Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres (ALACs)
Origins and Global Spread
The first Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres were started in 2003 on a pilot basis by three National Chapters of Transparency International in Eastern Europe – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Romania. Surpassing all early expectations, since then the ALAC model has taken off and is one of the most dynamic new anti-corruption intervention experiments by the global TI movement. As of the 4th of May there are now 42 ALACs in 32 different countries, with the majority in Eastern Europe.
Driven by TI National Chapters around the world and supported by the Secretariat of TI in Berlin, in 2008 the ALAC programme is seeing global expansion plans in the Caucasus, Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, the Pacific and South Asia.
ALACs have received tens of thousands of calls, visits and contacts from citizens. The core purpose of the ALACs is to inform citizens about their legal rights and equip them to take action on cases of corruption that they have witnessed or been victim of. This can be legal action, filing of complaints with responsible anti-corruption or service-agencies, ‘blowing the whistle’ or bringing media attention to public issues.
In Europe, where anti-corruption policies have been a key governance condition on accession to the European Union, ALACS are seen as constructively mobilizing both direct citizen action, and effecting civic participation through the advocacy of the ALACs.
In the Caucasus, in Azerbaijan one of the most dynamic ALAC operations sees five regional ALACs reaching out beyond the capital Baku.
In Africa, in Kenya and Zambia ALACs were launched in 2007 and plans exist for ALACs in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
In the Americas, in Guatemala and Haiti ALACs are operationalizing in early 2008 and TI is looking to learn how the ALAC approach is adapted to fit with these very different national environments. Plans exist in Argentina and Uruguay for legal anti-corruption services for citizens.
In the Middle East, plans are underway for four new ALACs in Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, and Palestine.
In Asia, plans are under development for ALACs in Fiji, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. In Bangladesh, mobile or so-called ‘satellite’ advice and information desks are empowering citizens by providing information on service entitlements.
Does ALAC have a Fiji office?
Yes, it does. The Fiji ALAC office is currently located next to the TI Fiji office at 72 Pratt Street, Suva. ALAC Fiji also prides itself in being the first one of its kind for the Pacific Region.
Has it already begun work?
Yes, it has. ALAC was officially launched in April 2009 by His Excellency the British High Commissioner to Fiji, Mr Malcolm Mclachlan.
What does the ALAC office in Fiji do?
Our Vision is:
To see a Fiji free of corruption by mobilising stakeholders and empowering citizen’s participation.
To achieve this vision ALAC is essentially concerned with behaviour change in 2 aspects:
a) Citizen level - ALAC seeks to change behaviour so that they reject corruption and take concrete measures to combat it.
b) Institutional level - ALAC seeks to change behaviour so that administrative procedures and/ or laws are changed.
Our Aim is to:
Empower citizens to be able to pursue corruption-related complaints, encouraging them to come forward.
Undertake advocacy for broader reform by translating citizens concerns and experiences into structural changes.
Activities of ALAC:
Legal Advice
The primary role of ALAC is to provide Legal Advice and Assistance to victims and/or witnesses of corruption.
From the perspective of a victim or a witness to an act of corruption, legal advice is the activity by which he/she is given help on how to pursue their corruption related complaints by using efficiently the existing legal procedures.
The ALACs provide legal advice and assistance to victims and witnesses of corruption. ALACs help citizens pursue corruption-related complaints, encouraging them to come forward. The sheer diversity of cases and people who use the centres – from the unemployed to entrepreneurs, from pensioners to business people – demonstrates the pervasive nature of corruption. ALACs observe strict client confidentiality.
Research and Statistics
By using information gained from cases (either individual cases or common themes running through a variety of cases observed), the ALACs are then able to advocate for reform based on very concrete evidence. Cases range from small bribes to grand corruption involving hundreds of millions of dollars or euros. They involve issues of public procurement, abuse or misuse of public assets, privatisation, environment, judiciary, health, education, customs and planning and development inspectorates. Many significant changes have already been effected by ALACs, including for example, introduction of whistle-blower laws in Romania, new administrative procedures for inspections and licenses in the Czech Republic.
Advocacy
Advocacy builds upon the results of both legal advice and education/information activities, in order to influence national policies.
To introduce or change anti-corruption legislation and institutional practices towards a more efficient discouragement, prevention and punishment of acts of corruption.
ALACs, working in the TI multi-stakeholder tradition, aim to create dialogue, informal feedback, and working partnerships with government institutions charged with anti-corruption. In a nut-shell, ALACs seek to translate citizens’ concerns on corruption into structural changes for better local and national governance.
What more does ALAC Advocacy involve?
ALAC is providing effective awareness for citizens on options available to them. Promote the importance of citizens’ participation.
National level -ALAC has organized workshops in the Western, Northern, Central Eastern divisions at the District and Provincial level.
Sector Focus - ALAC is also organizing specific awareness programmes for specific sectors of our community namely the youth, women, farming sectors, schools etc.
Advocacy Campaigns:
ALAC will carry out advocacy campaigns against corruption, corrupt practices that have been brought to its attention. Our advocacy will be aimed at bringing about a systematic “peaceful” change to policy.
What is unique about ALACs?
Many countries have legal advice centres and hotlines. However there are a number of ways in which ALACs are unique. By understanding the broader context of corruption beyond merely a legalistic approach (i.e. providing legal services and advice), the ALACs can build up a level of specialisation and sophistication in this area which other services cannot match. Whereas most legal advice services assist clients to formulate court appeals (something some ALACs do), ALACs also work with a whole variety of government institutions and in different ways beyond just legal assistance. As ALACs specialise in corruption, this allows for the production of good data assessing the problems of corruption and for developing anti-corruption advocacy campaigns.
What do ALACs not do?
ALAC will not investigate, prosecute or enforce cases.
ALAC services will only include:
Providing legal advice and assistance to victims and witnesses of corruption;
- to further the cases to authorities;
- to monitor the solution;
- to devise periodical reports; and
- publicizing monitored cases where necessary.
How does an ALAC differ from Government Anti-Corruption Agencies?
Many ALACs have developed very functional relationships with government agencies including the judiciary -- these relationships are typically underpinned by MOUs (Memoranda of Understanding).
In many countries governments also have complaint hotlines. An ALAC’s mandate is very different. A government hotline or complaint agency accepts and investigates complaints; it does not help people develop complaints or provide guidance. An ALAC, on the other hand, essentially helps citizens to develop, articulate and pursue complaints; it does not ‘investigate’ them to determine whether they are right or wrong. In other words, the ALACs should be conceived as a step prior to the submission of a complaint to government authorities, not in competition with it. Furthermore, ALACs help ensure that government agencies receive well developed complaints, making their investigation work easier; they are providing a service to government agencies.
The fact that ALACs are part of Transparency International, a globally recognised NGO, makes it easier for the centres to support individual citizen cases. Government officials that might otherwise ignore, sidestep or delay on responding to citizen inquiries or complaints, are more likely to respond if these have the support of an ALAC.
Once successfully operational, the body of corruption data generated by an ALAC over several years can provide an evidence-based profile of corruption problems and practical institutional reform entry- points for other partners.
ALACs have received support from donors including the European Commission, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the UK Department for International Development, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the United Nations Development Programme.
For more information regarding the Fiji ALAC Programme of TI Fiji, please contact:
Programme Director - Koila Kabu
or
Legal Officer - Marama Tuisawau
TI Fiji Office,
62 & 72 Pratt St,
Suva.
Phone: 3304 702
Fax: 3303 530
Contact Centres
Lautoka: Ministry of Youth Office, Ro Tavaiqia House, Tavewa Avenue.
Labasa: Ministry of Youth Office, Ro Qomate House.
Email: pdalac@transparencyfiji.org