In cooperation with the Bihimmatkom Association for Youth with Disabilities in Ramallah, the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) organised two awareness raising sessions, which brought together some 30 participants with disabilities. The sessions addressed the values of integrity, principles of transparency, systems of accountability, and fight against corruption.
Participants were introduced to the concepts and various forms of corruption, including favouritism, nepotism, bribery, extortion, money laundering, conflict of interests, and waste of public funds. The awareness raising exercises highlighted formal oversight provided by formal oversight bodies and community accountability by civil society organisations, including AMAN. These events also reviewed the legal framework for corruption crimes in Palestine, mechanisms for filing complaints against corrupt individuals, guarantees of whistleblower protection, and protection of sources of information.
In addition, examples from Palestinian practice were presented, including cases of corruption which persons with disabilities were subjected to, monitored, or experienced in their daily lives.
At the end of the sensitisation events, participants recommended that public awareness should continue to be raised about the systems of integrity, transparency, accountability, and fight against corruption. This is of fundamental importance for promoting the role of society from across the spectrum in detecting and reporting instances of corruption.
In consistence with Bihimmatkom Association, both awareness raising events were part of the vision of AMAN to strengthen the system of integrity and fight against corruption, protect persons with disabilities from the consequences of corruption, and consolidate the right to exercise community accountability.
