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Knowledge

Photo credit: Curt Carnemark/World Bank

Knowledge

The World Bank is a knowledge bank that can facilitate the sharing of information and experiences across different countries. Through this portal and the collection of information and data from existing ACAs and practitioners, the World Bank aims at sharing knowledge among those interested in the area of anticorruption.

As part of this effort, the World Bank has designed a diagnostic survey that gathers basic, factual information on each ACA and its institutional setup. The Bank team first approached the representatives of the ACAs that attended the workshop in March [2010] and asked them to complete the survey. Some of the results from the survey found:

Survey

  • 92%

    OF COUNTRIES HAVE MECHANISMS FOR CITIZENS TO REPORT COMPLAINTS

    The majority of the Anti-Corruption Authorities (ACAs) included in this initiative offers a mechanism for citizens to make anonymous reports or offer information on corrupt activities through e-mail, telephone, fax, regular mail, or by appearing in person.

  • 82%

    OF COUNTRIES HAVE HOTLINE TO REPORT CORRUPTION

    The establishment of national anti-corruption hotline for reporting on instances of corruption or suspicions of corruption ensures that all cases of corruption are reported centrally and re-directed to relevant departments or provincial administrations.

    This channel will also assist the ACA in identifying corruption risk areas so that preventive and detective control measures can be improved or developed. In addition, allowing hotline callers to anonymously report corruption encourages whistle-blowers.

  • 56%

    OF COUNTRIES HAVE WHISTLE-BLOWING PROTECTION LAWS

    Successful law enforcement and anti-corruption policies are largely dependent upon the willingness of individuals to provide information and/or to give evidence.

    Experience shows that individuals will not be willing to collaborate with the ACA unless they have confidence that the agency will protect their rights as well as their safety.

    More than half of ACAs included in this initiative have some type of whistle-blowing protection laws. It is however important to stress that the data presented capture the existence of the laws (“de jure” system) and not whether the laws are implemented (“de facto”).

  • 65%

    OF COUNTRIES HAVE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAWS

    The existence of anti-corruption laws is the first step in addressing corruption and creating an enabling environment for ACAs to operate effectively. Anti-corruption laws and regulations such as freedom of information, conflict of interest legislation, whistle-blower protection and financial disclosure, can facilitate the investigative and prosecution functions of ACAs.

    For this reason, many countries have introduced this type of laws, as the data collected highlights. This may appear encouraging for the seemingly widespread existence of a comprehensive legal system in support of ACAs activities. It is however important to stress that the data presented capture the existence of the laws (“de jure” system) and not whether the laws are implemented (“de facto”).

WORLD BANK 2014

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