Pacific Students Boost Knowledge on Right to Information and Open Data
A recent project aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness among 2,000 students from across the region on the values and practical application of Right to Information (RTI) and open data for the advancement of public integrity, transparency, and accountability has achieved significant results.
Creative Arts Competition
The project included a creative arts competition on RTI in the Pacific, with attractive cash prizes, promoting RTI activism among youth and students. The winning materials were posted on social media accounts of USPSA (United States Pacific Islands Society of Accountants), UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), and other partners.
Community Outreach Activities
The project also involved community outreach activities, including awareness workshops and training sessions for officials and community members. In Solomon Islands, Hearts of Hope delivered 20 community anti-corruption awareness workshops involving over 1,260 participants, predominantly the elderly, youths, women, children, and people living with disabilities.
Lessons Learned
The project highlighted several key lessons:
- Low institutional capacity and low demand for accountability by non-state actors remain significant challenges in developing effective anti-corruption reforms.
- Every Pacific Island Country (PIC) has deficiencies in its anti-corruption framework, which requires tailored approaches and sufficient flexibility in technical assistance and support.
- Major barriers to mitigating corruption include weak institutional structures, processes, and leadership, limited public and institutional understanding of the threat corruption presents to sustainable development and national security, and a lack of resources and interactions between government, private sector, and civil society.
Way Forward
The project emphasizes the importance of strong institutions in preventing and addressing corruption. Direct/bilateral country-based support is needed to address identified needs and interests. Capacity building and knowledge exchange should be flexible and responsive, considering that corrupt actors constantly change their modes of work.
RTI and open data can deter corruption by increasing government integrity, transparency, and accountability. They are also important tools for increasing public participation and improving governance and public integrity more broadly. Better informed and empowered citizens help shape better government policy beyond anti-corruption and RTI initiatives.
Conclusion
The Pacific Anti-Corruption Project has demonstrated significant demand for anti-corruption initiatives, including those relating to RTI and open data. The project’s findings highlight the importance of tailored approaches, flexibility in technical assistance and support, and a focus on international and regional commitments such as Agenda 2030 and the SDGs.
By promoting good governance with a focus on anti-corruption and right to information, we can work towards creating a more transparent and accountable Pacific region.