Similarly, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) asserts the right of every person to self-determination in order to develop in all three economic, social and cultural fields. It also upholds that every person has the right to an adequate standard of living attained by having access to adequate food, housing, clothing and access to education. These rights are severely violated in situations of corruption, for example when public resources destined to bring health, education or housing to the poor are deviated into private pockets.

Anti-corruption campaigns, human rights and civic education all aim at encouraging civic action and engagement. The growing political apathy in many countries has prompted public and civil society actors alike to attempt to mobilise citizen participation in politics. Populations of transition countries and emerging democracies are undergoing democracy education programmes, but also in well-established democracies citizenship education has become increasingly important in recent years.

Voter education is an aspect of civic education that is particularly relevant in preventing electoral and political corruption. The integrity of the electoral process is an important subject of anti-corruption education.

Civic education deals with broader concepts underpinning a democratic society. These include the respective roles and responsibilities of citizens, government, political parties, interest groups, the mass media, and other stakeholders, as well as the significance of periodic and competitive elections. Civic education is a continual process, and may be carried out through the school and university system, through civil society organizations, and also through state agencies.

A number of international legal instruments recognise citizen participation in public and political life as a prerequisite for effective anti-corruption strategies:

People who are aware of their rights are more likely to hold governments accountable, and to put pressure on public services to deliver, for example quality education. They are also less likely to be victims of extortion and bribe-giving.

There are numerous formats for anti-corruption awareness raising. Anti-corruption messages can be disseminated through TV and radio to reach a broad audience, sensitising the public on the detrimental effects of corruption. This could be done through one-off campaigns or recurrent activities, such as a weekly radio show with special invitees. TV spots have been produced in a variety of countries. Such spots ideally present a situation that spectators are familiar with, like a clinic or a customs office. There could also be a regular annual event, such as an anti-corruption day or week, with various simultaneous events at schools or town halls, media briefings, public hearings and marches. Contests and competitions for the best essay on corruption, or the best drawing, or photograph, can engage people in critical thinking about corruption. Street theatre is another popular means for sensitisation.

Report card studies - citizen feedback on public services - provide a good example of the effect of corruption on ordinary citizens, and speak directly to most people. Polls of public service users often reveal that illegal payments have to be made for education and health, and can trigger public action.

Here are some examples for useful resources and links:

Amnesty International (AI)
AI has developed training material for Human Rights Education for a variety of audiences: Teaching resources for educators, as well as train-the-trainer materials and guidelines for teaching of law enforcement and government officials.

Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NIZA): Train the Trainer Manual, Civic Education and Community Mobilization (2005)
This manual can be used flexibly. Facilitators have the option of selecting methods to be used at a particular workshop, depending on the target group and the topic to be discussed. The manual can be used by grassroots facilitators through the processes of participatory training, and it provides techniques and tips on training.

World Bank Participation and Civic Engagement website
This website includes resources on citizen participation to exact social accountability, participatory processes and stakeholder engagement at the project, program and policy level.

World Bank Institute (WBI): Anti-Corruption and Governance Library
This library forms part of the Library of Learning Objects developed and maintained by the WBI. As of now, many of the WBI publications and presentations are accessible through the Library, which also offers an excellent search facility. The section on corruption refers to instruments to increase citizen participation in governance.