USAID / OTI Lebanon Program Summary
Background:
Following his election in November 1998, President Emile Lahoud
launched an anti-corruption initiative, promising to make rule of
law and clean government keystones of his administration. The
president's commitment, and strong public support for these efforts,
represent a critical opportunity to jump-start anti-corruption
reform in Lebanon. USAID/OTI, in close cooperation with the USAID
Mission in Lebanon, is implementing a four-component initiative to
empower key Lebanese stakeholders -- local government, media, and
civil society -- in their anti-corruption efforts. The four
components include: 1) increasing public awareness of the costs of
corruption through a national media campaign; 2) strengthening
investigative journalism; 3) fostering transparency and
accountability at the municipal government level; and 4) a small
grants mechanism to support anti-corruption efforts by indigenous
groups. These activities will be implemented over the next eighteen
(18) months beginning September 1999.
Components:
- Anti-Corruption Media Campaign: The advertising firm
Saatchi and Saatchi, building on research and polling by the
Lebanese NGO, Information International, will create and implement a
nationwide multimedia campaign focusing on the costs of corruption
to the average citizen and identifying specific actionable steps
that citizens can take to fight it. $575,000 est.
- Investigative Journalism Training: The International
Center for Journalists (ICFJ), in cooperation with two Lebanese
universities, will conduct a 10-week (60 hour) course for 40 media
professionals. As part of the course, participants will complete an
investigative story under the supervision of the instructors and
will then be monitored for several months after the training to
assess their application of the training. The course materials will
be utilized to establish an investigative journalism course at the
universities. $675,000
- Municipal Government Assistance: SUNY-Albany's
Center for Legislative Development will expand its existing program
which provides technical and material assistance to local
municipalities to modernize their budgeting and accounting systems.
Increasing oversight over local government revenues will reduce the
"gray areas" which have provided opportunities for
corruption to flourish. $680,000
- Small Grants Mechanism: OTI, with USAID/Lebanon, is
creating a small grants mechanism to support efforts by local groups
aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in government
(both local and national). This program will emphasize supporting
activities that create public/private partnerships as a way to
encourage constructive interaction that increases transparency and
accountability between government and citizens. $500,000
est.
|
