Reacci贸n Juvenil de Cambio Youth Change Reaction
Por un
tran spar ente
transparency talks
diรกlogos transparentes
d n a d n u o r t g x k e c t a n B o c l a c i t i l o p o i c so
Dictatorship from 1954 to 1989 1
Marzo Paraguayo (1999) 2
Various coup attempts First democratic alternance (2008) – unfinished Weak institutions and mediocre rule of law
3
36%
of the population living below national poverty line (World Bank Data)
4
62%
of the population is below the age of 30 (DGEEC)
Co
o i t p u rr
a P n i n
y a u g ra
154th
Ranks in Transparency International’s CPI (CPI 2012)
3
THIRD
The most corrupt country in Latin America
The “Country Brand Index” ranks Paraguay as “In State of Decline” (FutureBrands 2012)
Political promises of creating an Anti-corruption Ministry
failed
Corruption in the Education Sector and Education System are highly ignored.
transparency talks
diรกlogos transparentes
roject Objectives
Proyecto Diálogos Transparentes
transparency talks diálogos transparentes
Primary Develop workshops using the Anti-corruption toolkit to empower and mobilize young students to take initiatives to fight corruption.
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Proyecto anticorrupción destinado a jóvenes estudiantes con énfasis en educación cívica
MANUAL ANTICORRUPCIÓN Desarrolla Organización «Reacción Juvenil de Cambio» (Youth Change Reaction)
2012 Paraguay
APOYAN
Proyecto Diálogos Transparentes 1
Project Objectives
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Secondary • Train young students to lead anti-corruption projects. • Measure the impact and effectiveness of the toolkit.
Project Objectives
Secondary • Motivate youngsters to share their stories and ideas to improve the toolkit and raise awareness about the impact of corruption in the education sector. • Train youngsters in the use of basic ICT tools that they can use to promote transparency in their high schools.
Project phases
• Virtual • Action • Follow-up
Target Population
Two Cities: • Ciudad del Este • Asunción 7
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High school students 16-19| University students
Expected results
Short term (1 year) Students: • Aware of corruption impact in the education system. • Able to develop an anti-corruption initiative integrating ICTs. • Empowered to have an ethical leadership.
Expected results
• Informed of their rights as students and citizens. • Connected to local civil society organizations. • Connected to governmental institutions working on anti-corruption. • Supported to develop at least one anti-corruption initiative.
Expected results
Short term (1 year) Civil Society: • Promote our organization’s work. • Make alliances for future projects. • Learn from other organizations with similar objectives. • Earn the recognition and trust of the local education communities.
Expected results
Long-term (2-3 years) • The creation of anti-corruption committees in the high schools benefited by the project. • The consolidation of a student government/organizations in schools benefited. • The creation of small anti-corruption networks in the cities benefited by the project.
Expected results
• The creation of a platform that could allow the sharing of students’ ideas and experiences in the fight against corruption. • The creation of a platform that would make the anti-corruption toolkit an “organic document” that would keep evolving with people’s input. • Self-sustainability for the project and the organization.
Strategy
• Multi-sectorial approach (bridging gaps). • Work directly with student organizations or student delegates. • Implementation of the Anti-corruption Toolkit.
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Strategy
10 • Development of workshops with high school students. • Development of panels with university students. • On-going evaluation and adaptation (corruption as a socially constructed concept).
Challenges and Obstacles • Limited economic resources. • Volunteer-based non-registered organization. • Lack of support. • Cultural fear • Social apathy
Challenges and Obstacles • Lack of research and academic work in the sector • Schedule for the Academic Year • Access to and cooperation from high schools. • Lack of professionals to lead training workshops.
Challenges and Obstacles • Likely conflicts with students and/or authorities • People’s access to the Internet or other ICT tools.
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Successes
14 • Students regarded the workshops as innovative, dynamic and inclusive. • Intervention of high-level speakers and experts for free. • Interest of national and foreign organizations. • Three cities that asked for the extension of the project.
Successes
• Succeeded to get extra funding from a national contest. Ranked as the best proposal. • Selected as a Case Study for the network and the World Bank. • Participation of foreign activists (GYAC) who led workshops. • One project developed by student delegates.
Successes 15
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Successes
• Team size tripled • Increase of engagement and reach in the social networks
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Successes
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• Media publications in very important newspapers, radios, and TV channels. • FIRST organization to link the Ministry of Education’s Anti-corruption Department directly with students.
Findings
Anti-corruption Toolkit • Very dull in the eyes of youngsters
• It was seen as a foreign, imposed document • The content is rich, but not compelling to action • Interesting but not attractive
Findings
Education institutions • Education institutions. • Information is not shared. • Authorities do not support students organization. - Authorities promote discord among students. • Authorities manipulate students • Educators are badly prepared to deal with corruption. • Civic education is insignificant.
Findings
Students • Mental dictatorship.
- Need inspiring role models. - Students confidence. - Critical spirit, but passive. - Need more platforms. • Lack organization and skills. - Lack knowledge about social impact of corruption.
Findings
• Lack a plan of action • Recognize their responsibility • Scared of denouncing • Do not know their rights • Lack the support of parents and peers • The potential is there -Paradoxes
Findings
Government and Politics • Political and social instability
•Ministry of Education’s Anti-Corruption Department: - Institutional dependency on party politics - Affected by the change of government - Distance from students
Findings
• Lack an outreach strategy • Political interests in the project • Corruption is approached as a top-bottom issue • Strategy focuses on creating systems of control
T C A P IM
3
cities
n 贸 i c n u As
d a d u i C e t s E l e d n a u J o r d e P o r e l l a b Ca
10
high schools
982 students reached
1,177 people reached indirectly in the communities
22
8
9
non-governmental organizations involved
private companies
14 1846
14 media publications (TV, radio, newspapers)
Facebook users weekly reached
s n o s s e L d e n r a e L
• To take a neutral approach when making first contacts in the schools. • To corner high schools into “allowing” their students to participate in our project -Media, students, and authorities
• Youngsters want to do something about corruption, but they do not know how. • Mental dictatorship survives (transitional societies).
• Avoiding political influence ensures our credibility • Having a lawyer as a consultant for how to proceed and what to avoid. • Defining corruption as concept constructed rather than imposed.
• Spending appropriate time on training the team on legal liabilities and judicial problems that might arise while working. • Decentralization in the organization might prove a failure. • Virtual platforms are important, but they cannot substitute face-to-face team meetings.
• Need of virtual tools that could facilitate anonymous denounces of corruption and legal advice from professionals. • Students have poor skills in using the social network and other cooperative virtual tools for purposes other than socialization.
• Students do not know their rights, their obligations, and their constitutional guarantees • Serious lack of focus on civic education as a way to fight corruption • Apparent differences in the attitude of students from public and private institutions; thus, different approaches needed.
• Sharing success stories from local/national activists • Making inclusive workshops where students practically lead the event • Role-modeling and the sharing of success stories is essential for civic education and youth empowerment.