UNODC and Uzbekistan Partner to Develop Skills of Practitioners on Corruption Proofing of Legislation 

Ambiguous and imprecise legislation fuels corruption. Corruption proofing helps eliminate room for abusive interpretation of laws by public servants vulnerable to corruption.

Ensuring proper anti-corruption expertise of legislation is a priority for Uzbekistan as part of its fight against corruption. To support Uzbekistan’s efforts to combat corruption and increase transparency, UNODC is currently working with the country’s Anti-Corruption Agency and the Ministry of Justice to train their staff on corruption proofing of legislation.

 

“The United Nations Convention Against Corruption calls on Member States to periodically evaluate relevant legal instruments and administrative measures with a view to determining their adequacy to prevent and fight corruption. Corruption proofing of legislation has in recent years evolved as a standalone discipline, which can help countries better implement the Convention”, said Mr. Koen Marquering, UNODC Criminal Justice Program Coordinator in Central Asia.

On 18 August, 17 specialists from the Anti-Corruption Agency and the Ministry of Justice participated in a specialized training to learn about typical flaws in regulatory acts and problematic wording, which magnify corruption risks during implementation of laws.

Training participants received methodological guidance for corruption proofing and conducted practical exercises, for example by screening specific regulations on competitive bidding in capital construction and supply of building materials and equipment for the construction of affordable residential buildings in rural areas. Applying a standard methodology helped them strengthen their skills in performing anti-corruption expertise of legal acts.

The training was delivered by Ms. Elvira Talapina, (Doctor in Law), Chief specialist at the State and Law Institute of the Russian Academy of Science. Ms. Talapina is one of the architects of the methodological framework for corruption proofing of legal acts in the Russian Federation.

This practical training followed an introductory workshop held in June gathering 100 representatives from 40 ministries, local administrations, and other public agencies of Uzbekistan.

UNODC is the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which entered into force in December 2005. UNCAC is the first global legally binding instrument which covers public and private, domestic and international corruption. It includes strong anticorruption measures on prevention, criminalization and law enforcement, international cooperation and asset recovery. 

UNODC supports national efforts to prevent and address corruption and strengthen the role of civil society and the private sector in good governance in Central Asia with the financial support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.

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For all inquiries, contact Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.),

Communication and PR Specialist

UNODC Criminal Justice Programme in Central Asia

+996775987817 WhatsApp or Cell phone

vasilina.brazhko[at]un.org