Fear of misuse of funds should not halt humanitarian aid to Pakistan

Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Nature’s fury has made millions of poor Pakistani citizens victims of one of this century’s worst humanitarian disasters. That tragedy would be compounded if fears about corruption were to reduce aid from the UK government and public. Transparency International UK and our colleagues in Transparency International Pakistan believe the answer is to have adequate safeguards for greater transparency, monitoring and accountability in the disbursement of emergency relief as well as aid for longer-term reconstruction efforts. Also, citizens should be involved in decision-making, those reporting corrupt behaviour should be protected, and the corrupt punished. Corruption should not be a reason for withholding aid in desperate humanitarian crises. Transparency International’s handbook for dealing with such crises (http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2010/hum_handbook#1) and recommendations of 8 February 2006 http://www.transparency.org.pk/documents/Transparent%20Use%20of%20Earthquake%20Reconstruction%20Funds%20Workshop%20Report.pdf show how corruption risks can be reduced so that aid reaches those who need it most.