U4 Issue 2013:4
The role of civil society in the UNCAC review process: Moving beyond compliance?
www.U4.no
The format of the Self-Assessment, particularly its emphasis on statistical information rather than analysis, was repeatedly mentioned as limiting the opportunities for civil society participation. At least two possible responses would address this concern. One, it would be advisable to revise the SelfAssessment questionnaire to incorporate more of the “open” elements valued in the Compliance and Gap Analysis. Two, the UNCAC Secretariat could simply rearticulate the instrument’s purpose, highlighting the importance of civil society input and its potential value for national anti-corruption efforts. In the cases reviewed here, previous cooperation between the relevant state agencies and CSOs made the crucial difference in the government’s readiness to engage with civil society. Past experience had established the NGOs’ expertise and capacity to make a contribution and had generated a level of trust between the actors. While establishing such a relationship is sometimes complicated for CSOs with a more critical watchdog role, more interaction could serve to demonstrate that their critique of government is fair and well-founded. There exists an excellent opportunity before the second review cycle to develop such relationships. Care should be taken to allow those CSOs that play a watchdog role sufficient distance to avoid concerns that they are compromising their critical voice. Nevertheless, modes of constructive interaction are possible even within this model of civil society engagement. Attention should also be given to the value of broad civil society participation in anti-corruption efforts in general and the IRM in particular—above all, the legitimacy it confers on those activities. The involvement of stakeholders from the private sector, community-based organisations, human rights NGOs, academia, and other relevant actors should be actively encouraged. LHR!:/!S>CC"BT!HU!B7@HCC7?V"=;H?S! ;'-3,,'/1.2*3/0!3/!*009'0!./1!-&.44'/H'0!2&.2!&.)'!','(H'1!5(3,!2&'!<('0'/2!./.460*0!.('!09,,.(*0'1! &'('!53(!2&'!E'6!H(39<0!35!02.E'&341'(0:!-*)*4!03-*'26N!O2.2'0!L.(2*'0N!1')'43<,'/2!<.(2/'(0N!./1!2&'!PQ8R8! O'-('2.(*.2#! !"#"$%&'(")*+% •
%&'!PQ8R8!83.4*2*3/!./1!32&'(!*/2'('02'1!*/2'(/.2*3/.4!QST0!0&3941!-3/2*/9'!23!<(3,32'!.+.('/'00! 35! 2&'! >;?U! .1)3-.2'! 53(! F(3.1VF.0'1! -*)*4! 03-*'26! <.(2*-*<.2*3/! */! 2&'! >;?! <(3-'00U! ./1! 09<<3(2! /.2*3/.4! 8OT0! */! 1')'43<*/H! 2&'*(! -.<.-*2*'0! 23! <.(2*-*<.2'! */! 2&'! >;?! ./1! 32&'(+*0'! ,.I*,*0'! 2&'! ).49'!35!2&'!PQ8R8!#!!
•
%&'!PQ8R8!83.4*2*3/!0&3941!-3/0*1'(!'I2'/1*/H!*20!,3/*23(*/H!35!2&'!2(./0<.('/-6!35!2&'!<(3-'00!F6! .403!2(.-E*/H!2&'!'.0'!35!.--'00!23!*/53(,.2*3/!('W9*('1!23!-3,<4'2'!<.(.44'4!('<3(20#!!
•
C'.1*/H!-*)*4!03-*'26!.-23(0!.2!2&'!/.2*3/.4!4')'4!0&3941!.1)3-.2'!53(!*/2'H(.2*/H!2&'!>;?!<(3-'00!*/23! /.2*3/.4!./2*V-3((9<2*3/!'553(20#!!
•
C'.1*/H!-*)*4!03-*'26!.-23(0!0&3941!0''E!23!1')'43<!F(3.1VF.0'1!/'2+3(E0!23!'/09('!2&.2!-*)*4!03-*'26! <.(2*-*<.2*3/! */! 2&'! >;?! <(3-'00'0! *0! .0! ('<('0'/2.2*)'! .0! <300*F4'#! %&*0! */-491'0! ('.-&*/H! 392! 23! .-.1',*.N!2&'!,'1*.N!2&'!<(*).2'!0'-23(N!./1!32&'(!('4')./2!3(H./*0.2*3/0!23!<4.6!.!(34'!*/!2&'!-39/2(6! (')*'+!<(3-'00#!
•
8*)*4!03-*'26!.-23(0!0&3941!-3/2*/9'!23!<(319-'!<.(.44'4!-39/2(6!(')*'+!('<3(20!./1!0&3941!<(3.-2*)'46! -3/0*1'(!9/1'(2.E*/H!.11*2*3/.4!('0'.(-&!*/!09<<3(2!35!2&'!>;?!<(3-'00#!
•
8*)*4! 03-*'26! .-23(0! 0&3941! 0''E! 23! *1'/2*56! '/2(6! <3*/20! +*2&*/! H3)'(/,'/2! */02*292*3/0! ./1! 1')'43<! +3(E*/H!('4.2*3/0&*<0!23!5.-*4*2.2'!2&'*(!<.(2*-*<.2*3/!./1!-3/2(*F92*3/!23!./2*V-3((9<2*3/!*/*2*.2*)'0!*/! H'/'(.4!./1!2&'!>;?!<(3-'00!*/!<.(2*-94.(#!!
,*-*)&%.-/*")&%-01%2'#)/03)0*%"0&*"*4*"'0&% •
O2.2'0!L.(2*'0!0&3941!2.E'!'.(46!.-2*3/!23!'/09('!2&.2!2&'('!*0!F(3.1!.+.('/'00!+*2&*/!-*)*4!03-*'26!35! 2&'!>;?!<(3-'00!./1!9<-3,*/H!-39/2(6!(')*'+0#!
18