GACC, UNCAC PROJECT & UNCAC REVIEW PROCESS IN GHANA Engagement of civil society in the fight against corruption 28 TH AUGUST 2013

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION O Brief on GACC Activities O UNCAC Review process & CSO involvement O Usefulness of Training on UNCAC in Vienna O Project on SMEs & UNCAC Review Process

GHANA ANTI-CORRUPTION COALITION O Coalition of Independent Public Institutions, Private Sector, CSOs & Think Tanks involved in anti-corruption work; O Conducts Research, Advocacy, Capacity Building, Awareness Creation; O Builds Strategic Partnership in the fight against corruption; O Formed Local anti-Corruption Networks to ensure the bottom-up approach connecting districts, and regions in Ghana.

PROJECTS O Business Integrity Forum – Comprises 16 companies, business Associations and Public Agencies; O Co-ordinates Regional Contract Monitoring Project in West Africa – Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria; O Media Monitoring and Journalist Against Corruption; O Public Sensitization on Anti-Corruption Laws; Whistleblowing & Procurement; O Health Accountability Project – HAP.

Impact of CSOs in UNCAC Review Process O Creates key networks that CSOs can use to advocate & influence processes & policy; O Provides an in-depth information on understanding of the anti-corruption environment and some of the challenges (especially filling the self-assessment checklist and providing supporting information; O Strategic information on areas that CSOs can work to enhance the fight against corruption e.g. Access to information, coordination of anti-corruption institutions.

Training In Vienna O Provided a network of CSO in anti- corruption; O Ideas on how to get involved in UNCAC Review process; O In-depth knowledge on UNCAC review process and how CSO can take advantage in advocacy on anti-corruption & influence the process to open and involving.

Actions After Training O GACC in October 2012 engaged the Attorney General & Ministry of Justice on Ghana’s preparedness for the UNCAC Review Process; O Government appointed a focal person to facilitate the process; O GACC in collaboration with Commission on Human Rights & Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) held a roundtable Forum on Ghana’s preparedness towards the UNCAC review process. (funded by CHRAJ)

Actions After Training O Influenced the choice of Focal Institution for the UNCAC process (CHRAJ); O Influenced selection of membership of UNCAC Steering Committee; O Committee comprising the Private Sector, CSO & Media Association; O Actively involved in Ghana’s preparations towards UNCAC Review processes.

Use of UNODC Grant O Conducted a study on the extend of conformity of anti-corruption policies and laws of Ghana to the provisions of the articles of UNCAC O Used the document to make inputs into the UNCAC review process O Analyzed gaps in the legal environment that can be used for advocacy to strengthen the fight against corruption in the Private sector

Implementation O A consultant who is an expert in the UNCAC Review process and was a Reviewer in Uganda was engaged for the study; O Gaps identified and used to engage SMEs; O A workshop was held for SMEs; O Document was presented to CHRAJ for input into the review process. Ms. Estelle Appiah, the Consultant

Mrs. Florence Dennis responds to questions from participants

Results of Implementation O 30 SMEs were engaged – 17 Females/13 Males; O Well informed on UNCAC Review process and anti-corruption laws relating to the Private sector; O Knowledge gained on the role of SMEs in the anti-corruption work; O 30 SMEs informed on impact of corruption on SMEs; O SMEs agreed to form a network to sustain the gains made so far and broaden GACC’s Private Sector work.

A participant contributes to the discussion

Participants in a group picture after the workshop

O THANK YOU