Corruption. It is a one of the biggest barriers to ending extreme poverty and prevents genuine sustainable development. Although it is a worldwide phenomenon, it has a particularly devastating impact on those that are most vulnerable.
In order to access basic services such as security, health, and education, many communities in the developing countries need to rely on the government and public services. Corruption in these public institutions worsens the already heavy economic burden of people with low levels of income and living in extreme poverty. Corruption hinders the ability of the impoverished population to break out of the poverty cycle, and diverts critical resources away from development projects.
The East African Bribery Index launched in October this year by Transparency International demonstrates the extent to which corruption penetrates into critical public institutions and provides an insight as to why so few people have reported cases of corruption.
Out of all the institutions that were indicated to have been involved in corruption, either through implicit or explicit demands, the law enforcement sector emerged as the most bribery prone sector across Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda. As the report concludes, the police and the revenue authorities across the region have dominated the top positions.
It is shocking to think that an institution that is supposed to tackle crime and injustice commits these acts itself. Who then can the people turn to when they encounter unreasonable demands in exchange for public services that they are entitled to?
A more shocking result from the report is the number of cases of corruption that are actually reported. In Tanzania, only 6.9% of the respondents who experienced a bribery demand have reported the cases, and this figure drops to a mere 3.2% in Burundi. It is not surprising given the level of corruption within the law enforcement sector.
Some of the most commonly cited reasons for not reporting cases of corruption are lack of faith in the government to actually react to these reports, lack of knowledge and information as to where and how to report these cases, and fear of intimidation. In such a climate of insecurity and fear, corruption is thus allowed to flourish and continuously erode the potential of both the government and its citizens. The lack of faith in the government is an important social consequence that can severely hinder progress and sustainable development. In addition, donor countries will be more doubtful towards funding development projects in countries with a high prevalence of corruption.
To combat corruption in the public sector, it is critical to ensure the people see reporting corruption as worthwhile. The first step in encouraging people to report cases of corruption is to strengthen the credibility of public institutions. Given the prevalence of corruption in the law enforcement sector, this is an immensely difficult task, but by no means impossible.
Transparency International has published a Working Paper on Making Government Anti-Corruption Hotlines Effective and proposes several strategies for combating corruption. Other than recommending functional and organizational changes, the paper emphasizes on the importance of being able to report cases anonymously and having explicit government support for tackling corruption in the country.
Referring back to the East African Bribery Index, in Uganda 61.1% of people felt that the government is not committed to the fight against corruption. Restoring people’s faith in the government and public institutions is critical.
Corruption can mean the difference between life and death. In a society where services such as security, health care, and education can only be bought with money, corruption has penetrated into every aspect of people’s lives. But by empowering people to stand up against corruption, this is a war we can win.
You can join us and our movement for justice by adding your details to the form below, and we will contact you with actions you can take.
Today is World AIDS Day, a day for us to celebrate the incredible accomplishments that have been made in the combat against HIV/AIDS, and also a day for us to remind ourselves how important it is to continue these efforts.
UNAIDS has just reported that AIDS-related deaths fell 21% from their 2005 peak, and globally the number of new HIV infections in 2010 was down 21% from their 1997 level.
In sub-Saharan African the progress has been particularly noteworthy. This is an amazing achievement that resulted from the spread of preventive measures accompanied with dedication to long-term treatment.
‘The big point for us is the number of new infections – that’s where you win against the epidemic.’
A main reason cited for falls in both AIDS-related death and new HIV infections is the increase in access to treatment. In sub-Saharan Africa, between 2009 and 2010 there has been a 20% rise in people undergoing treatment.
In particular, The UNAIDS report suggests that Botswana, Namibia and Rwanda have achieved universal access to treatment, which is defined as coverage of more than 80%. Swaziland and Zambia have also achieved coverage levels of between 70 and 80%. In a region that is most affected by the epidemic, this represents a significant milestone in the combat against HIV/AIDS.
An expansion in accessibility in treatment also lowers the likelihood of new infections, propelling an important virtuous cycle. The battle therefore goes beyond the need to development suitable treatments, to improving the health care systems as a whole to ensure more people can not only access the treatment, but also benefit from long-term health monitoring and recovery supports.
With international efforts dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tido von Schoen-Angerer, from Medecins Sans Frontieres, believes that
‘Never, in more than a decade of treating people living with HIV/AIDS, have we been at such a promising moment to really turn this epidemic around.’
However, in the midst of this promising moment and hopeful progress, the news of the Global Fund canceling its Round 11 of grant-making is a grim reminder that commitments from both the public and private sectors are lacking.
This could severely jeopardize the incredible progress that has already been made. Almost one quarter of the money used to fight HIV/AIDS comes through the Global Fund, meaning that a severe funding gap not only threatens new programs that could reach wider communities, but also the effectiveness of existing treatments. This is because if treatments with antiretroviral drugs, or ARVs, are stopped, there is a high chance of viral rebound and immune decompensation, which effectively means the failure of the immune system. Many of the efforts we have made would be in vain.
Never before has the progress been more promising in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and never before have we needed more support to sustain this incredible progress. We cannot afford to lose the grounds that have been gained. As the executive director of the Global Fund Michel Kazatchkine says,
‘Now is not the time to abandon millions of people who are still in need.’
This is why we are asking you to write to your MP, to show the government we support their stance on international aid and ask them to set an example to other governments by doubling their funding to the Global Fund.
It takes a lot for a famine to be declared. According to the United Nations, it happens under three conditions:
20% of the population having fewer than 2100 kilocalories of food available per day,
More than 30% of children being acutely malnourished, and
More than two people per every 10,000 die every day.
In the World Food Day Message given by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the focus was on the accessibility of food, and the impact of political instability and price volatility. This is an important reminder that along with international aid to relieve famines, we should also focus on policies to prevent famine in the future.
Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights asserts 'the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger'. The cruel reality is, this right has been undermined by political instability and failed governments. In Somalia, famine relief and the day-to-day operations of international humanitarian agencies are affected by the struggle between the government and the insurgent group Al-Shabaab. Political instability cripples the development of sustainable agricultural policies. Without these policies, the population is extremely vulnerable to the insecurities caused by natural disasters. Droughts or floods alone don’t have to lead to famines. It is time for governments to step up to their responsibilities.
Establishing effective preventive agricultural policies is essential to improving food security. One such policy is effective water sources management. Successful irrigation projects in Ethiopia helped to alleviate food shortages and encourage self-sufficiency. In Kenya, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is working with farmers to develop capacities for the better harvesting and conservation of rainwater. Sometimes the most basic infrastructure reform can make a huge difference. By strengthening delivery networks, food produced will become accessible to more people. Implemented effectively, these measures are steps towards building the populations’ resilience against disasters.
Considering their potential in ensuring food security, you would think these policies deserve more attention. Unfortunately, these disaster risk reduction measures accounts for only 0.5% of official global aid. This lack of attention is almost counterintuitive, because these policies are much more cost-effective than disaster relief measures.
It is estimated that women produce between 60% and 80% of the food in most developing countries. However, less than 2% of land is owned by women. Promoting equal opportunities for women to own land and gain access to resources to produce food is critical. So is ensuring their access to education and an equal level of income. Women’s purchasing power and their ability to make decisions in the house are important aspects in achieving long-term food security.
World population affected by hunger in 2010
A big challenge in ensuring food accessibility is reducing the sheer amount of food that is wasted before consumption. Up to 37% of food harvested is wasted due to insufficient processing, storage and transport. In a world where nearly 1 billion people are affected by hunger and malnutrition, this is simply unacceptable. Other than developing scientific solutions to increase production, it is equally critical to tackle these distributional problems.
Preventive measures are largely neglected in global aid. Thanks to an array of short-sighted policies and a global media that only focuses on disasters after they’ve occurred, the daily struggle with food insecurity is too often pushed to the background. In the midst of global efforts to relieve the famine in the Horn of Africa, we should call attention to establishing sustainable and preventive policies, so that we never have to use the phrase 'too little, too late'.
With international efforts dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tido von Schoen-Angerer, from Medecins Sans Frontieres, 
