OGP. Content focuses on freedom of assembly / association, freedom of expression, gender and inclusion, government oversight, media freedom, open data, physical violence by police and military, right to information, and surveillance.
Open Procurement vs. COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Prospects for Recovery
Meeting notes about the conversation regarding different experiences in latinamerica about public procurement on service delivery at every government level, with request from civil society for more transparency and open data to deman efficiency
OR+OR: Open Service Delivery in Health - Communities and Governments Working Together (Livestream)
In a conversation hosted by Open Government Partnership, George Osei-Bimpeh from SEND-Ghana, Augustin Carrizosa from CIRD, Besmati Mpepo from World Vision International, Florencia Guerzovich and others came together to discuss the importance of finding solutions to health crises through open government principles, including leveraging collaborative social accountability for health. Read this follow-up blog post by Florencia Guerzovich and Maria Soledad Gattoni.
Leaders don't have to sacrifice people’s lives to save public money during this pandemic – we need both
In this article, the UK’s Anti-Corruption Champion John Penrose argues that there is a possibility for both strong accountability and transparency, and effective rapid response to the virus.
Pandemic highlights need for new solutions to counter corruption
The article summarizes the Holy See’s, Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, call for the prevention of corruption amid the Covid-19 pandemic
COVID-19: Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Issues and Potential USAID Responses
This paper, drafted by USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG Center), outlines key technical issues related to DRG and COVID-19 and details potential USAID programmatic responses.
In the first of a series of blog posts, Wheaton College’s Richard Gibson looks into the history of the promise and disappointment of digital democracy—and suggests how we might get back on a healthier course
Corruption and COVID-19: An Interview with Anti-Corruption Practitioner James Wasserstrom
An interview with anti-corruption practitioner James Wasserstrom in which he provides his practical advice on how to combat corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resilience by eDesign: Digital Emergency Procurement
Blog announcing and reviewing the Development Gateway report: "Emergency Procurement: Lessons Learned from COVID-19" and accompanying indicator framework. The report provides a holistic view of procurement data, digital, and policy needs across countries during the emergency in order to understand what public procurement policies, contracting mechanisms, and data and digital capabilities are required to procure a rapid and effective emergency response.
Common Pitfalls in the Interpretation of COVID-19 Data and Statistics
Paper highlighting the most common among these pitfalls given that they have the potential to intentionally or unintentionally mislead the public debate and thereby the course of future policy actions. Beyond explaining some of the current pitfalls, tthe paper serves as a more general caveat regarding the interpretation of data in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Webinar Transparencia e integridad en la emergencia del COVID-19
Accountability process depend today on governments disclosure of information. Governments need to address emergency needs with efficiency, transparency and integrity. Today lack of trust on information provided because it does not allow timely monitoring. Public private projects are decided without proper civic participation.
Center for International Private Enterprise’s Anti-Corruption and Governance Center
5/7/2020
Blog
No
Global
Aid
Illicit assets
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Policy Response
Tech
Risks
English
No
The Potential Role Of Open Data In Mitigating The COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges And Opportunities
Report describing several use cases whereby open data have already been used globally in the COVID-19 response, highlighting major challenges to using these data, and providing recommendations on how to foster a robust open data ecosystem to ensure that open data can be leveraged in both this pandemic and future public health emergencies.
5 procurement strategies for navigating the COVID-19 crisis from around the world
Strategies that are being tested from 150 procurement practitioners about promising approaches they’re seeing for keeping procurement fast, transparent and impactful during the pandemic
We Can’t Stop the Coronavirus Unless We Stop Corruption
Trillions of dollars are poured by government into coronavirus vaccines and economic stimulus efforts but without strict measures, graft will prevent funds from reaching the right recipients.
The COVID-19 pivot: 'We don't all need to become about the pandemic'
Catherine Cheney details examples of how some non profit groups, such as Accountability Lab have made a natural pivot to COVID related responses, but reminds that it won’t make sense for all and the need to champion long held causes may be bigger than ever with attention pulled elsewhere.
COVID-19: A chance to empower citizens through social protection
In a blog cross-published in the GPSA Knowledge Platform, Kathryn Taetzsch and Sue Cant from World Vision International argue the importance of citizen feedback in ensuring government and donor social protection programs reach the most vulnerable in the context of COVID-19.The authors highlight International Budget Partnership’s work in South Africa, who used technology to generate citizen feedback on ability to access basic services which further prompted government response.
World Vision, Global Partnership for Social Accountability
4/30/2020
Blog
No
Global
Aid
Service delivery
Civil society
Donor
Government
Accountability
Participation
Thought Piece
English
No
Hacking corruption in the digital era: How tech is shaping the future of integrity in times of crisis
This paper by the WEF Council on Transparency and Anticorruption discusses how tech is shaping integrity in times of crisis, and highlights open contracting as a key opportunity for governments.
Estado de la Justicia en América Latina bajo el COVID-19. Medidas generales adoptadas y uso de TICs en procesos judiciales
Report on Latin America´s view of the state of justice on the Coronavirus or Covid-19. It reports the general measures adopted by the Judicial Powers and the use (or absence) of technologies related to the operation of judicial processes in particular.
Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Américas (CEJA), Global Affairs Canada
5/1/2020
Report
No
Regional
Latin America and the Caribbean
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Transparency
Policy Response
Tech
Thought Piece
Spanish
No
OGP 2020 Virtual Leaders Summit
A virtual leader summit webinar held different government leaders, as well as civil society leaders, gathered to present their experiences in open government and accountability during the COVID-19. This meeting showed the perspectives through the future and the actions that should be done in the future.
COVID-19 and CSOs: Shifting the Paradigm for Assistance to the Global South
Report from LINC analyzing a survey of COVID-19's impact on CSO staffing, ongoing operations, and communities served in the Global South
https://linclocal.org/covid-19/
LINC
Report
No
Global
Aid
Service delivery
Civil society
Adaptive Management
Participation
Donor Response
Trend
English
Yes
FRAUD'S IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE DURING COVID-19
Global survey on fraud and corruption affecting
healthcare systems during COVID-19 in April 2020
Report summarizing the results of a April (2020) survey of 58 countries by Berlin anti-fraud consulting firm Nemexis that found that the delivery of COVID-19 related healthcare around the world was significantly affected by financial crime
Diving into the data: Monitoring COVID-19 emergency funds in Africa
Visual story exploring existing data on COVID-19 emergency funds in Africa to highlight the importance of transparency and accountability and what governments can do to ensure money is managed effectively.
COVID 19: Pronunciamiento de organizaciones de la sociedad civil
Pronouncement of Latin American civil society organizations (CSOs), which work within the framework of different networks on different agendas, we began to have conversations
linked to democratic strengthening, access to public information, budget transparency, accountability, justice, human rights, freedom of expression, environment and natural resources, among many other agendas.
Unión Europea extenderá reglas de transparencia fiscal a plataformas digitales
Announcement by the European Commission on a package of tax measures to support economic recovery and combat tax fraud in the European Union. The article also talks about a Tax Action Plan to make taxation easier and better adapted to modern technologies.
Blog introducing a policy brief recommendtions from the UN on major social, political and legal challenges globally. Concerns in many countries includes: Measures to control the flow of information and crackdown on freedom of expression and press freedom against an existing background of shrinking civic space; detention, prosecution or persecution of political opponents, journalists, activists and others for allegedly spreading “fake news”; aggressive cyber-policing and increased online surveillance; postponement of elections is raising serious constitutional issues. When this crisis is over, the international community will need to redouble its efforts to guarantee the right to health and the achievement of SDG.
World Bank Knows of Many More African Covid-19 Contracts Than It Discloses
The author warns about a non-transparent act carried out by the World Bank, which has only published 14 percent of the contracts signed by African governments to combat Covid-19 with Bank funds. The author tries to understand this disclosure limitation as a possible act that encourages corruption.
Locally-led aid in the time of corona: throwing away the remote control
This document talks about the importance of local leadership in the accountability process and the relevance of foreign assistance during the fight against the pandemic
The challenge of DFI transparency in the time of COVID
As enormous sums are being committed by western nations to shore up the health care systems and economies of many low and middle-income countries, Rob Mosbacher, Chair of the Project Advisory Board for Publish What You Fund’s DFI Transparency Initiative and former Chairman and CEO of OPIC, reflects on the tension between speed and effectiveness.
COVID-related financial crime nears two million global cases, but AI could help
The incidence of financial crimes such as supply chain fraud, phishing scams and corruption has increased during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Miles Rogerson makes a case for artificial intelligence as a potential solution
Resilient Realities: How youth Civil Society is experiencing and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
Report of key findings and recommendations from research into the ways by which COVID-19 has brought transformation and opportunity to reconsider the actions donors and governments can take to support youth civil society organizations.
How Covid-19 will impact transnational kleptocracy and independent media
The vital role of independent media in exposing transnational keptocracy is under threat. With attention trained on the pandemic, authoritarian governments are able to use this time to pass laws restricting freedom of information and freedom of assembly, as well as measures that further curtail the ability of media to function as watchdogs.
Prototype visualisation tool to track the number of international aid COVID-19 response projects by reporting organization.
https://covid19.humportal.org/activities/
International Aid Transparency Initiative
Tools
Yes
Global
Aid
Civil society
Donor
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Open data
Donor Response
Tech
Experiences
English
Yes
Ready to Act: Open Gov, Service Delivery & COVID-19
The OGP in this blogpost argue that as we respond to the pandemic, it is important to reflect upon how we can find solutions through open government principles, in addition to thinking how and if open government principles are still in place despite the crisis. According to them, the answer seems clear: Put participatory principles into practice. They argue that now is the time to take in what is happening in our daily lives and think how we can put the Open Government Partnership to work for service delivery, hand in hand, with efforts to strengthen health systems. In acting for delivery, the open government movement has a unique opportunity to become stronger, too.
The Big Question: How Will the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Transnational Kleptocracy?
While it is too early to understand the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is likely that with global attention trained on containing and responding to the virus, kleptocratic financial flows are receiving less scrutiny. At the same time, the global health pandemic is bringing into sharp relief the debilitated state of social services in many countries, which could lead to greater citizen discontent and activism. The International Forum for Democratic Studies asked four leading experts for their views on how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect trends in transnational kleptocracy.
Five ways to ensure that models serve society: a manifesto
Politics predictions need to be transparent and humble to invite insight. The article presents a manifesto for best practices for responsible mathematical modelling and accountability
COVID vaccine distribution: More fertile ground for corruption
Concerns about corruption in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the topics treated in this blog. As well as the actions that governments must do to ensure that a safe and effective vaccine is delivered to those who need it.
A summary of requested and allocated funding from select entities for COVID-19 response efforts in Low- and Middle-Income countries as at April 28, 2020.
The Network Readiness Index 2020: Accelerating Digital Transformation in a post-COVID Global Economy
Report ranking a total of 134 economies based on their performance across 60 variables pertaining to various aspects of Digital Transformation, including the role of business and governments, issues of inclusion, and beyond. The index is grounded in four dimensions: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, covering issues from Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things to the role of the digital economy in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
Compendium of Digital Government Initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
A compendium of emerging digital trends in digital responses of the United Nations Member States against the COVID-19 pandemic, grouped by the following action areas: Information sharing; E-participation; E-health; E-business; Contact tracing; Social distancing and virus tracking; Working and learning from home; Digital policy, and; Partnerships
Hewlett Foundation grantee partners reacted and adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by advocating for more transparent, inclusive, and equitable governance.
The IDB and Microsoft Tackle Transparency, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Challenges through Technological Innovation
The article shows the partnership between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Microsoft through an initiative to use technology to help reduce corruption, increase transparency, and foster integrity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
Let´s make sure corruption does not de-rail the vaccine rollout!
COVID-19 vaccines are around the corner. In this Blog, Dávid-Barrett gives some general recommendations to face corruption. Special commissions for vaccines, public procurement, and the protection vaccine distribution networks among other tips.
Center for the Study of corruption (Liz Dávid-Barret)
12/17/2020
Blog
No
Global
Budgets
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Health
Vaccine Distribution
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Transparency
Policy Response
Economic Impact
Recommendations
Risks
English
Yes
Tracking COVID-19 World Bank funding by country
The article is an information guide to know where the World Bank resources given to governments are going to. In addition, the Bank has expressed concerns about whether some governments have capacity to do perform transparent audits.
Exploring innovations to address a shadow pandemic
Blog detailing seven innovation approaches that the author deems critical to accelerating progress across the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on the "shadow pandemic" of gender-based violence.
How will COVID-19 affect transnational kleptocracy?
Q&A blog with four panelists on how the pandemic will affect international kleptocracy, particularly given decreased scrutiny of kleptocracy and increased scrunity of failing social safety nets
As the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt around around the globe, the Anti-Corruption & Governance Center (ACGC) team at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has explored the intersection of corruption and the pandemic through a series of public webinars. To date, the COVID-19 & Corruption series has featured 11 installments, bringing together experts from around the globe to discuss topics ranging from healthcare to illicit financial flows to regional challenges facing Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
Coronavirus shows how badly we need consensus on collective data rights and needs
COVID-19 is forcing actors across all sectors to think about how to can work across jurisdictions and political contexts to foster better collaboration, build trust in institutions, and save lives. While open data transparency is a fundamental tool in addressing the pandemic, openness needs to be balanced with both individual and collective data rights, and policies need to account for context.
Emergency Procurement for COVID-19: Buying Fast, Open and Smart
Recomendations in emergency procedures who need to be public and open. A way to guarantee this in a complex, rapidly changing context is by relying on open government principles and with open systems that run on structured data and efficient communication.
Articles that organize the stages of the data in the value chain: availability, openness, dissemination, and use and uptake. These resources are helpful in current COVID-19 pandemic which raises important questions about opening, sharing and using data, and highlights the challenges associated with data use.
What the fight against Ebola can teach us about beating the coronavirus
Blair Glencorse, executive director of the Accountability Lab, argues that as the coronavirus that causes the disease known as covid-19 continues to spread rapidly and elicit panic across the globe, there is much the world can learn from Liberia’s experience with Ebola — and very little of it has to do with health care. The most important lessons relate to trust and governance
Guide to collect, publish & visualize COVID-19 procurement data
This new guide by the OCP provides practical advice on when and how to collect open data about COVID-19 emergency procurement, understanding how the data is going to be used and what to publish to monitor government contracting during the pandemic. It includes simple, user-friendly tools (including spreadsheets and Google forms) that can be used in low tech contexts for data collection and publication.
Achieving inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and the SDGs in the post-COVID-19 world
Blog from the Senior Minister and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia detailing Ethiopia's progress toward the SDGs and highlighting key lessons from the COVID-19 crisis in providing recommendations for how UNIDO, member countries, and international partners can work jointly to realize Agenda 2030.
Might social intelligence save Latin America from its governments in times of Covid-19?
Thought piece exploring the ways in which digital democratic innovation in response to COVID-19 highlights the need for Latin American governments to rely on society to advance solutions to new and complex problems. The piece argues Covid-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to test the potential of social intelligence as fuel for processes of creative collaboration that may aid governments to reinvent themselves.
Journalists on the frontline of Covid-era accountability: we are not ‘one’ fragile planet
Blog about Government’s refusal to give Covid-19 updates is at the centre of journalists’ questions in Tanzania while in Nigeria, journalists question the excesses of security agents enforcing lockdown and the contradictions between the lockdown directives of the president. For journalists globally, the cost of promoting accountability appears to be rather high.
London School of Economics - Conflict Research Programme
6/12/2020
Blog
No
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Participation
Transparency
Civic Space
Risks
English
Yes
Funding the Future: How the climate crisis intersects with your giving
Guide illustrating how the climate crisis impacts funding portfolios and highlights where there are co-benefits with taking climate action. It looks at five key areas called ‘climate intersections’: Just & democratic societies, public health, disadvantaged groups, education, and nature conservation.
Corruption represents ‘ultimate betrayal’ of public trust: Guterres
Announcement by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, who highlighted that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption was proving to be even more damaging in its impact on the most vulnerable. Therefore, the only solution is a comprehensive government and community response to end corruption globally.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/10/1075432
UN News
10/15/2020
Article
No
Global
Budgets
Illicit assets
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Risks
English
No
Using behavioral insights to make the most of emergency social protection cash transfers
Since March 2020, 139 countries and territories have planned, implemented, or adapted cash transfers--making up about half of the social protection programs implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog highlights some key behavioral insights that ensure maximum efficacy of the cash transfers.
Can wearing a mask help prevent corruption? No, but leading by example can
In this article, Alexandra Habershon from the World Bank makes the point that Confronting the Covid-19 crisis is not unlike confronting corruption, in this respect: effective institutions and laws are vitally important, but norms and standards – and the example set by leadership – may make all the difference.
The impact of Covid-19 on anti-corruption, governance and development
Henry J. Schumacher of the Integrity Initiative considers different potential outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic on anti-corruption, governance and development and identifies opportunities for course-correction in the short, mid and long term.
UN Women, IDB urge Caribbean to integrate gender as catalyst for economic recovery
This article is about the urgency of addressing the care economy and the impact on women, who make up the majority of unpaid care workers. The document talks about how the crisis and the response have deepened existing gender inequalities
MDBs: Fast-tracking procurement in the time of COVID-19
Devex has tracked an estimated $24 trillion worldwide to combat COVID-19 as of June, and MDBs are on top of these responses. This article explores how the top MDBs — the World Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and Asian Development Bank — are coping with COVID-19 funding and procurement information.
Is the Coronavirus Catalyzing New Civic Collaborations for Open Government?
Report from the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace detailing how the coronavirus pandemic has generated a surge in public demand for government transparency and accountability, and providing recommendations for how elite and grassroots civic actors concerned with open governance can seize this window for reform.
Financing for global goals under threat just when most needed, says OECD head
Article detailing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on progress toward reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. The COVID-19 crisis has pushed to $4 trillion this year's shortfall in funding needed for developing nations to meet global goals to end poverty and hunger by 2030, throwing them further off track.
https://news.trust.org/item/20201112162434-3dj63/
Reuters
11/12/2020
Article
Yes
Global
Aid
Budgets
Debt relief
Civil society
Donor
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Adaptive Management
Donor Response
Economic Impact
Risks
Recommendations
English
Yes
How is PTF responding to COVID 19?
PTF supports emergency projects in India, Uganda and urges donors to fund independent civil society oversight. Concept notes of CSOs innitiatives to respond to COVID19
https://www.ptfund.org/covid19/
Partnership for Transparency
Blog
No
Global
Procurement
Service delivery
Health
Civil society
Donor
Government
Collaborations
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Inclusion
Experiences
English
Yes
COVID-19: El desafío de adaptar y fortalecer el rol de los Congresos
In Latinamerica, the executive powers have played a central role in defining the public agendas. A survey of measures approved in health areas, economy, work and social income and mobility. The need to not only recover the strategic role of the legislative powers, but also guarantee the fulfillment of its functions its important, because of consensus building, both in contexts of rupture as the configuration of new normalities that put in question the existing exclusion schemes, identify inequalities and work to eradicate them. Also specia section linked to the role of powers and gender agenda.
The Vaccine Against COVID-Risk: Open Budgets, Open Response, Open Recovery
Blog post by ONE co-founder Jamie Drummond raising the alarm about misinformation and a lack of oversight of government actions and spending to deal with the current crisis around the globe. He recommends Openness – specifically open budget, open response and open recovery – as the antidote.
Ben Ramalingam and Leni Wild, both senior research fellows at ODI, argue that tackling the coronavirus outbreak requires adaptation at operational and leadership levels. They make the case that, operationally, there is scope to strengthen evidence-based adaptive management practices, to adjust the mix and type of interventions being implemented and learn as we go so as to achieve shared goals. They note that this requires adaptive leadership capacities, being open and transparent about learning, using collective decision-making processes and building trust with communities and individuals.
In this article Jon Temin urges bilateral and multilateral creditors to insist on transparency of the forgiven funds will be used by governments. He argues: “The goal is not for creditors to control the spending of funds diverted from debt service, but to allow citizens to judge for themselves how their resources are being deployed.”
Six months into the Covid-19 pandemic: Have our public contracting system delivered for the common good?
Six+ months into the pandemic, Transparency International's global network has embarked on a diverse set of initiatives to address ongong corruption, fraud, and wrongdoing. These initiatives include data access monitoring to push governments to release critical information, data analysis and procurement monitoring, reporting and investigation, auditing, and policy and legal analysis. Links to each of these projects are available in the blog.
The GIFT network has created a practical guide to help practitioners identify the datasets and data fields that are required for informed internal decision-making and transparent disclosure of information related to emergency responses. Preparation of the Guide is the result of a multi-stakeholder effort with representatives from multiple sectors. It is designed to help governments gather and organize fiscal information and to facilitate its internal and external use. The Guide includes 15 datasets and 13 time series grouped into four dimensions as follows:
1. Emergency and countercyclical spending (including budget adjustments, extra-budgetary funds, performance indicators, investments, payroll and procurement);
2. Tax relief measures and deferrals;
3. Revenue adjustments and additional funding sources (covering revenue adjustments, contingent tax collections, loans and other debt instruments, and external development and humanitarian resource flows); and
4. The macroeconomic impact of the emergency fiscal measures.
Don’t Let Cash Slip Away: How to Build Strong Government Oversight of Stimulus Spending
First blog in a series examining the four core ingredients for strong government oversight of stimulus spending: Multiple intertwined institutions that add up to a ‘system of oversight’; Strong and broad legal (de jure) mandates encompassing compliance, efficacy, and equity; Strong ‘actual’ (de facto) capacity, powers, and independence to carry out their mandate; and Strong elements of public participation and disclosure, including transparency of the mechanism itself as well as the content under review.
Engaging and holding the Government of Liberia Accountable during COVID -19
The Accountability Lab shows how based on learning from the Ebola pandemic, NGOs seek to work with the government. The agency seeks to shine a light to improve five points on transparent use of funds and donations for the fight against covid 19. Additionally, the agency proposed an accountability system to improve the trust in public management, as one of the main problems of Ebola was the misuse of resources.
Developed through the Grand Bargain transparency workstream to visualise the response to Covid-19 as a pathway towards more comprehensive tracking, including what activities are being financed in affected countries. This visualisation is initially based on the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)'s Financial Tracking Service (FTS) and International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) data and will be updated daily as new data becomes available through each source.
http://covid19.humportal.org/
Grand Bargain (co-conveners: Netherlands and the World Bank)
Tools
No
Global
Aid
Donor
Open data
Transparency
Experiences
English
Yes
Governing Africa during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic
A seminar discussing current governance realities on the continent, lessons for African governments and what to expect post-COVID-19.
Conversation about fighting corruption as a tool for productive development and procurement strategy. Different initiatives working on completing the information and building new databases related to open contracting.
Can corruption risks be mitigated without hindering governments’ COVID-19 response?
Ed Olowo-Okere of the World Bank discusses the corruption risks associated with the COVID-19 response. He argues that it not only important for different governments to identify the risks but also to formulate approaches to deal with those risks without hindering the government’s response. He makes several recommendations including the need to specify upfront the scope and duration of emergency powers. Relatedly, WB released a brief on April 28, 2020 on "Ensuring Integrity in Governments’ Response to COVID-19" that can be downloaded here
According to Sarah Steingrüber, Global Health Lead for CurbingCorruption, in emergency situations, when lives are at stake, it is all too easy to rationalize the subordination of concerns about things like accountability and transparency, and to disregard or ignore any anticorruption infrastructure that may currently be in place; it’s hard to focus on holding leaders accountable when government action is desperately needed to save lives. But ignoring the risks of abuse of power during a crisis would be a grave mistake and comes with risks. He discusses some of those risks in the article
Confronting a hidden burden during COVID-19: lack of debt transparency in government budgets
Lack of transparency and fragmented systems for managing and reporting on government debt have left many lower-income countries over-indebted and ill-prepared to finance necessary pandemic containment and mitigation measures. This blog examines the challenges in promoting accountability before and after the crisis and proposes a common agenda to ensure transparency on public debt.
This interactive map seeks to support human rights defenders in Sub-Saharan Africa by tracking and analysing all laws, policies and other government actions on disinformation across Sub-Saharan Africa. Powered by data and insight from local partners, it provides detailed analysis on all government actions using GPD’s framework for disinformation and human rights.
https://www.disinformationtracker.org/
Disinformation Tracker
Tools
Yes
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Media
Collaborations
Adaptive Management
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Tech
Experiences
English
Yes
Anti-corruption in Covid-19 preparedness and response
Mainstreaming integrity into pandemic plans and policies do not give enough attention to anti-corruption and governance
In this Interview with Transparency International, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund argues that we can only stop fraud and corruption if we work together, and civil society has a critical role to play in holding to account both governments and institutions
Donors must match speed with transparency in coronavirus funding, advocates say
International donors work to get money into the hands of governments responding to coronavirus, transparency advocates hope they will balance urgency with a strong call for open contracting and procurement.
Blind Budgets: How governments hide the impact of fiscal policies on poverty and inequality (and what they could do instead)
The results of the 2019 Open Budget Survey show little improvement among world governments in providing the public with adequate information about the impact of budget policies on poverty and inequality. With estimates suggesting that COVID-19 could push as many as 100 million people into extreme poverty by the end of 2020, this article argues for the importance of governments taking immediate and concrete steps to provide information on their budgets' impacts on poverty and inequality and to involve citizens in formulating and monitoring the implementatiuon of budget policies the center the reduction of poverty and inequality in government action.
Letter to IMF Executive Board Re: Urgent Need for Anti-Corruption Measures in IMF Response to COVID-19 Crisis
A joint letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calling for transparency and anti-corruption measures in coronavirus-related emergency relief programs to ensure that the billions of dollars it is disbursing to dozens of countries help the most vulnerable.
Transparency International, Human Rights Watch, Global Witness
4/9/2020
Joint Statement
No
Global
Aid
Civil society
Multilateral Organizations
Accountability
Corruption
Transparency
Policy Response
Call to Action
English
Yes
Covid-19: a watershed moment for collective approaches to community engagement?
Covid-19 presents an opportunity for systemic change and reform in the humanitarian sector in terms of how it coordinates, implements and resources collective approaches to CCE (communication and community engagement). Moving forward, it will be important to monitor and document trends as they emerge in order to ensure that successes can be effectively built on and course corrections made. Particular trends to watch are as follows:
Afrobarometer Survey Results on Covid-19, Service Delivery and Trust in African Governments
The findings from Afrobarometer’s Round 7 surveys (2016-2018) across 34 countries can be used to map pre-existing social and economic vulnerabilities. The data also confirm the prevalence of several factors in the domestic political environment that are likely to compound the challenges governments face in managing the COVID-19 crisis, including widespread, though not universal, lack of trust in elected leaders and official corruption. However, the findings also reveal the popular acceptance of the legitimacy of state law enforcement, as well as trust in informal leaders. In this talk, Professor Emmanuel Gyimah Boadi, co-founder and interim CEO of Afrobarometer, will discuss how these strengths can be harnessed for the effective management of the pandemic.
Covid-19 is spurring the digitisation of government
The disruption of bureaucratic processes from COVID-19 has illustrated the inadequacy of many digitized goverment services and will likely accelerate a shift toward more widespread, effective digital governmental services. However, the implications for privacy are serious and unclear.
Corruption in the time of Covid-19:
A double-threat for low income countries
Development aid is needed to counter the crisis; it must be safeguarded from corruption. Health systems in aid recipient countries suffer from chronic systemic weaknesses that will make it difficult to respond to this crisis.
Fair and transparent public procurement rules are central to the integrity of the EU’s single market
Leading open procurement advocates in Europe, including the OCP, call on EU leaders to recognize the importance of open contracting to the recovery efforts, and establish fully transparent and accountable procurement driven by open data and open information as the new normal in the EU and beyond
Webinar on how Africa has responded to the pandemic, potential risks of opportunistic violations of law and suspension of accountability mechanisms, and how civil society is adapting to accountability gaps
How Will the Coronavirus Reshape Democracy and Governance Globally?
The health crisis will likely disrupt or distort democracy in other ways. These unfolding effects have received less attention to date, yet they will be essential to watch in the months ahead.
MDBs: Fast-tracking procurement in the time of COVID-19
The relatively small amount of data available on COVID-19 procurement shows that mulitlateral development banks are having difficulting striking a balance between transparency and speed. Devex analytics examines how the World Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and Asian Development Bank, are managing COVID-19 funding and procurement information.
As part of a peer learning exchange funded by the Open Society Foundation, the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), Global Integrity (GI) and Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) have been sharing lessons and reflections about the processes and challenges of adapting to COVID-19.
Former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala calls for open government to combat price gouging, collapsing supply chains, and corruption in procurement of supplies. Okonjo-Iweala highlights examples from Ukraine, Paraguay, Colombia, South Africa, Denmark, France, Belgium, Canada, and Poland of promising open government practices.
A Call To Action On Open Budgets During The COVID-19 Response
A call to action by Sally Torbert from IBP to ensure transparency, public participation, oversignt during budget execution and better accountability practices during the COVID-19 response.
Africa Can Improve Future Health Systems Resilience by Complementing Gaps in Physical Infrastructure with Digital Health Solutions
Article examining the relationship between physical infrastructure and public health infrastructure, as well as the potential for digital health solutions to improve the delivery of health services in cost-effective ways.
Should International Organizations Like the IMF Require More Anticorruption Conditions on Their Pandemic Emergency Funding?
The blog raise the concerns of the global anti-corruption community about the risks regarfing the emergency and its effects on the misappropiation or mismanagement of emergency response funds
According to Frank Vogl, corruption is bad today, but it is bound to get worse. Governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the opportunities for abuse. He argues that pro-democracy, human rights, anti-corruption and press freedom organizations across the world need to find ways to build unprecedented levels of cooperation across the world to counter the mounting corruption challenges.
Since January, more than 1,800 people contacted Transpareny International's Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres to report corruption and seek support for issues related to COVID-19, primarily regarding humanitarian aid, police corruption and health care. This landing page includes stories highlighting examples of corruption and tools by which to report instances of corruption.
Coronavirus Live Series: How can we Reduce the Risk of Corruption during the Pandemic Response?
Webinar with Edward Olowo-Okere, Global Director for Governance at the World Bank., discussing the emerging lessons from the immediate response to the pandemic which point to the need to adapt models of government operations, service delivery, and interactions with citizens, which include GovTech options for modernization of services to citizens and businesses
Global Monitor of COVID-19´s impact on Democracy and Human Rights
The Global Monitor of COVID-19’s Impact on Democracy and Human Rights is a qualitative monitor and a “one-stop-shop” online global monitoring tool/of the democracy and human rights implications of measures adopted by governments around the world in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, specifically in the 162 countries included in International IDEA’s Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices.
Governance, Funding & COVID-19 Response: A call for transparency and accountability
Panel discussion hosted by the CEO of the Chandler Foundation on Catalyst 2030 –Catalysing Change campaign platform to discuss how to hold governments accountable now and in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqhySAgY7Jc
Chandler Foundation
5/26/2020
Webinar
No
Global
Aid
Civil society
Donor
Government
Accountability
Transparency
Donor Response
Call to Action
English
Yes
COVID-19 how to ensure emergency funds reach those in need
This article presents some basic recommendations to government and donors to have proper accountability
Intertwining Afflictions: Corruption and Covid-19 in Latin America
Blog arguing that the pandemic has laid bare the consequences of corruption and institutional failure in Latin America in such a drastic manner that the path forward must include systemic changes in how governments reach their citizens and address corruption in all of its forms and highlighting some highlights in anti-corruption work around Latin America.
A Guide to Open Government and the Coronavirus: Civic Space
This guide offers basic recommendations, examples, and resources to protect civic space (among other topics like gender and open data) during COVID-19. Adapting a transparent, accountable, participatory, and legal approach to ensure that freedoms of assembly, association, and expression are respected despite the pandemic.
Covid-19 and donor financing: Minimising corruption risks while ensuring efficiency (U4 Brief 2020:10)
How can donors ensure quick and efficient delivery of aid while mitigating corruption risks? In this article, U4 presents tips on choosing a finance mechanism and enhancing information-sharing
Distrust of public institutions, health inequities could push more countries into conflict, UN political affairs chief warns
The erosion of trust in public institutions, poor service provision, unequal access to health care and tensions around delicate peace negotiations, are among the risks amplified by COVID-19, which if not mitigated, could push more countries into violence, the UN political affairs chief told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Public accountability and COVID-19: Keeping a systems lens amidst uncertainty and adaptation
How much should we focus on supporting governments to implement effectively alongside the need for openness and accountability? This blog remarks the importance of making proper questions in order to have a major understanding and effectiveness of accountability systems.
In Europe’s Scramble to Buy COVID-19 Supplies, Anti-Corruption Measures Fall Away
Under pressure to quickly procure medical supplies for their populations in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, many European countries are forgoing procedures designed to ensure that government purchases are transparent, efficient, and free of corruption. Some worry that this will persist beyond the present. Civil society actors are pushing to have justifications and contracts published online including what exactly was paid, and why a particular economic operator was chosen.
UNODC issues recommendations for accountability in the allocation and distribution of emergency economic rescue packages in the context and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. They offer several recommendations including comprehensive auditing, oversight, accountability and reporting mechanisms to monitor the disbursement process and verify appropriate receipt
Under the threat of COVID-19, economies have constricted worldwide. At the same time, government budgets have expanded to help healthcare systems respond to the pandemic, assist social-welfare programmes in addressing growing unemployment, and enable supply chains to replenish basic goods. With resources dwindling, the need to prevent public and private corruption has taken on a renewed urgency. Dr Marquette studies the nexus between corruption, crime and conflict in international development – what she calls the ‘three Cs of the dark side of development politics’ – and shared critical, data-driven insight and policy recommendations
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
6/3/2020
Blog
No
Global
Illicit assets
Procurement
Service delivery
Civil society
Government
Accountability
Corruption
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Recommendations
English
No
Covid-19 Has Many Lessons for African Civil Society Organizations
Several studies have detailed the degree to which CSOs operating in Africa havev been affected by COVID-19. The most common challenges include the loss of funding halting operations, reduced funding leading to major operational and structural changes, and the inability to implement program activities due to government-directed preventative measures. These difficulties have shown the necessity for adopting adaptive management approaches, step up collaborative advocacy against corruption, and pursue financial sustainability.
Statement on the COVID-19 response from civil society members of the OGP Steering Committee
Civil society members of the Open Government Partnership Steering Committee have released a statement on COVID and its risks in opening a government. Focused on democratic values, the declaration is a call to action for governments, donors and international organizations
An Compendium of technology responses to COVID-19 amplifying digital offerings to facilitate implementation, identify gaps and better align efforts with needs. The digital tools and strategies have become crucial in this effort to overcome the crisis.
An Compendium of technology responses to COVID-19 amplifying digital offerings to facilitate implementation, identify gaps and better align efforts with needs.
Post Covid-19: OAS portal for consultations, forums and Repository
Discussion topics from OAS with 2 sections: 1) Policy section, information relevant to the issues under discussion that are being implemented by Member States, Observer States and other States of the world. 2) Studies that analyzes reports published by academic institutions, think tanks, international and multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations and private entities, all of them of recognized prestige, which are relevant to the conversation.
We’re all in this together: Actions governments can use to spur collective action against the virus
Blog that details some key lessons in the importance of collective action for fighting COVID-19 as well as some actions governments can take for collective action
Open budgets are a good investment, for business and society
Blog post highlighting the importance of open budgets as a tool by which to build sustainable and accountable public finance, arguing that recovering from the pandemic-related economic downturn depends on the ability of governments to adapt fiscal policies in which public funds are appropriately targeted and public spending delivers results.
Estudio regional: Acceso a la información en contexto de emergencia sanitaria
Diagnostic study on the enjoyment of these rights in America, in the context of the health emergency. Information collected in 15 countries in the region reveals the structural backwardness that access to information had even before the changes brought about by COVID-19. As regards active transparency, the low quality of the information that governments generate in relation to key aspects that should be communicated permanently and openly in the current context is also evident.
We're still open: Balancing government transparency and accountability with effective crisis response.
This blog talks about how made possible accountability during the pandemic, and also about the need for transparency in rapid emergency response taking into account the role of civil society.
The future of public spending: responses to COVID-19
The coronavirus crisis has exposed deep-rooted challenges to public procurement practices. In a follow-up essay to The Economist Intelligence Unit’s January 2020 report on public spending and the Sustainable Development Goals, this briefing paper examines the implications of the current crisis, the opportunity it presents for rethinking procurement and the renewed importance of effective and sustainable public spending as countries re-open, recover and rebuild.
Responding to Financial Crime Risks During COVID-19
The authors argue that many view the Coronavirus as a perfect storm for fraudsters, money launderers, terror financiers. Hence it remains critically important to be vigilant to new and emerging illicit finance risks and to detect and report suspicious activity.
Results of a survey linking fraud to efforts to combat COVID-19. The survey analyzes how fraud reduces health care in a pandemic and 92% of those surveyed are experts in fighting fraud.
Combating Corruption as a community Lessons from applying global data norms to government dynamics
Global integrity presents its adaptation process to guarantee the fight against corruption and the use of open data during the current situation. This article presents three actions done by Global Integrity, such as broadening the focus of the investigation, Strengthening the bottom-up approach of their project, and increasing the collaboration with global partners.
Coronavirus and Corruption: How Kleptocracy Threatens the Global Response
A conversation about how the coronavirus pandemic has created a perfect storm for global kleptocracy that urgently requires U.S. leadership to prevent the response from being undermined by a new era of transnational corruption.
Corruption risks in the health sector and distrust in science in times of COVID-19
In this Global Anticorruption Podcast episode, Taryn Vian, Prof. at the University of San Francisco and expert on corruption and transparency issues in the health sector is interviewed by Matthew Stephenson on corruption risks in the health sector during COVID-19.
Governance and Institutions Emergency Measures for State Continuity during COVID-19 Pandemic
Note identifiyng emergency measures for public sector continuity at national and subnational levels of government during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on institutional and governance measures the central government can take that will make possible and complement initiatives in sectors, agencies, and lower levels of government. The measures aim to deliver one or more of the following three objectives: public sector continuity; timely and effective response to the health crisis; and timely and effective response to the economic crisis.
Learning from the past: Bringing accountability to the COVID-19 recovery
Blog post on the importance of supporting efforts built around transparent information to rebuild social trust and furthering data transparency to improve the effectiveness of recovery policies.
[Listen] Combating Corruption and Covid-19 in Africa
The blog covers why opening up data in the middle of a pandemic is important. It presents a series of podcasts about commitments in action plans that take into account the need for rapid response and institutionalise equitable distribution of funds in the pandemic.The case for co-creation, openness and government transparency for procurement as the pandemic continues
Report using evidence from responses to COVID-19 to highlight opportunities and risks of data-reuse, putting forth a set of emerging principles toward creating a responsible data re-use framework.
Evaluating Identity Disclosure Risk in Fully Synthetic Health Data: Model Development and Validation
Paper presenting a comprehensive identity disclosure risk model for fully synthetic data so as to prevent the identification of individuals from synthetic data.
https://www.jmir.org/2020/11/e23139
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Article
No
Global
Health
Civil society
Government
Collaborations
Open data
Tech
Recommendations
Risks
English
Yes
COVID-19 Africa Watch: Data & Charts
Repository of coronavirus pandemic data. Data includes: Country Curves, Testing, and Global Comparisons; Timelapse of spread and continental cumulative totals of confirmed cases and deaths, as well as new cases and deaths per day; Mapping of confirmed cases and testing data; and Impact charts on revised IMF forecasts of GDP growth, poverty impact, oil revenues, startup investment, and mobility
https://covid19africawatch.org/data-and-charts/
Milken Institute
Repository
Yes
Regional
Sub-Saharan Africa
Health
Civil society
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Open data
Transparency
Economic Impact
Tech
Experiences
Trend
English
Yes
Supporting civil society during the Covid-19 pandemic. The potentials of online collaborations for social accountability (U4 Guide 2020:1)
There are significant corruption risks during times of crisis. Civil society has an important role to play in ensuring funds to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic reach their destination. Donors and multilateral organisations should consider establishing digital accountability networks to support this effort. The current crisis presents challenges for civil society; however, there are also new opportunities for it to embrace digital civic engagement as an anti-corruption initiative.
How Should Funders Support the COVID-19 Digital Response?
How are and should funders respond to the pandemic consequences? In this podcast, the Technology Salon digs into this question (both what to fund and particularly how) – with additional thoughts from TAI's Michael Jarvis
COVID-19 pandemic: Humanity needs leadership and solidarity to defeat the coronavirus
Overview of the UNDP response to COVID-10, containing details of the immediate plans for recovery as well as plans looking toward 2030. The immediate priorities include supporting the health response including the procurement and supply of essential health products, under WHO’s leadership, strengthening crisis management and response, and addressing critical social and economic impact. Longer-term actions concern governance, social protection, green economy, and digital disruption. Resources from this landing page include news articles and stories, videos, blogposts, and official publications
Virtual Meeting Series | OECD-IDB Latin American and Caribbean Public Integrity Network Integrity and Transparency in Infrastructure in times of COVID-19
Webinar series of the Inter-American Development Bank's within the OECD-IDB Integrity Network for LAC. Through four sessions (the opening session will be accessible to the public and the other three by invitation only) distributed over two weeks, the objective will be to discuss among participants about the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify best practices to pursue integrity and transparency during and after the emergency. Session's agenda ranges from participation and social accountability, transparency, and public integrity, to public procurement systems, auditing, money laundering and criminal prosecution regimes.
Harnessing collective intelligence key to Covid-19 recovery for public services
A new report from Nesta’s Centre for Collective Intelligence Design in partnership with The Governance Lab (The GovLab) lays out a clear framework with practical advice for how public bodies can use collective intelligence techniques to tackle community challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The report argues that collective intelligence can help make our public services better and more inclusive and that it should be part of how any institution thinks about solving problems in the 21st century.
Anti-corruption in Covid-19 preparedness and response : Mainstreaming integrity into pandemic plans
and policies (U4 Brief 2020:8)
Government pandemic response plans and policies do not give enough attention to anti-corruption and governance. Plans need to involve anti-corruption agencies from the start, as well as identifying and assessing corruption risks. They should also promote integrity, transparency, accountability and participation if corruption is to be minimised in future pandemics.
How Civil Society Organizations, Companies and Governments Can Protect Resource Payment Transparency During the Crisis
Alex Malden argues that the coronavirus pandemic has led to delays in reporting extractives payments to governments and will likely continue to impact the flow of timely and granular data for the foreseeable future. He further argues that payment transparency disruptions come at a time of unprecedented operational challenges and economic pressure for both companies and regulators, posing new governance risks. According to him, informed public debate on government economic policies and spending priorities requires transparency of extractive company payments already made to governments and cl
In this post, TAI has launched the "COVID-19 Monitor". A tracker data sources which includes: Government documents, public announcements or letters, media reports, surveys, expert interviews, academic studies or data, supplemental research. It is a brief qualitative analysis and reflection tool to follow transparency, civic participation, and accountability (TPA) issues during the pandemic and beyond. It is designed in the form of a interactive database.
How COVID-19 has advanced the case for procurement reform
COVID has become a catalyst for procurement reformation efforts, especially as those effforts pertain to e-procurement systems, and holds promise for advancing a culture of measurement, evaluation, and learning.
Webinar review of how to reconcile data use and data rights during the pandemic
Takeways from virtual forum on data rights, including how to set data boundaries, tailoring national responses, concrete trust and accountability, using existing policy tools, and coming together
Open Procurement vs. COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Prospects for Recovery
Conversation regarding different experiences in Latin America about public procurement on service delivery at every government level, with request from civil society for more transparency and open data to deman efficiency
Collaboration between Supreme Audit Institutions and Citizens is Critical in Ensuring Accountability and Transparency of Government’s Response to COVID-19
Analysis about the relationship between the role of citizens and civil society organizations with Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI). Citizen engagement can help SAIs mitigate their own institutional challenges, particularly in developing countries. This piece presents recommendations about the role that these institutions need to accomplish in the accountability process.
Connecting #Coronaheroes Thru Mobile Tech to Build Resilience
Slideshow describing Oxígeno2030: a content platform fueld by an at-cost mobile plan that allows donors and sponsors to top-up data availabilty to promote the use of specific platforms, apps, and/or media to keep people connected, aware, healthy, and safe.
TAI’s COVID-19 Monitor: Making sense of torrent of information for collective learning and action
A blog on the COVID-19 Monitor to help TAI members, other funders, and practitioners to decipher evidence and trends in the overwhelming volumes of information available. The Monitor will enables a structured space for collaborative exploration of mid-and longer-term threats and opportunities in advancing the transparency, civic participation, and accountability (TPA) agenda during the pandemic and beyond.
The COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker monitors government responses to the pandemic that affects civic freedoms and human rights, focusing on emergency laws. The tracker is a collaborative effort by the ICNL, ECNL, and our global network of partners, with generous research support from the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)
Tools
Yes
Global
Procurement
Health
Civil society
Government
Multilateral Organizations
Collaborations
Adaptive Management
Corruption
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Civic Space
Tech
Experiences
Civic Response
English
Yes
COVID-19 Financial Assistance and Debt Service Relief
The IMF is providing financial assistance and debt service relief to member countries facing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This page provides an overview of assistance approved by the IMF’s Executive Board since late March 2020 under its various lending facilities and debt service relief financed by the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT).
How Covid-19 is proving a boon for criminal networks’ illicit trade, endangering international security
This blog is about how Covid-19 has hastened illicit trade across the internet on thriving social media, e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces, alarming law enforcement and broader communities in many parts of the world
Digital rights legal fund targets COVID-19 violations with grants
Blog that warns on increasing infringing on privacy and other basic rights, measures to contain the coronavirus. As governments embrace tracing apps to stem the spread of COVID-19, a Dutch-based organisation announced grants this week to fight alleged violations of digital rights during the coronavirus pandemic.
Thomson Reuters Foundation and the Digital Freedom Fund
9/17/2020
Blog
No
Global
Civil society
Government
Media
Adaptive Management
Open data
Participation
Transparency
Policy Response
Donor Response
Civic Space
Trend
English
Yes
COVID-19: A Magnifying Glass for the Mekong Region’s Data Ecosystem
This blog presents the need to implement new technologies and joint methods to collect more quality data so that the governments of the Mekong (Vietnam) area make better-informed decisions about the pandemic. The blog highlights the need to broaden the inclusion of the population to improve governance.
Why African countries are reluctant to take up COVID-19 debt relief
Although 25 African countries are eligible for debt relief - at the time of this writing, only four had requested assistance: Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia and Senegal. Others refused to apply or had not yet requested a debt moratorium. This article details the reasons why African countries may choose not to pursue debt relief: debt markets are not largely favourable to them, and seeking a debt moratorium carries the risk of being punished by existing creditors, prospective investors and rating agencies.
Corruption and COVID-19: Articles, Blogs, and Resources
Compilation of trackers and indexes, opinions and position pieces, country-by-country resources, democracy and civil society, healthcare and corruption, and governance and security
This repository presents different resources on the importance of open data considered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, puts together a series of events from different stakeholders across the globe and the actions that must be done to give a better service delivery.
Blog on a number of topics related to governance and T/A, but recently has provided a weekly "what we're reading" on COVID-19 with infographics and threads/news/blogs/research from various sources on the pandemic [has now shifted to IDS' K4D COVID-19 Resource Hub (see row 37)]
Public integrity for an effective COVID-19 response and recovery
This policy brief discusses the key integrity challenges and recommends measures that can help governments ensure an effective response and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
What would the world look like if all development data were as timely as COVID-19 case data?
Reflecting on the rush to create data infrastructure for COVID-19 case tracking, a World Bank team reflect on what could be achieved if all development data was released as quickly. They urge investment in statistical capacity and robust national data systems
The document address how countries are addressing equitable vaccine distribution and the massive vaccine to the population. A general overview reveals that only 30% of countries have developed processes to train a large number of vaccinators.
Access and allocation: how will there be fair and equitable allocation of limited supplies?
This document presents summary information on the next step in the field of vaccination: ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccines that are manufactured are distributed fairly and equitably.
This blog presents a tool that characterizes the conditions of the African Continent and the risks for an efficient and equitable vaccine distribution. This document underlines the need for critical infrastructure such as healthcare facilities with the capability of cold storage.
African Countries have received less than 2% of vaccines they´ve ordered
Even though different African countries have started their vaccine distribution process, the increase of actual doses ordered has not been particularly strong during the last months. 1 billion vaccine doses have been ordered by African countries and the African Union, but only 1.5% of these have been delivered so far.
This article are presents some templates that can be used to request information from the governments. Also, this document addresses some critical insights about the risks related to vaccine distribution such as overcoming the wealth gap, avoid corruption, and confidentiality clauses.
The document provides a brief introduction to the updated COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction Readiness Assessment Tool, referred to as the VIRAT/VRAF 2.0. The tool is provided to support countries in 1) assessing programme readiness to introduce COVID-19 vaccines; 2) identifying gaps and prioritizing actions for enhanced readiness; and 3) identifying opportunities for financial support.
First COVID-19 COVAX vaccine doses administered in Africa
As the global rollout of COVAX vaccines accelerates, the first COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in Africa using COVAX doses began today in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. These campaigns are the among the first to use doses provided by the COVAX Facility’s Gavi COVAX Advanced Market Commitment (AMC).
Freedom of expression and the Digital Environment in Eastern Africa
ARTICLE 19 outlines issues related to accessibility and affordability of the Internet and problems related to privacy and data protection in COVID -19 context. This report focuses on six countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Statics and research related to COVID -19 distribution and availability around the world.
Here is information related to doses administered, people with at least one dose, and people fully vaccinated.
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
Our World in Data
Report
No
Global
Sudan
South Sudan
Namibia
Kenya
South Africa
Budgets
Service delivery
Health
Vaccine Distribution
Government
Accountability
Open data
Transparency
Policy Response
Tech
Trend
English
Yes
Rich countries on track to stockpile at least 1 billion surplus C19 vaccines
The WHO and global health advocates are calling for wealthy countries with surplus vaccines to share excess doses with low- and lower-middle-income countries that have been able to secure limited or no vaccines. Here are presented general recommendations to countries who have a surplus in their vaccine doses, to increase its distribution to low-income countries.
Latin american governments gave legal and tax benefits to pharmaceutical companies in vaccine purchases
Pressure from governments to acquire millions of vaccines had led to changes in the law in 13 countries in the Latin American. Take a look of what vaccines did each country buy and how contracts and negotiations were lock and key
Who wants COVID-19 vaccination? In 5 West
African countries, hesitancy is high, trust low
A general survey was done by Pan-African organization that provides reliable data on Africans experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. This survey addresses general trust about covid vaccines and the reluctant population to get vaccinated in Africa.
Fair allocation mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility
This document describes the overarching principles and the framework for equitable access and allocation of COVID-19 health products. Equitable distribution is important because it could help to stop the acute phase of the pandemic and allow the rebuilding of our societies and economies.
COVAX initiative is a mean to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines to people globally but its successes and failures can serve as a model for future initiatives, and even for equitable distribution for more pedestrian medical interventions. Some topics also addressed in this document are also transparency and supply chain constraints for future responses.
COVID-19 Citizen Entitlements Map 2.0. What citizens are entitled to in the government´s vaccination program
This document lists key citizen entitlements in the vaccination program of the government and the responsible agencies for each entitlement. A space is also provided for those who intend to use the map as a tool. Citizen entitlements are cornerstones of democratic governance and Governments have the responsibility to provide rights.
Why COVAX is part of a bigger global health injustice and patent monopoly problem.
Wealthy countries already bought COVID-19 vaccines for twice the size of their population, while poor and developing countries are being left out of COVID-19 vaccines distribution.
Public Policy Advocacy: Editorials, white papers, briefings and other policy recommendations.
Links to documents and organisations expressing opinions about what governments should do in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Public policy advocacy recommends specific actions that should be taken by elected officials or other public authorities. Descriptions of an action a government has already taken go in Responses by Country.
General recommendations to guarantee broad access to the COVID-19 vaccine around the world taking into account transparency and international legal framework, among other things.
Transnational Kleptocracy and the COVID-19 Pandemic.Containing the spread
In times of pandemic, kleptocracy is propense to increase due to a rapid surge in aid, spending, and procurement that frequently undermines transparency and accountability. How to contain the spread of these dynamics is addressed in this document.
Interview with Dr. Samira Asma: Using Data for pandemic preparadness and response
Interview with Dr. Samira Asma about the SCORE global report on Health data systems and capacity. A document prepared by the World Health Organization where is presented a set of over 90 tools and solutions that countries can use. Based on their context and apply it to strengthen their health information system.
African Economic Outlook 2021 From Debt Resolution to Growth: The Road Ahead for Africa.
An analysis performed in all the African countries addressing topics such as Debt Relift and crisis management on how exactly the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Africa in economic terms is the main topic of this regional document.
Integrity in COVID-19 Response: Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Value Added
Webinar addressing how civil society organizations (CSO) can contribute to improve government emergency response measures, and which is their role in the equitable and transparent vaccine distribution process. Experiences from different CSO consider that a most efficient, equitable, and transparent distribution can be achieved with help of these organizations.
Public-private cooperation for pandemic preparedness and response
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, World Economic Forum, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation jointly propose general recommendations to address a global pandemic. For instance, guarantee medical countermeasures to respond to a severe pandemic or maintain travel and trade.
Accountability to affected populations in times of the pandemic
This article focuses on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted accountability in the humanitarian, development, and risk reduction sectors. It brings together a wide range of articles from practitioners, researchers, and community leaders from across the world on how they have re-negotiated the meaning of accountability in this changing landscape.
The report considers the effects of patents on access to pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and provides recommendations for how all stakeholders can help promote price-lowering competition for lifesaving vaccines for children worldwide. As a previous lessons understanding on how patents operate, it helps stakeholders to have a better understanding of the covid -19 vaccines and how they work.
Are there differences in Africa’s responses to Ebola and Covid-19?
How has been the response of countries that had already deal with Ebola in the coronavirus case? Overall, African countries that had previously experienced the Ebola outbreak were swifter and more comprehensive in their responses when Covid-19 emerged.
How is Covid-19 affecting gender inequality in low-income countries?
Gender disparities in social and economic outcomes, already larger in the developing world than in the rich countries, have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Policy action is vital to address the compounding of existing inequalities and to protect the most vulnerable women. It present a case of analysis in Sierra Leone.
Is 'rampant' corruption crippling Malawi's COVID-19 response?
Corruption in Malawi is increasing in covid-19 context. The Human Rights Defenders Coalition in Malawi, a group of civil society organizations, has demanded that the government publicly release all COVID-19 expenditure reports.
CoST Covid-19 Response: A public, open and ongoing record of innovative good practice
CoST attempt to keep a public, open and ongoing record of the innovative good practice being deployed by members worldwide. It will be updated to capture new and diverse ways responses to the crisis without being exhaustive. It presents the agile transformation seen in the programmes as a sign of the adaptability of collaborators in government, businesses, media and civil society who are using these challenging times to reimagine transparency, accountability and participation.
Journalists have critical task of reporting on infrastructure as Uganda faces flooding amidst COVID-19
Webinar exploring the role of the media in strengthening transparency, brought together participants from Africa, Asia and the UK to deliberate the key challenges faced by journalists developing infrastructure stories during times of crisis.
Guidance Note: Improving infrastructure transparency, participation and accountability during a crisis
The document is intended for use by decision-makers who may not already be practising CoST’s core features of multi-stakeholder working, disclosure, assurance and social accountability, but who recognise the potential relevance of each such feature.It outlines how to prioritise and fast-track the implementation of the CoST approach, helping risk reduction associated with procurement of public infrastructure during a Covid-19 and its aftermath.
CoST experience guides better infrastructure delivery in crises
Key guidance for how to gain government backing, assess the context and subsequently adapt CoST features to it. Importantly, if highlights how CoST assistance can mitigate unforeseen hurdles.
Covid Stimulus Watch assembles available CARES Act recipient data and combines it with accountability data from Violation Tracker, Subsidy Tracker and other sources. Good Jobs First have produced Subsidy Tracker, which displays more than 600,000 financial assistance awards from more than 1,000 federal, state and local government programs for grassroots groups and public officials that promotes corporate and government accountability in economic development.