Leading the way in the fight against corruption: The OSCE’s initiatives at work
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Promoting good economic The OSCE’s anti-corruption work is guided by the 2003 Maastricht OSCE governance, and preventing Strategy Document for the Economic and and combating corruption are Environmental Dimension and relevant key elements of the OSCE’s Ministerial Council Decisions of 2004 in comprehensive approach to Sofia, 2014 in Basel, 2016 in Hamburg and 2020 in Tirana, as well as 2012 OSCE security and one of the main Dublin Declaration. The OSCE’s work on priorities of the Office of Co- combatting corruption is strengthened by ordinator of OSCE Economic and the Office of the Special Representative of Environmental Activities (OCEEA). the Chairperson-in-Office on Combatting Corruption, whose mandate is to support At its core, corruption erodes public trust in the Chairperson-in-Office in coordinating institutions and threatens stability, security anti-corruption activities and initiatives with and well-being of citizens and society, OSCE participating States. fostering a climate of discontent and social unrest. Moreover, corruption distorts the The OSCE, together with the Office of allocation of resources, diverting critical Democratic Institutions and Human funds away from essential services such Rights (ODIHR) and its network of 12 as healthcare, education and infrastructure Field Operations in Southeast Europe, towards the pockets of a privileged few. Eastern Europe and Central Asia, This not only hampers social development promotes good governance and anti- but also perpetuates inequality, creating corruption through capacity-building and a fertile ground for extremism and awareness raising, implementing activities radicalization. Fostering food governance aimed at strengthening institutional and and combatting corruption is not only a legislative frameworks in participating moral imperative but a strategic necessity States, and promoting innovative policy for fostering resilience, ensuring peaceful, and programmatic solutions to address prosperous and stable societies. emerging trends and threats posed by digitalization and new technologies.
Why building capacity in the area of anti-corruption matters Building capacity of participating States officials of the beneficiaries. The ultimate in preventing and combatting corruption goal is to enhance the capability and involves many elements: human, awareness of people, institutions, and technological, organisational, financial, society in general, to develop their skills, cultural and institutional. The OSCE make better use of existing resources, and makes a planned and systematic effort to foster resilience and sustainability in develop or modify the knowledge, skills and anti-corruption efforts in the OSCE region. character traits of governmental and public Capacity-building and awareness- In Kazakhstan, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana worked with the Anti- raising are pivotal components in Corruption Agency, the dynamic “Zhastar the fight against corruption. Alauy” youth movement, and Nazarbayev The OSCE continues to University, to foster awareness and implement a range of initiatives mobilize youth against corruption. The OSCE facilitated a platform for active in these areas, contributing to the student engagement, emphasizing their strengthening of anti-corruption pivotal role in confronting the challenges efforts in participating States. posed by corruption.
The OSCE’s reach extends beyond national borders, encompassing the largest part of the northern hemisphere. From 2020 until 2023 OSCE focused its efforts on assisting beneficiaries in their immediate needs in term of anti-corruption, at the same time going beyond borders and expectations.
RESULT OF OSCE ACTIVITY
Empowering leadership of youth against corruption
Increased awareness LESS CORRUPTION IN MID- AND LONG-TERM Less human capital flight and promotion of cultural shift
Amidst the fast-evolving landscape of economic crimes involving virtual assets and cryptocurrencies, the OSCE Secretariat/ OCEEA, in partnership with UNODC, took proactive steps to equip government officials of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine with cutting-edge investigative techniques through basic and advanced virtual assets investigation trainings. The courses were specifically tailored and went beyond theoretical knowledge, providing practical tools and insights into advanced tracing of criminal transactions across different blockchains, complemented by the opportunity to familiarize themselves with specialized analytics software.
RESULT OF THE OSCE INTERVENTION
Enhanced capacities of supervisory Innovative approach towards new bodies and law enforcement officials threats such as corruption or money to investigate crypto-related crimes laundering through virtual assets
More investigated and resolved criminal cases of corruption and money – laundering.
Less financing of criminal activities through virtual assets.
ENHANCED FINANCIAL SECURITY OF PARTICIPATING STATES AND THEIR POPULATIONS
In Montenegro, the OSCE promotes a The Ministry of Interior is in charge of better understanding of integrity and anti- developing the contents on the e-learning corruption among the police by establishing platform for the police. At least fifteen an E-learning platform. officials were trained by the OSCE to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to interact with the platform. RESULT OF OSCE INITIATIVE
LESS FUNDS DIVERTED Increased FROM PUBLIC SECTOR awareness of Less corruption the police among law enforcement LESS DISCONTENT on corruption officials and police AMONG THE POPULATION
STRENGTHENED NATIONAL SECURITY
Antikorrupiks platform www.anticorrupiks.com developed by Sarajevo Canton in collaboration with OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a public register, which provides data on appointed officials, employees in the cantonal public institutions, allocated subsidies to small businesses, and public officials’ property and assets, among other. It enables detection of conflicts of interests, increases institutional transparency, and offers a wide range of analytical options and comparisons that are important tools for all interested parties, such as journalists, researchers, and NGOs.
RESULT OF OSCE INITIATIVE
Increased Deterred corrupt LESS CORRUPTION transparency practices
The Police Mobile More opportunities Application in Montenegro, for citizens to report developed with the support on corruption of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, works to increase transparency and to improve police - public communication, REDUCTION OF as well as improve accessibility CORRUPTION IN for citizens and empower them MID- AND to report corruption cases. LONG-TERM Corruption Proofing of Legislation Methodology is a joint initiative between Ministry of Justice and OSCE Presence in Albania, which helps national authorities design and implement corruption assessment methodologies, provides trainings to national officials, as well as strengthens knowledge and capacity in public procurement processes in the country.
RESULT OF OSCE INITIATIVE
Improved corruption Enhanced assessment methodologies procurement processes LESS CORRUPTION Better understanding IN PUBLIC of corruption in public Better monitoring PROCUREMENT procurement processes of of the public public officials and civil society spending
New approaches: the nexus between gender and anti-corruption Corruption is a phenomenon that inadequate public services and diversion of resources. Their limited representation is not gender blind and that affects in positions of power can have a negative men and women differently. The effect on good governance as diverse OSCE understands this and has perspectives are important for decision undertaken some groundbreaking making. Understanding the nexus between gender and corruption is therefore pivotal work on the nexus between for creating comprehensive anti-corruption gender and corruption, which is policies that address the root causes and still largely underexplored. consequences from a gender perspective. The OSCE has been actively working Why gender and anti-corruption to integrate gender perspectives into its nexus matters? various areas of focus, including anti- Women often face systemic discrimination, corruption efforts. limited access to resources and are excluded from decision making, which What the OSCE does on anti-corruption makes them more vulnerable to corruption and gender? both as victims and perpetrators. The OSCE is actively integrating gender Corruption disproportionately affects perspectives into its projects and initiatives, women as they bear the brunt of which it implements across the region in order to improve the efficiency and of corruption in North Macedonia and ensure sustainable impact of its provided recommendations to recognize interventions. and criminalize sextortion as a form of corruption in the national legislation. The The OSCE Gender Issues Programme Mission also promoted the findings of two in the Office of the Secretary General new surveys on sexual extortion in higher delivered dedicated capacity buildings on education and public administration sectors gender and effective anti-corruption to anti- in North Macedonia and supported the corruption agencies and law enforcement creation of a new e-course on gender and authorities in Albania and Pristina. corruption.
The OSCE Mission to Serbia implemented Internally, the OSCE fosters collaboration a pivotal initiative to elevate anti- on gender mainstreaming between corruption practices within the Agency the Secretariat and Field Operations. for Prevention of Corruption (APC) to This synergy ensures the seamless integrate gender perspectives into their incorporation of gender perspectives daily work. The three-module training not into all anti-corruption initiatives, only explored the nuanced links between enhancing overall effectiveness. gender equality and corruption but also served as a catalyst for a ground-breaking Recently, the OSCE Gender Issues development—the creation of a gender- Programme in the Office of the Secretary specific anti-corruption toolkit. This General conducted crucial research on innovative manual solidified the Agency’s the intersection of corruption and gender commitment to gender-inclusive inequality in natural resource access practices and makes the impact of their and management. This research serves actions more sustainable. as a valuable resource for policymakers and implementing organizations, offering The OSCE Mission to Skopje conducted nuanced insights for informed decision- the first national survey on the existence making in designing, implementing, of sextortion as gender specific form and monitoring activities.
Activities of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions The lack of public integrity of democratic and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principle institutions is undermining their institution dealing with human dimension legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of matters. ODIHR supports democratic the public. In the last two decades, many institutions, including independent anti- democracies have seen a decline in public corruption and human rights bodies, trust in institutions and their representatives. political parties in the participating States In order to strengthen democratic to implement democratic governance accountability, ODIHR cooperates with commitments, curb political corruption public institutions and civil society of OSCE and promote public integrity, as well as participating States. In 2023, it organized a offers legal advice on the draft or exiting Political Integrity Bootcamp in partnership legislation pertinent to public integrity and with the Transparency International, anti-corruption measures. which focused on parliamentary oversight and political integrity as mechanisms for equality and inclusion, use of parliamentary preventing corruption. resources and post-parliamentary employment. ODIHR conducted a In 2016, the OSCE Office of the Co- comprehensive mapping of internal integrity ordinator of OSCE Economic and regulations and mechanisms of 90 political Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in parties in 25 OSCE participating States. collaboration with ODIHR and with the These tools enable ODIHR to deliver tailor- support of UNODC, OECD, Council of made support in advancing political integrity Europe and other partners, published standards of parliaments and political the OSCE Handbook on Combatting parties in multiple participating States. Corruption. The Handbook is a reference ODIHR supports parliamentary political guide on existing international standards, parties across the political spectrum available legal tools, the latest legislative to develop Codes of Conduct aimed and policy trends, and pertinent measures at enhancing ethical behaviour and and practices to prevent and suppress political integrity, covering issues such as corruption. prevention of corruption, conflict of interest and gender equality. In 2020, ODIHR contributed to OCEEA’s online training platform on prevention and ODIHR provides support to parliaments in combating corruption for government several participating States in developing officials, representatives of law Codes of Conduct. enforcement, private sector and civil society and developed two modules on political ODIHR’s work emphasizes in particular the party funding and regulating lobbying. role of comprehensive integrity frameworks ODIHR also developed a tool “Resource in prevention of gender-based violence for Reformers in the area of Parliamentary against women in politics as a part of a Integrity”, which covers areas such comprehensive gender mainstreaming as conflicts of interest, conduct in the approach in political institutions. chamber, lobbying and third parties, gender The OSCE spent approximately
€3,863,950 on its anti-corruption programmes and capacity building activities
Provided capacity building activities to more than government 10,000 and public officials, from which more than were women 5,500
Had impact on lives of Worked in 5
17 citizens in more than 17 geographical
5 participating areas states