Articles

Breaking the Corruption Chain in Belize: The campaign for good governance and UNCAC accession

10 December 2016, by the Executive Council of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. For more than a decade the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has been advocating for better governance, accountability in public office, more e-government platforms and public sector reforms as key enablers for private sector growth.[1] In late July … Continue reading Breaking the Corruption Chain in Belize: The campaign for good governance and UNCAC accession →

Message from the UNCAC Coalition Chair on International Anti-Corruption Day

9 December 2016, by Manzoor Hasan. The year 2016 will be remembered for the tremendous political changes that shaped lives and futures all around the world. Throughout this tumult the spectre of corruption – with its ability to undermine trust in political institutions and its far-reaching effects on sustainable development – has never been far … Continue reading Message from the UNCAC Coalition Chair on International Anti-Corruption Day →

Weak systems for asset recovery in Nigeria improving under civil society scrutiny

9 December 2016, by Rev. David Ugolor, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ). In 2016 the government of Nigeria set up a Presidential Committee on Asset Recovery, which in a departure from previous initiatives includes civil society groups as members. This alongside efforts to strengthen the asset recovery regime with new legislation, including … Continue reading Weak systems for asset recovery in Nigeria improving under civil society scrutiny →

Consistent commitments: Civil society calls on OGP governments to pledge transparency in the second review cycle of the UNCAC

6 December 2016, by Christine Clough, Global Financial Integrity, and Peter Tausz, UNCAC Coalition. This year the Open Government Partnership (OGP) is celebrating its five-year anniversary, having grown from eight participating countries to 70 by 2016. At the same time the 180 signatories to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) have launched the second review … Continue reading Consistent commitments: Civil society calls on OGP governments to pledge transparency in the second review cycle of the UNCAC →

UNCAC obligations invoked in support of efforts against wildlife trafficking in Vietnam

6 December 2016, by Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Wildlife Justice Commission. Wildlife crime is the fourth largest illegal trade in the world, trailing only behind drug trafficking, human trafficking and counterfeiting in generating revenues for transnational criminal networks: some estimate it generates around 20 billion euros a year. There are sufficient legal regimes in place, including laws … Continue reading UNCAC obligations invoked in support of efforts against wildlife trafficking in Vietnam →

Compensation for victims of corruption: Why does it matter?

3 December 2016, by Sue Hawley, Corruption Watch. The mantra “corruption is not a victimless crime” is used frequently – by anti-corruption NGOs, government officials and even judges. Yet victims of corruption are rarely represented in court proceedings, rarely consulted about corruption investigations, and rarely compensated. In practice, enforcement action against international corruption is effectively … Continue reading Compensation for victims of corruption: Why does it matter? →

Catalyst for reform: How a peer review mechanism changed the anti-corruption landscape

29 November 2016, by Brigitte Strobel-Shaw, UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Driven by the desire to bring the full force of international cooperation and partnership down on endemic corruption, the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is transforming the way the world grapples with this destructive crime. The UNCAC entered into force in 2005 and … Continue reading Catalyst for reform: How a peer review mechanism changed the anti-corruption landscape →

As UN criticizes Switzerland, pressure mounts over human rights impacts of tax havens

New York/Geneva, 29 November 2016, Center for Economic and Social Rights. This post was originally published on the Center for Economic and Social Rights website. Switzerland has received stern recommendations from the UN’s women’s rights treaty-monitoring body regarding its role as arguably the world’s leading tax haven. Following a landmark submission on Swiss responsibility for … Continue reading As UN criticizes Switzerland, pressure mounts over human rights impacts of tax havens →

What does the UK beneficial ownership data show us?

22 November 2016, by Robert Palmer and Sam Leon, Global Witness. This post was originally published on the Global Witness website. UK companies with hidden owners lie behind some of the worst problems of our time. Amongst other things they have been used to breach UN sanctions, evade taxes and rip off ordinary citizens. That’s … Continue reading What does the UK beneficial ownership data show us? →

Statement of NGO Alliance at the 8th UNTOC Conference of Parties

19 October 2016. Statement of the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on item 2 (b). Trafficking in Persons Protocol during the Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations against Transnational Organized Crime. On behalf of the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women, Soroptimist International, the Academic … Continue reading Statement of NGO Alliance at the 8th UNTOC Conference of Parties →