How easy is it to get away with corruption?

When a corrupt individual is able to hide their identity and illegal activities behind shell companies it becomes very easy for them to continue their corrupt action with impunity. That’s why Transparency International is demanding that registries of these shadow companies be made public, so that we can know who is benefitting.

Corruption is a serious crime that can undermine social and economic development in all societies. No country, region or community is immune.

Today is International Anti-Corruption Day and this year UNODC and UNDP have developed a joint global campaign, focusing on how corruption affects education, health, justice, democracy, prosperity and development.

When fraudulent companies sell you an unbuilt apartment and then cheat you of your money, what can you do?

Social entrepreneur Irina Lazur came up with a plan so that citizens of Chisinau, Moldova, would never have to lose their life savings again.

Elena Calistru’s aim is to make citizen participation funky. How? Through Bani Pierduti or ‘Lost Money’ her online platform to show Romanians just how their taxes are allocated – and giving them the chance to make their own allocations.

The consequences of corruption and lack of transparency reach much further than we think. In fact, they reach right into the food on your plate. SPOILED is Journalists for Transparency’s beautiful visualisation of their first project. In investigations spanning the globe, they expose how corruption in the food chain affects us all – often in surprising ways.

We launched two new rounds of the Social Entrepreneurs Initiative in August: one Global and one for innovators from the MENA region. The response was phenomenal, thanks to all 268 applicants from over 60 countries world-wide.

Thanks also to our Global and MENA Juries who are helping with the shortlist. Watch the IACC website for updates.

The Corruption Perceptions Index for 2014 was released last week by Transparency International. But even countries where public sector corruption is limited must work to stop encouraging it elsewhere by doing more to prevent money laundering and to stop secret companies from masking corruption.

What do the elections mean for Tunisia?

In an op-ed for the IACC, Young journalist Hafawa Rebhi discusses the progress that Tunisians have made – and the challenges they still face – in the four years since the toppling of Ben Ali.

Transparency Tuesdays

Our friends at Innovate Development have begun an article series on the past winners of our Social Entrepreneurs Initiative. Every Tuesday in December they will feature a different project. Check out the series here, and read the first article on Elena Calistru here.