Crosscutting issues

Digitization of anti-corruption – The concept of digitization was partly realized as a novel engagement of the RAI with the ADA-funded joint RAI and UNODC Regional Programme (2015-2020) through development and implementation of specialized IT tools for CRA and CPL, which is to be continued through the next ADA-funded Regional Project. With the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of ensuring quality online learning resources in anticorruption has soared. This objective would entail establishment of the regional online anti-corruption learning platform as a regional database for learning products and for greater social web connectivity and new synergies with the academia, youth, civil society and media in anti-corruption fields. Further efforts will be made towards seeking funding for establishment of an online learning management platform and developing online anti-corruption courses.

Gender mainstreaming – In the broader context of the RAI policies on upholding human rights, RAI incorporated a human rights based approach in its internal policies in 2016. Ever since, RAI Secretariat keeps promoting antidiscrimination by promoting that the impact of corruption is looked at from all perspectives, including gender, disability and poverty. Gender mainstreaming as a cross-cutting issue has been successfully achieved in the ADA funded Regional Programme (2015-2020) where participation targets of women were exceeded. All projects and programmes developed by the RAI Secretariat integrate gender mainstreaming approach in the project Cycle Management. Corruption-prevention tools and mechanisms developed in the course of projects are gender mainstreamed, while the beneficiaries are encouraged to assume a gender aware approach in the implementation of projects activities and beyond. Importance of beneficiaries’ gender awareness and ensuring balanced gender representation will be continually outlined. Through equal participation of men and women in its activities, RAI Secretariat will aim at empowering both genders equally, by equipping them with knowledge and skills to contribute to anti-corruption and whistleblowing efforts in their local context and region. All documents and official correspondence will be drafted using gender sensitive language. RAI Secretariat will collect and analyse gender disaggregated data where possible in the course of implementing its activities, monitoring and reporting.

Awareness raising – Failing to educate the public on the consequences of corruption, as well as available preventive mechanisms decreases the effectiveness of the national and regional efforts to curb the corruption. To remedy this and to bolster the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures and mechanisms implemented by the jurisdictions in the SEE region, RAI will include the public outreach component in the implementation of its strategic objectives.