Integrity is a concept that can be endowed with agency and meaning only through people’s actions.

Integrity acts as a moral compass to guide behaviour in line with intrinsic values. Integrity means having the strength to resist a bribe, the courage to report an act of corruption, or the willingness to take action and stop the abuse of power for private gain.

Transparency International (TI) is a major force in the fight for increasing transparency and integrity around the world, and it is the people involved in this movement that make the difference.

TI’s Integrity Awards were created to recognise the courage and determination of the many individuals and organisations fighting corruption around the world. By joining forces, international institutions, the state, concerned citizens and the private sector can break the cycle of corruption. The battle is a long one but it can be won.

Launched in 2000, the Integrity Awards honour the bravery of individuals and organisations around the globe whose efforts are making a distinct difference in curbing corruption. The goal of the Awards is to give greater recognition to the efforts of journalists, civil society activists and whistleblowers who work to investigate and unmask corruption, often at great personal risk.

Both winners were honoured at a ceremony held on 21 January 2008 in Berlin, Germany with the generous support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH.

Please see the TI press release announcing the winners.

Her work led to the arrest of the highest profile figures in organised crime, including Fujimori himself, his primary accomplice, 14 generals from the armed forces and police, the former president of congress, the former federal public prosecutor (her boss), Supreme Court justices, judges and prosecutors at various levels along with media magnates, among others.

The recovery of more than US $250 million stolen by the corrupt network was initiated thanks, in part, to her efforts. The trial against Fujimori is currently taking place in his native Peru, where he was extradited after fleeing the country in 2000. Dr. Magallanes Cortez passed away in 2007 but continues to be a source of inspiration for a new generation of judges, prosecutors and society at large.

Past winners also include journalists, public prosecutors, accountants and government officials along with leaders of civil society from 25 countries in Asia and Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

To read more about some past winners and where they are now, please see TI’s newsletter Transparency Watch.

Videos of previous award ceremonies can be viewed here.

Transparency International’s Integrity Awards winners are chosen by a committee whose mandate is to recognise the efforts made by individuals and organisations from government, civil society, and the private sector around the world.

See a full list of the committee members and their backgrounds here.

Who can be nominated?

• Integrity Awards may be conferred on a person (or organisation) discharging official duties as well as an activist or (activists) from any walk of life.
• The nominees must have undertaken an action that is likely to significantly influence, or to have had a significant impact on, existing levels of corruption in his, her or their respective country or region.
• The action should be one likely to attract interest and emulation in other parts of the world.
• The action must be particularly imaginative, innovative or courageous and deserving of wide international recognition.

Please note: In considering nominations, the Awards Committee looks for both geographical and occupational balance. Members of the TI Board of Directors, the Boards of national chapters, the Integrity Awards committee and salaried staff of the TI secretariat and national chapters are ineligible for nomination while serving in those capacities.

• Nominations may be made by persons or organisations on behalf of others.
• Self-nominations will not be considered.
• Individuals and organisations are encouraged to submit nominations through TI’s national chapters, where possible.

For the most updated version, please see www.transparency.org/integrityawards prior to submitting your nomination

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Nominations must include the following:

• Personal details of the nominee, including a short curriculum vitae.
• A letter (maximum 500 words) making the case for the nomination, including a proposed draft citation.
• Written consent of the nominee.

Incomplete nomination files will not be considered.

Guidelines are subject to change. For the most updated version, please see www.transparency.org/integrityawards prior to submitting your nomination.

• Vietnamese teacher presented int’l anti-corruption award
  VietNamNet, 23 January 2008
• Kopf des Tages: Le Hien Duc - Die Heldin des einfachen Volkes
  Frankenpost, 23 January 2008 (German)
• The Face of Integrity
  Socialmedia today, 22 January 2008
• Corruption/fighting Vietnamese granny gets award
  France 24, 22 January 2008
• Corruption-fighting Vietnamese granny gets award
  AFP, 22 January 2008
• Transparency International award recognises an international anti-bribery leader and a grassroots activist, dg Communities, 2 January 2008
• OECD press release on award winner Mark Pieth, OECD website, 19 December 2007
• Grandmother honoured for fighting corruption, The Independent, UK, 15 December 2007
• Cụ bà 75 tuổi chống tham nhũng đoạt giải thưởng Liêm Chính, Voice of America, 13 December 2007 (Vietnamese)
• Retired Vietnamese teacher finalist for int’l anti-graft award, Vietnam.net, 13 December 2007
• Retired teacher saluted for exposing corruption, Mathaba.net, 05 December 2007
• Retired Vietnamese teacher finalist for int’l antigraft award, Thanhnien News, Vietnam, 04 December 2007
• TI 2007 Integrity Awards Finalists Announced, This Day, Nigeria, 13 November 2007
• At 75, She's the Scourge of the Corrupt, FindLaw, 4 July 2007