I am a lawyer specialising in law and development. I joined U4 in 2016 and coordinate U4’s theme on mainstreaming anti-corruption in public service delivery and integrating gender in anti-corruption programming.

Previously, I lectured at Makerere and Cavendish Universities in Uganda and was Dean of Law at Cavendish University. I was also an external consultant with various NGOs, international organisations and justice, law and order sector agencies, providing technical assistance on human rights, gender mainstreaming, legal reform, strategy development and improving processes and procedures. I was Assistant Lead Counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of Corruption in Uganda Revenue Authority (2002-2003) and subsequently wrote my PhD thesis on the role of commissions of inquiry in the fight against corruption in Uganda.

I am an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda and a member of the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers. I hold a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) Degree from Makerere University, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Uganda Law Development Centre, a Masters’ in Law and Development from the University of Warwick, UK and a PhD in Law, also from Warwick. 

Universal access to basic services such as health and education is one of the building blocks for individual and societal well-being. Explore how corruption hinders access to services, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable. Learn how mainstreaming anti-corruption in sector strategies help to achieve sector goals.

States have an obligation to provide basic services such as water, health and education. People entrusted with power to govern who abuse their position for private gain obstruct fulfilment of this obligation. Women, children, people with disabilities, the elderly and other minorities suffer most. See what development agencies can do to mitigate the harmful impact of corruption on the delivery of basic services.

Since the late 1990s, anti-corruption approaches have focused on overall country governance systems. These include:

Strengthening supreme audit institutions.

These national approaches are important, but many actors realise that anti-corruption interventions have so far achieved little. Many have therefore called for concrete, sector-specific solutions to corruption. This is because corruption vulnerabilities vary between sectors. For example, risks in the procurement of medicines or water pumps may differ from risks in the management of education institutions. We need to distinguish between the different ways people are corrupt in each sector if we want to find lasting solutions.

Anti-corruption and gender mainstreaming hand in hand

. Therefore, to mainstream anti-corruption efforts in a sector means to make corruption risk assessment and mitigation an integral part of the overall sector strategic policies and plans. It is not sufficient to relegate it to an 

Gender mainstreaming has been practiced for some time, and the two ‘streams’ of gender and corruption should indeed go hand in hand. This can help achieve equitable development. A U4 helpdesk answer on 

 illustrates the importance of paying attention to both streams. A forthcoming U4 Brief (spring 2018) reveals how female representatives on elected local governments can lead to reduced corruption in the health and education sectors.

Resources on experiences from mainstreaming – health and water

Addressing corruption in the health sector: Securing equitable access to health care for everyone

 suggests how to mainstream anti-corruption efforts in health. Read about the 

 from developing a health-sector anti-corruption strategy.

Several governments have integrated anti-corruption in their water sector plans and policies, see for example 

Development of a water sector anti-corruption strategy in Mozambique

It is important to mainstream anti-corruption because corruption threatens sector goals expressed in the 

. It negatively affects health and education outcomes – eg by reducing access to safe and clean water. Countering corruption can improve service delivery and help achieve development goals.

Corruption and anti-corruption efforts in basic service sectors

Health sector corruption

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Research Topics

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The U4 Blog

Learning & events

About Us

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topic

Public service delivery

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Featured content

From the blog

Learning and Events

Workshop

Armenia – Corruption risk management and public service delivery

Register

Online course

Addressing corruption in the health sector

Register

Register

Latest publications

Topic Experts

Monica Kirya

Related topics

Health

Education

Covid-19 and corruption