Publication details

• Monday | 17 Jun, 2013
• Safwan A.Khan, Fayyaz Yaseen, Samavia Batool, Muhammad Zeshan, Muhammad Adnan, Abiha Haider
• Research Reports,Project Publications
• 30

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Dr. Vaqar Ahmed Fayyaz Yaseen Safwan A.Khan Nafeesa Hashmi Samavia Batool Muhammad Zeeshan Muhammad Adnan Abiha Haider             Background and Introduction

For the developing world, corruption has been termed as a substantial barrier in the way of prosperity. The endemic use of public offices for personal gains causes a blow to the national kitty – leaving little budgetary space for provision of quality public service delivery.  Corruption is not only responsible for siphoning off public money, but also for misallocation of limited resources. The abuse and miss-use of public power is so entrenched that conventional accountability mechanisms have failed to control it.

In the given scenario, it is envisaged that civil society can play an effective role in curbing the menace of corruption. However, for doing so, it needs to be educated and sensitized on its roles and responsibilities. Also, it needs to be equipped with necessary skills and tools for vigilant monitoring of public expenditure.

In this regard, The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), through wider consultation with all the stakeholders, is trying to develop an anti-corruption strategy outlining collective role of civil society on curbing corruption. This strategy is expected to feed into the creation and launch of a comprehensive anti-corruption program at SDPI.

As a first step to this wider consultation, SDPI held a policy symposium on ‘Anti-Corruption Strategy: A Civil Society Perspective’ on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 in Islamabad. A large number of participants of this policy symposium belonged to civil society organizations, academia, citizen groups, lawyers, public officials, development practitioners, and political parties. While the especially invited speakers comprised of prominent public officials, policy makers and anti-corruption experts with national and international exposure and recognition.