Battleground constituencies in Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections

Elections are an exciting and well-studied subject across the world. They attract a tremendous amount of  this excitement stemming from their competitive nature and “peoples” enduring a belief in them as the best way to provide governors with legitimate province over governance, or the absence of alternatives. For some, elections are the essence of democracy and legitimacy, and a close approximation of the rule of the people by the people through evidence of their express consent to authority, itself a fundamental tenant of political legitimacy. Resultantly, elections invariably whip up a frenzy, as the public, commentariat, and scholars engage in [...]

2023-08-22T19:32:42+00:0022nd August 2023|

“Supporting Zimbabwe to get free and fair elections is not an event but a process”: The Role of the EU Election Observation Mission

The European Union deploys one of the largest observer missions to monitor the 2023 Zimbabwe elections. We spoke to Dr McDonald Lewanika, politics and development professional, about the importance of the verdict by EU election observers and what contributions European actors can make to assist Zimbabweans in getting the elections they want. By McDonald Lewanika and Katrin Seidel Earlier in the year, the European Union had sent 46 long-term observers and 11 political analysts to Zimbabwe. On Election Day over 150 observers from EU member states as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland will be monitoring the elections. This is [...]

2023-08-18T12:32:05+00:0018th August 2023|

Five reforms to strengthen World Bank engagement

The urgency for global climate action has prompted World Bank management to rethink the Bank's mission, vision, operations, and financing through the Evolution Roadmap. Following a public consultation that ended in July, the Bank has hosted regional consultations to inform stakeholders and gather their feedback. Despite the global scale of the climate crisis and the need to co-create solutions at the community level, the Evolution Roadmap, in its current form, does not identify citizen engagement and social accountability (CESA) as a significant pillar to deliver its ambitious goals. Much of the current focus has been on mobilizing finances to increase [...]

2023-08-21T10:31:01+00:0017th August 2023|

Ingredients for a meaningful and ethical career

Written by Dridhata Silwal Kalpana Adhikari is an Integrity Icon winner in Nepal whose remarkable journey from doubt to becoming a champion of integrity is a shining example of resilience, perseverance, and believing in oneself. Her story is not just a personal triumph but an inspiration for all who face challenges in pursuing a meaningful and ethical career. Kalpana's journey is a testament to the power of integrity, the importance of empathy, and the transformative potential of dedication to a higher purpose. Turning adversity into opportunity Kalpana's choice to enter the government sector was filled with doubt. She dreamed of [...]

2023-08-15T14:06:24+00:0015th August 2023|

G20 and the crisis of corruption: what has been the story this year?

As we enter the final stretch of India’s Presidency of the G20, what progress has been made in relation to key anti-corruption priorities? Sanjeeta Pant and Kathryn Westmore take a closer look. The G20 Indian Presidency and Anti-Corruption Priorities When India took over the Presidency of the G20 earlier this year, there was real hope that it would herald an increased focus on anti-corruption issues. As the final meeting of the Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) approaches, attention has turned to what progress has been made on the three anti-corruption priorities for this year and what might lie ahead for the [...]

2023-08-14T12:10:04+00:008th August 2023|

Why climate finance needs greater transparency and accountability

We face an existential poly-crisis related to energy, debt, food, climate, health, and security. Collective action is needed to address these challenges and to build global support for the green accountability agenda. The role of international financial institutions (IFIs) like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is critical to promoting transparency in climate finance and addressing the inherent corruption risks. But the quantity of their funding is just one element of this- the quality of that funding is equally as important but is largely missing from policy debates around these issues.  Progress Multinational Development Banks (MDBs) have [...]

2023-08-14T12:10:39+00:001st August 2023|

Five ways to make regional collaborations meaningful

Accountability Lab Nepal (ALN) and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) are collaborating to promote youth engagement in democracy in Nepal and Bangladesh, respectively. The goal is to build and strengthen diverse and pluralistic networks of youth leaders through targeted support, collective learning and shared best practices to strengthen democracy.  This blog is based on a joint reflection between the program implementation teams during a learning exchange visit from Nepal to Bangladesh and summarizes the value of meaningful collaborations.This blog also highlights how young people from Nepal and Bangladesh uniquely catalyze their role to strengthen democracies, advance social changes and support innovation.  [...]

2023-08-14T12:08:06+00:0018th July 2023|

Cultivating a resilient mindset in Nepal’s civil service

In his best-selling book, “On The Origin of  Species”, English naturalist Charles Darwin said that it’s not the strongest or the most intelligent species that survives, but rather the one that’s most responsive to change. This theory, formulated in 1859, remains relevant in every sector to this day. In this blog, we’ll explore the connection between Darwin’s insight and the importance of resilience in Nepal’s civil service. It is undeniable that the civil service holds the key to the government's success and must be resilient and responsive to changing circumstances. This blog is based on an in-depth discussion that took [...]

2023-08-14T12:13:51+00:0015th July 2023|

Five approaches for young people to speak up against corruption

This is one of two winning blogs from the World Bank's International Corruption Hunters Alliance 2023 Blog Contest. In an effort to find a common solution to a common challenge, we asked to hear the views of African youth on the challenges of corruption. We asked for submissions, based on the situation in the blogger’s country, that answered the following question: How can young people work with their governments, academia, and civil society organizations to speak up against corruption and counter the negative impacts corruption has on society? Corruption poses a significant threat to society, hindering progress and impacting the lives of [...]

2023-08-14T12:15:27+00:0013th July 2023|

Eradiquons la corruption grâce à des mécanismes pratiques

Ce billet est l’un des deux lauréats du concours de blog de l'Alliance internationale anti-corruption 2023 organisé sous l'égide de la Banque mondiale. En vue de trouver une solution commune à un défi commun, nous avons invité la jeunesse africaine à s'exprimer sur le fléau de la corruption. À la lumière de la situation propre à chaque pays, ces témoignages devaient répondre à la question suivante : comment les jeunes peuvent-ils œuvrer de concert avec leurs gouvernements, les universités et les organisations de la société civile pour s'élever contre la corruption et contrer les effets négatifs qu'elle fait peser sur la société ? La Corruption… [...]

2023-08-14T12:17:08+00:0013th July 2023|
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