29 September 2021 –

How can civil society use the UNCAC framework in their anti-corruption work and what can governments do to make the UNCAC review process more transparent and inclusive for civil society? These questions were at the heart of a recent three-day workshop in Belgrade, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in cooperation with the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) and the UNCAC Coalition. In panel discussions and mock exercises, some 28 civil society representatives and governmental experts from the Western Balkans and Moldova explored the UNCAC review mechanism, its shortcomings and opportunities for engagement, and shared best practices from their anti-corruption work. 

The UNCAC Coalition gave presentations on UNCAC fora; the challenges of the UNCAC review mechanism and tools to overcome them; lessons learned from civil society engagement in the UNCAC review process; civil society parallel reports on UNCAC implementation; and on our Access to Information campaign (see below). In an open discussion round, civil society representatives then shared their experiences, success stories, and challenges in advocating for stronger transparency and anti-corruption efforts in their countries. The attendees also discussed how the challenges and developments around anti-corruption in the region connect to global developments under the UNCAC, and how the UNCAC Coalition and participants can collaborate to advocate for stronger civil society presence throughout UNCAC processes.

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