Global Issues

Governance and Transparency

Anti-Corruption Success Stories

Cambodia

Cambodia journalist trainees have published over 20 investigative reports, including nearly a dozen front page articles, examining everything from gross mismanagement and graft related to a major national park preservation project; to corruption involving Khmer laborers trafficked to South Korea; pervasive bribe-taking at driving schools and flawed government policies on land taxes. The stories have prompted government-sponsored investigations into wrongdoing and the impacts have been far-reaching, including those who have abused power being fired or demoted and policies being changed for victims of major injustices allowing them to finally receive compensation. Because of these trainings, a tradition of investigative reporting has been established among a core group of journalists, helping to ensure transparency in Cambodia’s government.

“The training in law and investigative reporting is especially useful for the building of democracy in Cambodia. We will all use this knowledge to improve our profession, to establish rule of law and improve people’s living conditions.”- Internews training participant

Indonesia

In Aceh, Internews assembled a team of local journalists to produce a daily one-hour radio program dedicated to the rehabilitation and reconstruction effort in the tsunami-devastated region. From a studio Internews built in Banda Aceh, these journalists act as watchdogs on the R&R process, often drawing attention to the instances of corruption that threaten to derail the massive rebuilding and peacebuilding efforts.  For example, Islamic Relief donated becaks (a 3-wheeled bike where the driver sits behind the passenger) to the rickshaw drivers of Banda Aceh. The Peuneugah Aceh team covered the story and found out that the distribution of becaks was unfair. The rickshaws were distributed to the friends of the distribution coordinator. Islamic Relief’s communication officer listened to the story on the radio and reviewed the distribution scheme. Islamic Relief decided to take back the rickshaws and redistribute them in a fair way.

Ukraine

Telektitika, a web-based outlet for the review, in-depth analysis and critical assessment of Ukrainian TV and radio program content as well as current Ukrainian media trends.  Telekritika’s mission is to help build a professional, responsible, empowered Ukrainian media and serve as a watchdog for the regulatory body and frequency allocation in Ukraine with a focus on accountability of the regulatory bodies in Ukraine.  Telekritika focused on attempts by the body responsible for provision of frequencies to television and radio channels to avoid proper frequency licensing procedures for television channels.  As a result, the channels and their backers failed in their attempts to dodge legal procedures. 

Nigeria

Since 2002, Internews has trained and mentored journalists to increase the frequency and quality of reporting on HIV/ADS in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and the Mekong Region to reduce stigma and discrimination.  For example, part of this program has included training Nigerian business reporters in investigative journalism skills, better enabling them to track health spending on the epidemic as well as the social and economic impact.  Following Internews training, a business reporter wrote a story regarding the Nigerian government’s anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment program and shed light on a situation involving the inequities of HIV/AIDS treatment.  According to the trainee, the government’s ARV program is now free, however, not in every part of the country. According to some HIV positive people interviewed by the trainee, they are forced to pay levies for drugs which are supposed to be free.   By learning skills in investigative journalism, journalists are able to uncover issues such as this issue with ARVs in Nigeria, exposing corruption and supporting accountability.

“I have done a second story on the new national ARV distribution policy since after my first story on how that will ensure that there are drugs at all treatment centers in required quantities…a listener called me after listening to my second story from Lagos to say what the government people were saying is only applicable to Abuja where distribution is good. She said in Lagos the story is different”-Idara Ukpanyang, Internews Trainee who wrote investigative stories regarding the Nigerian government’s ARV treatment program. Her reporting was well received by the Nigerian public.

Romania

The Romania Information Technology Initiative (RITI) assisted the Government of Romania (GoR) in establishing a functional policy and regulatory framework for information communication technologies (ICT) based on international best practices.  Through their work, RITI together with the GoR revised the legal framework and process involved in obtaining licenses and registrations to establish a business in the telecommunications sector.  The amount of licenses needed was reduced from 20 in 2002 to 2 in 2003 which substantially relieved the bureaucratic burden.  In 2004, licenses were awarded through a transparent and open tendering process which had not been in place in the past.

Macedonia 

Internews’  e-Government Apply Online Project created an IT-basedapply on-line system to improve the efficiency and transparency of recruiting civil servants.  Within six months after the system was launched, the number of applications had increased five times.  The online system has significantly improved transparency in applying for civil service positions.  Since the launch of the system, there has been a significant decrease in the number of complaints that were flied under manual evaluation and selection.  Based upon interviews with candidates that used the online system, 95 % answered that the on-line version of the obligatory testing was very easy to use and that they trusted the result.  In addition, 95% of candidates also felt that their application was objectively evaluated, and felt confident that the automated process provided for fair recruitment.  As a whole, 85% believed the new system to be more transparent.