This is the first in a series of three blogs produced by a team of four delegates who participated in the World Bank’s International Corruption Hunters Alliance 2023 in the Ivory Coast. The team consists of Viva Pizzaro Seidu (Ghana), Sabrina Nassih (Morocco), Eze Edith Oluchi (Nigeria) and Martha Asire (Uganda). 

They have developed the Anti-Corruption Coalition Readiness Scorecard (ACCRS), an integrative scorecard that seeks to enhance anti-corruption coalitions’ impact by assessing readiness and challenges, at the various stages of coalition development.

Setting the Stage

The chosen theme for ICHA 2023 couldn’t be more pertinent and timely. It acknowledges the African continent’s rich heritage of collective practices, which have long served as an ancestral governance approach. By focusing on “Collective Action in an Era of Crises,” ICHA recognizes the significance of these collective practices, particularly during challenging times. This theme holds even greater significance as it marks the first time ICHA is hosted in an African country.

The coalition model is a prominent approach to combating corruption locally and globally. However, coalition building with those working on the theme of corruption is generally the result of a top-down approach, with governments, international organizations, and development groups leading the efforts. 

While these top-down initiatives are important, they suffer from several challenges, including a lack of coordination and synergy among member organizations, limited resources, and dependency on donors. To address these challenges, our team developed the Anti-Corruption Coalition Readiness Scorecard as a tool to assess and enhance the readiness of coalitions to sustain their impact and reinforce their effectiveness in combating corruption.

Understanding the Challenges

Coalitions play a crucial role in driving change, particularly in the fight against corruption. They bring in a diversity of resources that are very useful in tackling corruption. Pooling knowledge, resources, and influence allows for a strengthened and well-rounded approach to addressing corruption. 

Suffice to say that the strength of every coalition lies in their collective power, ability to present a united front, and, most importantly, capability to sustain their coalition(s) and objective(s). That said, anti-corruption coalitions often encounter several challenges that can hinder their effectiveness. Two significant challenges faced by these coalitions are donor dependency and lack of synergy. Let’s discuss each of them. 

1. Donor Dependency: Many anti-corruption coalitions rely heavily on external funding and support from donors. While this financial assistance is essential for their operations, it can create a dependency that poses challenges that ultimately dampen coalitions’ momentum and lead to fragmentation. Some common issues include: 

• Sustainability Concerns: Reliance on external funding makes coalitions vulnerable to changes in donor priorities or the availability of funds. This uncertainty can impact the long-term sustainability of their initiatives.
• Donor Influence: Donor funding may come with specific agendas or conditions that influence the coalition’s activities, diverting attention away from critical issues and limiting their autonomy. 
• Project-Based Approach: Donor funding often focuses on short-term projects rather than long-term systemic change. This can hinder coalitions’ ability to address deep-rooted corruption issues and sustain their impact beyond project lifecycles. 

To address this challenge, anti-corruption coalitions should strive for diversification of funding sources, explore innovative fundraising strategies, and work towards building their financial independence through local partnerships and initiatives. 

2. Lack of Synergy: Collaboration and synergy among diverse stakeholders are crucial for the success of anti-corruption coalitions. However, several factors can impede the development of effective synergy, including: 

• Absence of a Cohesive and Cooperative Environment: Despite sharing a common goal, anti-corruption coalitions often struggle to foster effective collaboration and knowledge-sharing. This absence of a cohesive and cooperative environment often hinders the coalition’s ability to leverage the diverse strengths and expertise of its members.
• Fragmented Efforts: Lack of coordination and communication among coalition members and partner organizations can result in duplicated efforts, inefficient resource utilization, and a fragmented approach towards combating corruption. 
• Competing Agendas: Different organizations within the coalition may have varying priorities, strategies, and mandates, leading to conflicts and challenges in aligning their objectives and actions. 
• Power Dynamics: Power imbalances, both within the coalition and with external actors, can hinder effective decision making, collaboration, and the equitable distribution of resources and responsibilities. 

Overcoming these challenges requires fostering a culture of trust, open communication, and shared goals among coalition members. Developing a shared vision, establishing effective governance structures, and facilitating regular dialogue and coordination can help build synergy and enhance the coalition’s collective impact. 

By recognizing and actively addressing these challenges, anti-corruption coalitions can work towards strengthening their resilience, ensuring long-term sustainability, and maximizing their effectiveness in combating corruption.

Introducing the ACCRS

The Anti-Corruption Coalition Readiness Scorecard (ACCRS) is an innovative tool developed by our team to empower anti-corruption coalitions and amplify their impact. This tool serves as a comprehensive and reliable resource, designed to assess coalition readiness and address the diverse challenges they encounter at different stages of their development. 

Beyond assessment, the ACCRS will be a strategic resource, providing a holistic view of strengths and areas for improvement while also guiding coalitions towards sustainability and cooperation. It evaluates multiple dimensions of coalition effectiveness, including stakeholder analysis, communication channels, transparency, capacity building, conflict resolution, joint action, advocacy, and monitoring.

The components of the ACCRS scorecard contribute to coalition readiness and effectiveness in addressing key aspects of anti-corruption efforts:

1. Stakeholder Analysis: Assessing the coalition’s identification and engagement with relevant stakeholders, understanding their influence, interests, and potential risks. Promoting collaboration and alignment.

2. Establishing Communication Channels: Evaluating the effectiveness and accessibility of communication mechanisms within the coalition. Facilitating coordination and information sharing.

3. Transparency and Accountability Mechanisms: Evaluating adherence to rules and policies promoting transparency, honesty, and responsibility. Fostering integrity and credibility.

4. Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing: Assessing efforts to enhance members’ capacity in combating corruption and promoting knowledge sharing.

5. Conflict Resolution and Mediation: Assessing mechanisms to address conflicts among coalition members, promoting fair and timely resolution.

6. Joint Action and Collaboration: Evaluating collaboration with external stakeholders, forming partnerships and joint initiatives to maximize collective impact.

7. Advocacy and Public Engagement: Assessing advocacy initiatives and public outreach to raise awareness and involve the public in anti-corruption efforts.

8. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptation: Evaluating the coalition’s ability to track progress, evaluate effectiveness, and adapt strategies based on findings and changing circumstances.

These components ensure that coalitions are well-equipped, foster effective communication and collaboration, uphold transparency, address conflicts, leverage partnerships, engage the public, and continuously improve their anti-corruption initiatives.

Read the second blog in this series on the Anti-Corruption Coalition Readiness Scorecard (ACCRS) here.

Accountability Lab