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Anti-corruption campaign promotes transparency in Iraq
Iraqi Communities Fight Corruption
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Photo: USAID
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A poster reading “Iraq without Corruption” is part of USAID’s anti-corruption campaign.
USAID’s anti-corruption campaign found that 33 percent of Iraqis consider a record of transparency and accountability the most important attributes in a political candidate.
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Recognizing that transparency and accountability are critical to democratic governance, USAID launched a national anti-corruption campaign in collaboration with civil society organizations. The campaign included training for officials, survey polls, legislative advocacy, educational posters, and mobile theaters. So far, the results have been very positive.
First, USAID sponsored a national conference on transparency and accountability during the drafting of Iraq’s constitution. The conference yielded 15 recommendations that were incorporated into the constitution, including an article that holds ministers accountable for their actions and another that creates an independent auditing body.
Second, the program sponsored surveys to understand the needs and priorities of Iraqi citizens. One USAID-funded survey by the al Rafhaa Organization found that 33 percent of Iraqis consider transparency and accountability the most important attributes in a political candidate. Regarding national priorities, 25 percent of Iraqis considered stopping corruption a high priority, second only to the 38 percent who listed security as their top priority. Other surveys have helped monitor corruption within organizations and government bodies, revealing areas where accountability needs to be improved.
Finally, the program’s efforts in voter education, community dialogue, and constitutional development helped expand public awareness and participation in the January 2005 election and the October 2005 constitutional referendum.
USAID’s civil society programs focus on civic education, anti-corruption, and human rights. USAID has established resource centers to deliver training and technical assistance to Iraqi civil society organizations and provided small grants to support advocacy and public awareness campaigns. Through focused training and technical assistance, USAID is helping to build an informed, sustainable, and active civil society that will be key to routing out corruption, holding the government accountable, and building a prosperous and democratic Iraq.
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