A joint post by Ortrun Merkle, Loes van Heugten and Ashleigh Bicker Caarten … This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day has the hopeful motto: ‘Your right, your role: Say no to Corruption’, highlighting the important role that each individual, from politician to activist to citizen has in fighting corruption. The big question is, though, when it comes to saying #NoToCorruption, can everyone actually do so? Activists often pay a high price for their fight against corruption, and while m...
There’s no disputing that many African countries’ education systems are in trouble. Despite significant investment and some improvements linked to the push to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, children in large parts of Africa are simply not being well taught or learning what is needed as they progress through the school system....
When the so-called refugee crisis reached a peak in 2015, the German Development Agency (GIZ) started a new line of investigation: checking the links between corruption, migration and forced displacement. The investigations have a clear gender angle, reflecting the depths of suffering faced by migrant women and girls. On behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Anticorruption and Integrity Programme of GIZ convened a session on ‘Corruption and Migration: ...
Understanding why some societies develop while others lag is crucial for the UN and anyone else interested in the 2030 Agenda – be they policymakers, academics or NGOs. In this Q&A, Dr. Eleonora Nillesen talks about her research on corruption and development, and how it earned her the acclaimed GSBE Extramural Fellowship at Maastricht University’s School of Business and Economics. ••• What does this fellowship mean for you and the institute? With this fellowship, the School of Business and E...
Corruption occurs in rich and poor countries alike — and is therefore a global concern. Yet evidence shows that it affects poor people disproportionately and helps turn fragile states into failed states. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, marked every 9 December, I want to highlight the link between corruption and migration, which is all too often overlooked. On this day of anti-corruption, migration may not be the first topic that comes to mind. Yet with a humanitarian refugee cr...
Greece was yesterday’s news. Today it’s still the refugee crisis. But tomorrow Greece may again make the headlines as the Tsipras Government pushes 200 major legislative changes through parliament — changes that will have far-reaching impacts on Greek society, writes PhD fellow Jasmina Haas. Such a programme would be a horrendous task for any effective government with a strong civil service; it would raise hell in any country for its impacts on society. It will be a massive burden on...
Political history was made in Nigeria exactly a month ago. Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost to former military leader Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC). No incumbent president has ever lost an election in Nigeria since independence from Britain in 1960. Ahead of Buhari’s inauguration on 29 May, PhD fellow Ayokunu Adedokun sets out seven points that he wants to see on Buhari’s agenda. Everyone had thought the electi...
While corruption may be rampant across the world it is not always visible. Asking people about their perceptions of corruption in local governance poses a similar problem, as they may not be willing to give their true opinions of local leaders. However, if corruption is as common and costly as people suggest, we clearly need better evidence on how much corruption there is, and how it affects the lives of poor people. This blog and interview are based on a recent paper that digs deeper into this ...
Can strong institutions prevent abuse of power on the one hand or collapse into anarchy on the other? Can efficient bureaucracies help achieve long-term growth and development goals? Can governance indicators reliably measure — and help prevent — state corruption and conflict? These were among the questions of a one-day workshop hosted on 2 December 2013 by UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance. Focusing on ‘Institutions, Governance and Development’, it was part of a long-running pr...