Ahead of the Summit for the Future, Transparency International Defence & Security and Transparency International wrote to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the co-facilitators for the intergovernmental preparatory process of the Summit of the Future, and UN Member States urging them to make the fight against corruption a priority action. The letter was signed […]
This toolkit is designed for advocates, activists and stakeholders engaged in advancing good governance and anti-corruption standards in the defence and security sectors, as well as advocates working in neighbouring agendas, like development, human rights and peace and security. It provides practical guidance, resources, and best practices to navigate the complexities of corruption in the […]
Corruption has gender dynamics that shape the forms, vulnerability to, experiences and impacts of corruption. Defence and security personnel have been implicated in forms of corruption that are directly linked to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including sexual extortion, human trafficking, bribery and extortion in justice processes for survivors of gender-based violence. Forms of corruption […]
The scandals that shook the world into action in 2001 to prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) were often fueled by corruption. Arms brokers bribing government officials to create fraudulent export or import documentation played key roles in these schemes to violate UN arms embargoes. In other cases, military or […]
In this briefing, we showcase the experiences of people whose lives have been torn apart by corruption within the defence and security sector. Their stories are gathered from across the world, drawn from first-hand conversations with those willing to give testament, and from investigations conducted by media and international organisations. These stories demonstrate how institutional […]
Militarisation is back on the agenda. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and amidst rising tensions in East Asia, the Middle East and the Sahel, governments around the world have been ramping up their defence spending. Where budgets increase, so does corruption risk, especially when sectors are lacking functioning transparency, accountability, and […]
The rise in global insecurity is pushing many US security partner countries to reignite or revise a familiar but risky approach to expanding national defence industrial capabilities. Sometimes referred to as ‘defence offsets’ or ‘industrial participation’, this approach requires foreign defence companies to invest in the local economies of countries as a condition for the […]
Transparency International Defence & Security’s (TI-DS) 2023-2025 Gender Mainstreaming Strategy aims to promote the capacity of the organisation to mainstream a gender perspective and move towards good and best practice approaches of gender-sensitivity and gender-responsiveness. Gender-sensitivity ensures that TI-DS programmes, projects and activities reduce the risk of harms to partners and participants and reduces risks […]
Corruption in defence and security heightens conflict risks, wastes public resources, and exacerbates human insecurity. Events such as the collapse of the Afghan security forces and fall of Afghanistan, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and a spate of coups across Africa, have brought these linkages into sharp relief, and shone a glaring light on the need […]
Heavy reliance on technocratic ‘train and equip’ approaches turns a blind eye to political determinants and neglects the need for a sensitive re-balancing of power for reform success. This publication showcases anti-corruption opportunities in security sector reform initiatives.
SDG 16.5 sets the target of substantially reducing corruption and bribery in all their forms. As a component of SDG 16, this recognises that addressing corruption is essential for the peace, justice, and strong institutions that are necessary for sustainable development. Tackling the pervasive problem of corruption in the defence and security sectors is crucial to achieving this target. This Spotlight […]
Corruption can be a determining factor in the success or failure of a military operation. It can also exacerbate insecurity in the operating environment by inadvertently strengthening corrupt networks. Rather than being treated as a secondary issue by militaries, identifying and countering corruption risks should be treated as a strategic priority. TI-DS_MilitaryOperations_Factsheet_digital0