In November 2009, the 3rd UNCAC Conference of States Parties adopted a review mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption, including Terms of Reference for that mechanism.

The resolution adopting the review mechanism encouraged governments to include civil society and private sector inputs to their self-assessments and left it optional for governments to decide whether to allow a country visit and whether to involve civil society and the private sector to make inputs during the country visits. In July 2010 the Implementation Review Group (IRG) that oversees the review mechanism met for the first time in Vienna and adopted guidelines for governmental experts and the secretariat, which to our disappointment do not reference these various options. The IRG also selected the countries to be reviewed in each year of the first five-year round of the review process, covering the topics of Criminalisation, Enforcement and Mutual Legal Assistance (UNCAC Chapters III and IV).

What is the role for civil society?

Civil society holds and important role as an independent critic of governments' implementation of the UNCAC and of the transparency of the review process.

Monitor and advocate for a transparent and inclusive review process in your country

Key transparency points include:

• Publish the government focal point details
• Consult with civil society throughout the review - particularly in preparing the self-assessment and during dialogue with the review experts
• Authorise a country visit and include CSOs in the visit
• Publish the self-assessment and full country report

Key resources:

• Tracking table to track your government's review process
• Overview of the entry points for civil society
• Transparency in the review process overview

Monitor your country's compliance with its obligations under Chapters III and IV of the UNCAC

Civil society input is valuable at many stages of the review, including during:

• the country self-assessment phase
• the country visit by the review teams
• the publication of official reports or executive summaries
• implementation review group meeting
• conference of states parties

Key resources:

• Transparency International guidelines and report template for civil society groups conducting a parallel review
• Omnibus self-assessment checklist which governments are using to prepare their self-assessment

Watch Our Training Videos

What happens in the UNCAC review process? How can civil society participate? Our training videos will guide you through the key steps of the process and key decisions which civil society organizations need to make.

Civil Society and the UNCAC Review Process

• First playlist with all six chapters

UNCAC Review Process: Excerpts from the Laxenburg Training

• Second playlist with all six chapters

What's going on in your country?

Need more info about the UNCAC review process?

Official UNCAC Review Documents