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If you want to end corruption, turn to reality television

By: Andrew Bezek, Ivy. This article was originally published by Ivy Magazine. On the Nepali version of American Idol, there’s a Nepali version of Simon Cowell—hilariously rebuffing poor performances and glowering at the contestants. After working against corruption in developing countries for nearly a decade, IVY member Blair Glencorse had corruption on the mind as he was sitting and watching that Cowell scowl. He wanted a new way to frame corruption and thought to himself—what about reality TV? “We wondered,” says Glencorse, “What if instead of putting corrupt officials behind bars, we put honest officials in from of cameras?” So [...]

2016-03-01T00:00:00+00:001st March 2016|

Our Short Experience With Disaster Accountability in Nepal

By: Patrick Xu, Harvard University. This blog post was originally published by Local Interventions Group. Austin Wu, a fellow Statistics concentrator and good friend, and I devised a senior research project based off of our existing interests: can we study how data has been used in the disaster relief process, and how data can effectively improve and eventually optimize disaster relief? Given the intensity of damage of Nepal’s most recent earthquake disasters, as well as the coincidental timing, Austin and I began to reach out to NGOs delivering aid in Nepal to begin to build a narrative of how data can [...]

2016-02-17T00:00:00+00:0017th February 2016|

Idols we would like

By: Malati. This article was originally published by the Kathmandu Post. What do we do then? We could wait for the political willpower to clean up the system, but that might be a long wait On Sunday, the Chief District Officer of Gulmi, Pradeep Raj Kandel, was crowned the Integrity Idol of 2015. The award is conferred annually to a government official who reforms the institution he is working in and makes bureaucracy a little more efficient. In the districts he worked in, Kandel has been credited with making the process of finding documents in a government office fast and [...]

2016-01-16T00:00:00+00:0016th January 2016|

Celebrating accountability

By: Priyanka Gurung. This article was originally published by Republica. What sets the likes of the Integrity Idol nominees on the right path but the majority on a different one? For once, the standing ovation and the thunderous applause following the end of a government officials’ speech was justified. The crowd gathered at the Nepal tourism board continued to pour their appreciation of Gulmi’s garlanded Chief District Officer (CDO) as he held his Integrity Idol trophy and for once, the accolade seemed fitting. Of late we, as a nation, have had every right to complain, vex and agonize over the current [...]

2016-01-15T00:00:00+00:0015th January 2016|

Nepal is fighting corruption with a talent show-style scheme called ‘Integrity Idol’

This year bureaucrat Pradip Raj Kandel was crowned winner of the contest for most honest civil servant in Nepal By: James Rothwell, and agency. This article was originally published by The Telegraph. Pradip Raj Kandel (right) being crowned winner of 'Integrity Idol' Photo: AFP In most countries they are the government's unsung heroes, toiling behind the scenes to ensure its laws and policies are implemented properly. But in Nepal civil servants have become the unlikely centre of attention after a TV talent show-style scheme was launched to find the most honest bureaucrat in the country. And after more than 50,000 votes were [...]

2016-01-10T00:00:00+00:0010th January 2016|

Gulmi CDO Kanel is the Integrity Idol, 2015

This article was originally published by Republica. Gulmi Chief District Officer (CDO) Pradip Raj Kanel, has bagged the “Integrity Idol Nepal, 2015” award on Sunday. He was awarded by the Accountability Lab, an organization working to promote accountability and transparency, for his commitment and active involvement in community services including efficient and timely response to service seekers, reduction of littering, fighting for citizen's rights and literacy, as well as tackling corruption. “Kanel, who has served over six districts as CDO, has removed lax in the government office. Service seekers get timely and efficient response and his efforts for district-wide cleanliness [...]

2016-01-10T00:00:00+00:0010th January 2016|

Celebrating Nepal’s Most Honest Civil Servants: Integrity Idol 2015 In Full Swing!

“This year, more than ever, Nepal has needed government officials with integrity. This campaign brings Nepalis across the country into a conversation about what this means. It will generate support for those civil servants within the system who are serving the public good. Highlighting their excellent work in public- in an independent way that builds a positive narrative- allows us to build trust with those in power and make sure they are acting on our behalf. It also allows Nepalis to feel part of a positive movement- that they can help to build.” – Narayan Adhikari This year, the Accountability [...]

2020-03-03T16:04:12+00:0024th December 2015|

Fighting corruption by ‘naming and faming’ with Integrity Idol

Watch Accountability Lab's Executive Director, Blair Glencorse, speak at TEDx MidAtlantic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgY1FuEmBF4 Blair Glencorse argues that the best way to stop corruption is not by shaming, but rather by supporting and rewarding those doing the right thing. He helped create Integrity Idol, which aims to generate debate around the idea of integrity and demonstrate the importance of honesty, personal responsibility and accountability as well as inspire a new generation to be more effective public servants. Integrity Idol is currently taking place in Liberia, Nepal and Pakistan. Blair Glencorse founded and runs the Accountability Lab, an organization that is redefining how [...]

2015-12-22T00:00:00+00:0022nd December 2015|

From wrong-doers to do-gooders: The Integrity Idol movement in Liberia

By: Francis Lansana, Resident with Accountability Lab Liberia. This blog post was originally published by the ONE Campaign. Jugbeh Kekula is a registered nurse at the Grand Bassa branch of the Liberian government hospital in Buchanan—about two hours drive east of the capital Monrovia. She is renowned in her community for her outreach at local markets. “I became a nurse because I love the nursing profession,” she said. “I love serving humanity, I love helping to save lives one way or the other. I just love serving my nation, serving my people.” And now, after a national competition searching for Liberia’s most [...]

2020-03-03T16:03:58+00:0021st December 2015|

‘American Idol’ Can’t Compete With Liberia’s ‘Integrity Idol’

By: Carielle Doe. This article was originally published by NPR.  The winner of Liberia's Integrity Idol 2015 is registered nurse Jugbeh Tarpleh Kekula. She works in the emergency room at the Liberia Government Hospital in Buchanan, the country's third-largest city with a population of some 35,000. Photo credit: Carielle Doe for NPR She was one of the five finalists in an American Idol-style competition. But she did not have to sing. This was Integrity Idol 2015 in Liberia. The candidates all worked for the government and had a record of integrity. The public voted by phone and by the Internet. The [...]

2015-12-16T00:00:00+00:0016th December 2015|
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