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Anti-corruption

Digni supports work in countries where the risk of corruption is particularly high. We therefore work systematically to ensure that all money reach their intended receptors.

What is corruption?

There are many different definitions of corruption, but a widespread and simple definition (which is also used by the World Bank) is that “corruption is abuse of public office for private gain”. Norad also uses the following definition: “Corruption is any transaction between public and private operators where public goods are illegally transformed into private advantages.” Corruption can be found at all levels; both as a part of the entire political system in a country (so-called “grand corruption”), and as a part of the daily lives of the common people where bribes and other factors are expected in the face of local administration and healthcare (so-called “petty corruption”). Corruption comes in many forms, for example bribes, embezzlement, and blackmail. However, it is worth noting that it is not always about money. For example, bypassing normal procedures to provide someone with a job or other advantages, so-called favouritism/nepotism, also counts as corruption.

It is not hard to see the negative consequences of corruption. The poorest are often left with even greater difficulties in terms of accessing basic services, such as health and education, infrastructure is not expanded, the resources in the country are unfairly divided, and the economic growth and investments are inhibited, while the aid becomes less efficient. Last, but not least, corruption undermines the trust towards democratic processes and political systems in many countries.

What we do

Digni’s members all work in countries that are high up on the Transparency Internationals «Corruption Perception Index». Corruption is therefore an issue we take very seriously. Digni is 100 percent financed by Norad and we therefore see it as our responsibility to fight corruption to ensure that Norwegian public means reaches those that need it the most.

In the last few years, Digni has put in a significant effort to prevent corruption.

Norwegian authorities have adopted a zero tolerance policy for fraud in Norwegian aid, which Digni of course follow. This includes reporting all cases that appear directly to Norad, and cooperating with Norad to handle said cases.

5
cases where Digni paid money back to Norad in 2015.
3,6
million people die every year because of corruption.
1000
billion USD is the global price of corruption every year.

How we prevent corruption

A successful anti-corruption work needs to focus on people and systems. In other words, one has to work to build attitudes, consciousness and knowledge amongst the different employees at all levels, while simultaneously making sure to establish transparent systems and routines that minimizes the risk and possibility of corruption.

In the last few years, Digni has put in a significant effort to prevent corruption by, amongst other things, doing the following:

  • Actively working on attitudes to corruption amongst our members and their partner organisations, by supporting our member Wycliffe in the development and spreading of a grassroots course on anti-corruption. The course, which was revised and relaunched in 2016, is already being used by many organizations in Asia, Africa, South-America and the Middle East, and has been translated into several languages.
  • Develop and implement good routines and checklists for a proper financial management within the projects.
  • Actively contribute to an anti-corruption group, where the civil society organisations in Norway gather to share experiences in the anti-corruption work.
  • Raise the expertise amongst Digni’s employees and members in terms of prevention, disclosure and handling cases of corruption through different courses and training.
Report a case?
If you wish to notify us anonymously, we advise you to use Norads whistleblowing channel.

How We Handle Corruption Cases

The two most common ways we use to disclose corruption is through

  • evaluations, inspections and revision
  • direct notification to a member or Digni

Digni will, with suspicion of corruption, start a dialogue with the member to try to clarify what has happened, and ensure all relevant documentation and values within the project.

If there is reasonable suspicion, Digni will fill out a report form and submit it to Norad’s alert team. The alert team will then consider whether there is a foundation to raise a case. If there is no foundation, Digni will be informed and the case will close. Otherwise, a case will be opened. It is Digni’s responsibility to gather all information and documentation that the alert team needs. In many cases, it will be necessary to hold an external revision to examine the conditions. If Norad concludes that the suspicion is justified, they will demand a total stop and freeze of all payments to the project. All background information taken into account, Norad will then make a final conclusion.
Once Norads alert team have reached their conclusion, they will present a reaction in form of demands for repayment of funds, claims for dismissal, filing of a police report, or other reactions. Digni will closely follow this up. To clear a project, the member organisation must document that new routines within the project have been created, and that they have undertaken necessary measures according to Norads reaction.

Closed Cases

Every year, Digni publishes a list of closed cases of corruption. The numbers are gathered from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry’s report on financial irregularities.

  • Q1 – Palestine: Funds used for purposes and activitees outside the project. NOK 419.089 is repaid to the project.
  • Q3 – Cameroon: Forged documentation at local partner. NOK 26.622 is repaid to Norad.
  • Q4 – Liberia: Theft with local partner. NOK 5.309 is repaid to the project.
  • Q4 – Cameroon: Norad funds lent out to purposes outside the project. NOK 150.436 is repaid to Norad.
  • Q4 – Cambodia: Costs not satisfactorily accounted for. NOK 251 is repaid to the project.

  • Q1 – Myanmar: Very weak financial management and internal control with local partner. NOK 1.521.865 is paid back to Norad.
  • Q1 – Cambodia: Embezzlement with local partner. NOK 1.785 is paid back to Norad.
  • Q1 – Liberia: Embezzlement with local partner. NOK 34.330 is paid back to the project.
  • Q2 – Cambodia: Payment for hand-out of food, and nepotism, with local partner. NOK 533 is paid back to the project.
  • Q3 – DR Congo: Burglary and theft with local partner. NOK 2.458 is paid back to the project.

  • Q2 – Liberia: Embezzlement with local partner. NOK 2.052 is paid back to the project.
  • Q4 – Sierra Leone: Burglary with the local partner. NOK 1.841 is paid back to the project.
  • Q4 – Vetnam: Undocumented costs with local partner. NOK 383 is paid back to the project.
  • Q4 – Kenya: Burglary with the local partner. NOK 3.158 is paid back to the project.
  • Q4 – Liberia: Theft with the local partner. NOK 2.783 is paid back to the project.

  • Q1 – China: Embezzlement with the local partner. NOK 222.461 is paid back to Norad.
  • Q1 – Ecuador: Embezzlement and corruption with the local partner. NOK 18.385 is paid back to Norad.
  • Q1 – Sengal: Prepaid equipment not delievered to the local partner. NOK 464.065 is paid back to Norad.
  • Q2 – Africa: Employees with the local partner of CHRISCH in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania did systematically embezzle of project funds over several years. Costs accounted for without valid documentation. NOK 2.546.365 is paid back to Norad.

  • October – Botswana: Burglary and theft of two checks from local partner with subsequent withdrawals from bank. 99.978 NOK refunded to Norad.
  • Oktober – Kenya: Embezzlement by local employee. 1089 NOK refunded to Norad.
  • Desember – Mosambik: Computer theft at local partner. 590 NOK refunded to Norad.

Digni had no closed corruption cases this year.

  • June – Madagascar: Embezzlement by a local partner. 2,159 NOK refunded to Norad.
  • September – Ivory Coast: Embezzlement by a local partner. 148 NOK refunded to Norad.
  • October – Ethiopia: Improper payments made by a local partner. 79,430 NOK refunded to Norad.
  • November – India: Defaults on two occasions by a local partner. 329,451 NOK refunded to Norad.
  • November – Uganda: Embezzlement by a local partner. 6,606 NOK refunded to Norad.

Case Closed Country Amound Paid Back Reaction
jan.14 Peru 64.796 Embezzlement. The people involved were dismissed.
jan.14 Ethiopia 5.918 Embezzlement/theft. The suspected is reported to local authorities.
may.14 Madagascar 19.674 Unsatisfactory documentation of payments by a local partner.
jun.14 Vietnam 47.030 Fraud/forgery by a local partner. Risk-reducing measures.
dec.14 India 23.889 Unsatisfactory accounting by a local partner.
dec.14 Mongolia 720 Wrongful travel allowance.

Case Closed Country Amount Paid Back Reaction
jun.13 Ethiopia 18.639 Embezzlement. The people involved were dismissed.

Case Closed Country Amount Paid Back Reaction
jun.12 Colombia 23.926 Funds repaid.
sep.12 Mongolia 35.715 Defalcation by manager. The case is handled in accordance with Mongolian law. The funds are paid back.