The Role and Significance of Civil Society Institutions in the Fight Against Corruption in Uzbekistan
Eldor TulyakovThis article analyzes issues related to the effective participation of civil society organizations in the fight against corruption in Uzbekistan. The author puts forward new ideas regarding civil society organizations’ (CSOs) role in ensuring an effective battle against corruption and in particular considers the following four areas to be important: improving legislation, developing effective policies, enhancing the best practices, and polishing the behaviors of state bodies. First of all, civil society institutions should work together with state bodies to improve existing legislature and create new laws if necessary, be active in the various stages of legislative initiatives, and involve work groups formed by relevant organizations. Secondly, CSOs must be active in determining, changing, and improving policies to fight against corruption. Thirdly, CSOs should be active in calling state bodies to embrace effective anti-corruption practices through monitoring and public control. Fourthly, CSOs should work to change the strategic behavior of state bodies if they believe that certain actions unregulated by existing laws and policies are being governed by informal relations. In terms of effectively organizing such work as a key factor in successfully tackling corruption, the government must ensure openness and transparency in its practices, and allow CSOs to contribute to developing the country by implementing practices best suited toward public control.
