New Tactics Online Dialogue:New Tactics Online Dialogue:

EMPOWERING CITIZENSEMPOWERING CITIZENSTO FIGHT CORRUPTIONTO FIGHT CORRUPTION

Shaazka Beyerle, Senior Advisor, International Center on Nonviolent ConflictShaazka Beyerle, Senior Advisor, International Center on Nonviolent ConflictAugust 2010August 2010

CORRUPTION IS--the misuse of entrusted power for private gain.

Transparency International

a system that involves a complex set of relationships, some obvious and others hidden, with established vested interests, that can cut across political, economic and social forces.

…the external manifestation of the denial of a right, an entitlement, a wage, a

medicine… Aruna Roy, Co-founder, Mazdoor

Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) movement

CIVIC POWER (PEOPLE CIVIC POWER (PEOPLE POWER)POWER)

power that comes from power that comes from significant numbers of people significant numbers of people organized togetherorganized together

CIVIL RESISTANCECIVIL RESISTANCE

(NONVIOLENT STRUGGLE)(NONVIOLENT STRUGGLE) the expression of civic power the expression of civic power

– through the use of – through the use of nonviolent strategies and nonviolent strategies and tacticstactics

NONVIOLENT TACTICSNONVIOLENT TACTICS the methods of civil resistance

Over 200 tactics have been documented, including Over 200 tactics have been documented, including varieties ofvarieties of:

noncooperationnoncooperation civil disobedience low-risk mass actionslow-risk mass actions displays of symbolsdisplays of symbols street theatre and stuntsstreet theatre and stunts songs, poetry and humor; songs, poetry and humor; citizen “report cards” for public servicescitizen “report cards” for public services civic “report cards” for political candidatescivic “report cards” for political candidates monitoring of officials, institutions, budgets, spending monitoring of officials, institutions, budgets, spending

and public servicesand public services social auditssocial audits social networking technologies (e.g., Facebook social networking technologies (e.g., Facebook

organizing, blogging)organizing, blogging) education, training and youth recreationeducation, training and youth recreation social and economic empowerment initiativessocial and economic empowerment initiatives creation of parallel institutioncreation of parallel institution anti-corruption pledgesanti-corruption pledges public awardspublic awards protests, petitions, vigils, marches, sit-ins; strikes and protests, petitions, vigils, marches, sit-ins; strikes and

boycottsboycotts nonviolent blockadesnonviolent blockades nonviolent accompaniment.nonviolent accompaniment.

Civic power is wielded through the sustained, strategic application of a variety of nonviolent

tactics that:

Strengthen citizen participation, and grass-roots organization and capacity;

Disrupt systems of corruption, including dishonest relationships, illicit practices and the status quo;

Weaken the sources of support and control for unaccountable and corrupt power holders; entities, and their enablers;

Win people over to the civic campaign or movement, from the public and from within the corrupt system (e.g. honest officials).

GENERAL GOOD GENERAL GOOD PRACTICESPRACTICES

1.1. Moving from abstract issuesMoving from abstract issues

to everyday concernsto everyday concerns – –

to win public support and to win public support and

engage citizensengage citizens

2. 2. Skills, strategies & planning -Skills, strategies & planning -

can overcome difficultcan overcome difficult

conditions andconditions and

situations situations

3. 3. Honest imageHonest image – the association of – the association of

groups in society perceived as groups in society perceived as

incorruptible and honest can incorruptible and honest can

have a galvanizing effect.have a galvanizing effect.

4. 4. Campaign creativityCampaign creativity – necessary to – necessary to overcome obstacles, adapt to changing overcome obstacles, adapt to changing

circumstances, developcircumstances, develop

effective tactics, and effective tactics, and maximize the impact ofmaximize the impact of

its resources.its resources.

5. 5. Tactical innovationTactical innovation – critical – critical

to overcome intimidation,to overcome intimidation,

repression, human rights abuses,repression, human rights abuses, and maintain campaign resilienceand maintain campaign resilience www.facebook.com

6. 6. Education andEducation and

trainingtraining – often neglected – often neglected

but always essential forbut always essential for

building campaign building campaign capacitycapacity

7. 7. CommunicationsCommunications – strategically – strategically important to buildimportant to build

awareness, win awareness, win support, involvesupport, involve

citizens in actions.citizens in actions.

CANVAS (Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies)CANVAS (Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies)

8. Information--its collection,

access, and use can be a powerful tool when combined with civil resistance

9. 9. Unity Unity – – of grievances, goals and peopleof grievances, goals and people

10. Ownership –cultivating a sense that everyone is cultivating a sense that everyone is part of the fight against corruption part of the fight against corruption and everyone can play a roleand everyone can play a role

ANTI-CORRUPTIONTOOLS Social audit Budget analysis Right to information (RTI)

submissions United Nations Convention

against Corruption (UNCAC) internationalbudget.org newtactics.org informationactivism.org

Eighty percent of the world’s governments fail to provide adequate information for the public to hold them accountable for managing their money, according to the Open Budget Index 2008.

http://www.openbudgetindex.org/

Did you know?

Governments that make available the least information on how they spend the public's money also tend to have the weakest oversight institutions, creating opportunities for waste, mismanagement, and corruption.