Just because a humanitarian mission to a foreign land is organized with the best of intentions by well-meaning, even experienced, people does not guarantee it will be free of problems, particularly corruption. Money and supplies from external sources to aid people in distress are seen as a rich prize by some national partners, be they government officials, vendors or local staff. The temptation to divert aid to family, friends, or business acquaintances is always near, even among Christian organizations.
Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Operations: Handbook of Good Practices (181pp.) by Transparency International, a Berlin-based non-governmental organization (NGO), is a gift to all humanitarian organizations and missions, large and small. The book identifies corruption risks affecting humanitarian programs and enumerates recommended practices developed over decades by the humanitarian NGO community. It also provides tools and monitoring devices to deter, detect, and deal with corruption risks. Small organizations and even church mission programs can easily adapt these best practices to ensure their programs are corruption free.
The handbook was compiled with the help of Action Aid, CARE International, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision International, and several other global humanitarian NGOs. In fact, World Vision, itself an occasional victim of corruption, thought so highly of the handbook it helped fund a 54-page pocket version (wwww.transparency.org/whatwedo/pub/pocket_ guide_of_good_practices_preventing_corruption_in_ humanitarian_operations) for humanitarian staff in the field. The unabridged version of the handbook is available as a CD-ROM or may be downloaded at www. transparency.org/whatwedo/pub/handbook_of_good_ practices_preventing_corruption_in_humantarian_ operations. Dating from 1993, Transparency International is a relatively new NGO in the relief and development community. Since then it has morphed into an international movement with more than 100 national chapters working with civil society, business, and government at all levels to put effective measures in place to tackle “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.”
Preventing Corruption so thoroughly covers every aspect of an organization’s operation that, if prepared and wisely managed, it will likely prevent corrupt practices by staff. Chapters include management leadership, emergency preparedness, internal controls and quality assurance, transparency and accountability, and dealing with external environments, all of which are fundamental functions of any humanitarian operation. The handbook looks at financial corruption such as fraud, bribery, gifts, and extortion, as well as nonfinancial forms such as diversion of aid to benefit groups of people who do not need it in exchange for reward. In addition, preferential treatment for family members and friends in hiring and coercion and intimidation of staff or beneficiaries to ignore or participate in corruption are examined. The corrupt practice of aid in exchange for sexual favors is also dealt with thoroughly.
No organization or mission agency is exempt from corrupt practices, particularly in post-Soviet states where corruption has long been a way of life, practiced at the highest levels of government and at every level of society. If international humanitarian NGOs learned one major lesson since the end of the Cold War it is that manipulated and unmonitored aid is worse than no aid at all. Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Operations should be at the top of every aid field practitioner’s reading list.
Serge Duss is Director of Public Policy & Advocacy with International Medical Corps in Washington, DC. He also served with World Vision International in Moscow in the 1990s.