The Africa Integrity Indicators (AII) assesses key social, economic, political and anti-corruption mechanisms at the national level in all 54 African countries in two sections: Transparency and Accountability, and Social Development. The Africa Integrity Indicators are scored by in-country researchers following an evidence-based investigation methodology. The resultant data points are then reviewed blindly by a panel of peer reviewers, drawing on the expertise of a mix of in-country experts as well as outside experts.
The Transparency and Accountability indicator is made of sub-indicators in the following categories: rule of law, accountability, elections, public management, civil service integrity, access to information and openness, and social development.
For this version of the QoG Datasets, we have decided to only include the scores for the broader components of Transparency and Accountability, given that the Social Development Indicators are already represented by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's Index of African Governance.
Last updated by source: 2023-07-04
| Dataset type: | Time-Series |
| Dataset level: | Country |
(Global Integrity and African
Institute for Development Policy, 2023)
Accountability. This sub index from 0 to 100 is composed of: 1. In law, the independence of the judiciary is guaranteed. 2. In practice, the independence of the judiciary is guaranteed. 3. In practice, national-level judge appointments (justices or magistrates) support the independence of the judiciary. 4. In practice, national-level judges give reasons for their decisions/judgments. 5. In law, there is a supreme audit institution. 6. In law, the independence of the supreme audit institution is guaranteed. 7. In practice, the independence of the supreme audit institution is guaranteed. 8. In practice, appointments to the supreme audit institution support the independence of the agency. 9. In practice, the supreme audit agency releases frequent reports that are accessible to citizens.
More about this variableAccess to Information and Openness. This sub-index from 0 to 100 is composed of: 10. In law, corruption is criminalized as a specific offense. 11. In law, there is an independent body/bodies mandated to receive and investigate cases of alleged public sector corruption. 12. In practice, allegations of corruption against senior level politicians and/or civil servants of any level are investigated by an independent body. 13. In practice, the body/bodies that investigate/s allegations of public sector corruption is/are effective. 14. In practice, appointments to the body/bodies that investigate/s allegations of public sector corruption support/s the independence of the body. 15. In law, the head of state and government can be investigated and prosecuted while in office if evidence suggests they committed a crime. 16. In practice, heads of state and government are investigated and prosecuted while in office if evidence suggests they committed a crime. 17. In law, there is a mechanism for citizens to report police misconduct or abuse of force. 18. In practice, the mechanism for citizens to report police misconduct or abuse of force is effective.
More about this variableCivil Service Integrity. This sub index from 0 to 100 is composed of: 19. In law, the independence of the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections is guaranteed. 20. In practice, appointments to the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections support the independence of the agency/agencies. 21. In practice, the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections is/are protected from political interference. 22. In practice, the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections make/s timely, publicly available reports before and after a national election. 23. In practice, candidates/political parties have equitable access to state-owned media outlets.
More about this variableElections. This sub-index from 0 to 100 is composed of: 24. In law, major public procurements require competitive bidding. 25. In practice, major public procurements involve competitive bidding. 26. In practice, citizens can access the results and documents associated with procurement contracts (full contracts, proposals, execution reports, financial audits, etc.). 27. In law, companies found guilty of violations of procurement regulations are prohibited from participating in future bids. 28. In practice, companies found guilty of violating procurement regulations are prohibited from participating in future bids. 29. In practice, citizens can access the financial records of state-owned companies. 30. In practice, citizens can access the financial records associated with natural resources exploitation (gas, oil and mining), whether they involve the participation of public or private corporations. 31. In practice, significant public expenditure receives legislative approval on an annual basis. 32. In law, both the executive's budget proposal and the approved budget must be published in full every year. 33. In practice, a legislative committee exercises oversight of public funds.
More about this variablePublic Management. This sub-index from 0 to 100 is composed of: 35. In law, civil servants are required to report cases of alleged corruption. 36. In law, civil servants who report cases of corruption are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences. 37. In law, there are formal rules to prevent conflicts of interest, nepotism, cronyism, and patronage in all branches of government. 38. In practice, civil servants' work is not compromised by political interference. 39. In practice, civil servants are appointed and evaluated according to professional criteria. 40. In law, there are restrictions for civil servants entering the private sector after leaving the government.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 1. In law, the independence of the judiciary is guaranteed. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the law establishes that the judiciary is independent from the executive and legislative branches, and 2) the law establishes the judiciary's right, authority or mandate to review laws, issue judicial decisions, and choose the cases heard by courts. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists, or a law exists but it does not include ALL of the elements described in 100.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 2. In practice, the independence of the judiciary is guaranteed. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) judges have the autonomy to interpret and review existing laws, legislation, and policies, and 2) judges operate without fear or favor, independent from other branches of government. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) judges' autonomy to interpret and review existing laws is occasionally restricted, or 2) judges are occasionally subject to negative or positive political incentives (for example, judges are demoted/promoted or relocated to worse/better offices in retaliation/reward for making certain decisions). A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) judges rarely have the autonomy to interpret and review existing laws, legislation and policies, or 2) judges are routinely subject to negative or positive political incentives (for example, judges are frequently demoted/promoted or relocated to worse/better offices in retaliation/reward for making certain decisions).
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 3. In practice, national-level judge appointments (justices or magistrates) support the independence of the judiciary. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) national-level judges are chosen through a merit-based selection system, 2) they have security of tenure, and 3) they are disciplined/removed/transferred only through due process by a peer panel/independent oversight body. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) national-level judges are occasionally appointed without following a merit-based selection system, 2) some judges are denied the security of tenure, or 3) occasionally judges are disciplined/removed/transferred without due process or the peer panel/independent oversight body occasionally includes representatives of the executive or legislative branches. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) there's a merit-based selection system but it fails to require basic skills (ex. legal education, litigation experience, etc.) or is so weak that individuals with less merit are usually appointed over those with more merit, 2) there is no security of tenure, or 3) the due process usually involves the Executive or Legislative branches.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 4. In practice, national-level judges give reasons for their decisions/judgments. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) judges routinely provide formal reasoning for their rulings, 2) their reasoning references the laws/jurisprudence they considered and the specific interpretation they gave them in relation to the case, and 3) their reasoning is public (for this indicator, national security exceptions are allowed). A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) judges occasionally fail to provide formal reasoning for their decisions, 2) the reasoning occasionally lacks references to the laws/jurisprudence considered or the respective judges' interpretations, or 3) it takes more than two weeks for citizens to obtain the reasoning after request. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) judges rarely provide formal reasoning for their rulings, or 2) their reasoning rarely references the laws/jurisprudence they considered and/or the specific interpretations they gave them in relation to the case, or 3) the reasoning is not public.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 5. In law, there is a supreme audit institution. A 100 score is earned where the law mandates the creation of a supreme audit institution or office of the Auditor General, tasked with auditing the government accounts. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 6. In law, the independence of the supreme audit institution is guaranteed. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the law establishes that the audit institution is independent from the executive and legislative branches, 2) the institution has the right, authority or mandate to audit any government account, issue recommendations and resolutions, and refer cases to the prosecutor's office, and 3) the institution has a consistent source of funding to operate. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists, or a law exists but it doesn't establish ALL of the conditions described in 100.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 7. In practice, the independence of the supreme audit institution is guaranteed. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) auditors have the autonomy to audit accounts, 2) auditors operate without fear or favor, independent from other offices of government, and 3) they have a predictable source of funding that is consistent from year to year. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) auditors usually have autonomy to audit any account but exceptions exist, 2) auditors are occasionally subject to negative or positive political incentives (for example, auditors are demoted/promoted or relocated to worse/better offices in retaliation/reward for not auditing/not auditing or issuing favorable/unfavorable resolutions), or 3) funding is occasionally inconsistent. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) auditors rarely have autonomy to audit accounts, 2) they routinely operate with fear or favor, dependent of other offices of government, or 3) the source of funding is usually inconsistent from year to year.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 8. In practice, appointments to the supreme audit institution support the independence of the agency. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) appointments to positions in the agency follow a merit-based system, 2) appointees are free of conflicts of interest due to personal loyalties, family connections, political party affiliations or other biases, and 3) auditors are disciplined/removed/transferred only through due process by a peer panel/oversight body. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) appointments don't always follow a merit-based system, 2) appointees sometimes have conflicts of interest, or 3) auditors are sometimes disciplined/removed/transferred without observing due process by a peer panel/oversight body. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) appointments to positions in the agency rarely or never follow a merit-based system, or the merit-based system is so weak that individuals with less merit are usually appointed over those with more merit, 2) appointees usually have conflicts of interest due to personal loyalties, family connections, political party affiliations or other biases, or 3) appointees are usually disciplined/removed/transferred without observing due process by a peer panel/oversight body.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 9. In practice, the supreme audit agency releases frequent reports that are accessible to citizens. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the agency on average publishes 10 reports or more per year, and 2) the reports are published less than one month after issued, and 3) they are accessible online or on paper within two weeks of request at photocopying cost. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the agency publishes between three and nine reports per year, 2) the reports are published more than one month after issued, or 3) they are available on paper but it takes more than two weeks after requested to obtain them or costs are higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) the audit institution publishes one or less reports per year, or 2) the reports are not available to citizens.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 10. In law, corruption is criminalized as a specific offense. A 100 score is earned where a national law criminalizes corruption as a specific offence(s) for at least three of the following: extortion, offering a bribe, accepting a bribe, kickbacks, using public resources for private gain, using confidential state information for private gain, money laundering, conspiring or attempting to commit any of the above, organized crime and trafficking. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists, or a law exists but it alludes to corruption in general terms without criminalizing specific offences.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 11. In law, there is an independent body/bodies mandated to receive and investigate cases of alleged public sector corruption. A 100 score is earned where all of the following conditions are met: 1) a law mandates a specific body to receive and investigate citizens' allegations of public sector corruption, and 2) a law establishes that the body is independent from the Executive and Legislative branches. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists, or a law exists but it doesn't meet the two conditions described in 100.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 12. In practice, allegations of corruption against senior level politicians and/or civil servants of any level are investigated by an independent body. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) allegations against senior-level politicians and/or civil servants of any level are investigated, and 2) the members of the body mandated to investigate the allegations work without fear or favor from other offices. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) not all allegations against senior-level politicians and/or civil servants of any level are investigated, or 2) the members of the body mandated to investigate the allegations are occasionally subjected to positive/negative incentives to rule in favor/against a senior-level politician and/or civil servant. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) allegations against senior level politicians and/or civil servants of any level are rarely or never investigated, or 2) the members of the body mandated to investigate the allegations routinely receive positive/negative incentives to rule in favor/against a senior level politician and/or civil servant.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 13. In practice, the body/bodies that investigate/s allegations of public sector corruption is/are effective. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the body has a functioning system in place to receive citizens' allegations of public sector corruption, 2) it investigates most of the allegations within three months of being reported, and 3) it exercises its own initiative to start investigations when/if needed. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the system to receive citizens' allegations may not work for several days at a time, 2) not all cases reported are investigated or investigations take more than three months to start, or 3) the body rarely or never starts investigations out of its own initiative. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) there's no system to receive citizens' allegations, or 2) cases reported are rarely or never investigated.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 14. In practice, appointments to the body/bodies that investigate/s allegations of public sector corruption support/s the independence of the body. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) appointments follow a merit-based system, 2) appointees are free of conflicts of interest due to personal loyalties, family connections, political party affiliations or other biases, and 3) appointees are disciplined/removed/transferred only through due process by a peer panel/oversight body. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) appointments don't always follow the merit-based system, 2) appointees occasionally have conflicts of interest, or 3) appointees are occasionally disciplined/removed/transferred without observing due process by a peer panel/oversight body. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) appointments to positions in the body rarely follow a merit-based system, 2) individuals appointed usually have conflicts of interest due to personal loyalties, family connections, political party affiliations or other biases, or 3) due process by a peer panel/oversight body is rarely or never followed to discipline/remove/transfer the appointees.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 15. In law, the head of state and government can be investigated and prosecuted while in office if evidence suggests they committed a crime. A 100 score is earned where the law doesn't protect the heads of state and government from being investigated and prosecuted while in office if evidence suggests they committed a crime. A 0 score is earned where a law protects/gives immunity to the heads of state and government from being investigated and prosecuted while in office if evidence suggests they committed a crime.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 16. In practice, heads of state and government are investigated and prosecuted while in office if evidence suggest they committed a crime. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) criminal allegations against heads of state and government are investigated while they are in office, 2) heads of state and government are prosecuted when investigations find evidence of possible wrongdoing, and 3) legal punishment is imposed if/when they are found guilty. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) not all allegations are investigated while they are in office, 2) not all investigations that find evidence of criminal activity result in prosecution, or 3) not all guilty verdicts result in legal punishment. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) allegations against heads of state and government are rarely investigated while they are in office, 2) criminal evidence rarely results in prosecution, or 3) guilty verdicts rarely result in legal punishment. A 0 also applies if the heads of state and government have immunity, therefore making it impossible in practice to investigate, prosecute or punish them.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 17. In law, there is a mechanism for citizens to report police misconduct or abuse of force. A 100 score is earned where a law establishes the existence of an oversight body/entity specifically mandated to investigate police misconduct or abuse of force. A 0 score is earned when no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 18. In practice, the mechanism for citizens to report police misconduct or abuse of force is effective. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the body has a functioning system in place to receive citizens' allegations of police misconduct or abuse of force, 2) it investigates most of the allegations within one week of being reported, and 3) it exercises its own initiative to start investigations when/if needed. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the system to receive citizens' allegations may not work for several days at a time, 2) not all cases reported are investigated or investigations take more than one week to start, or 3) none or only a minority of the investigations are self-started by the body. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions are met: 1) there's no system to receive citizens' allegations, or 2) cases reported are rarely investigated.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 19. In law, the independence of the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections is guaranteed. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the law establishes that the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections is independent from the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, and 2) it establishes its right, authority or mandate to review elections, issue binding decisions, and choose the cases to be heard by the agency/agencies. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists, or a law exists but it doesn't include all the conditions described in 100.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 20. In practice, appointments to the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections support the independence of the agency/agencies. A 100 score is earned where electoral officials are always chosen through merit-selection systems. A 50 score is earned where electoral officials are generally chosen through merit-selection systems, but there are exceptions (e.g. sometimes candidates with less merit are selected over those with more merit). A 0 score is earned where electoral officials are rarely chosen through merit-selection systems, or the selection system is so weak it can't guarantee candidates are appointed based on merit (e.g. no legal education is required, the President has discretion to decide who the top candidates are, etc.).
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 21. In practice, the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections is/are protected from political interference. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) appointees are disciplined/removed only through due process by a peer panel/oversight body, and 2) appointees are not removed when a new administration takes power. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) appointees are occasionally disciplined/removed/transferred without following due process by a peer panel/oversight body, or 2) appointees are occasionally removed when a new administration takes power. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) appointees are usually disciplined/removed without following due process, or the due process is so weak it doesn't support independence (e.g. members of the Executive or Legislative branches are part of the panel that conducts the due process), or 2) appointees are usually removed when a new administration takes power.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 22. In practice, the agency/agencies mandated to organize and monitor national elections make/s timely, publicly available reports before and after a national election. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the agency/agencies publish/es at least one report before the election and one report after the election, and 2) the publications are easily accessible to citizens less than one month after issuance online or at cost of photocopying. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the agency only publishes one report before or after the election, or 2) the publication is generally accessible to citizens but published more than one month after issued or the cost is higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where no reports about the elections are published or reports are not available to the public.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 23. In practice, candidates/political parties have equitable access to state-owned media outlets. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) candidates/political parties have equal access to and receive fair treatment in state-owned media outlets, 2) access is equal in both news reports and editorial commentary, and 3) candidates/political parties are offered the same rates for campaign advertising. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) some candidates/political parties occasionally have more access to and receive better treatment in state-owned media outlets, 2) access is occasionally unequal in either news reports or editorial commentary, or 3) occasionally a candidate/political party is offered better rates for campaign advertising. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) some candidates/political parties usually have more access to and/or receive better treatment in state-owned media outlets, 2) access is usually unequal in both news reports or editorial commentary, or 3) some candidates/political parties are usually offered better rates for campaign advertising.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 24. In law, major public procurements require competitive bidding. A 100 score is earned where all major procurements are required by law to follow competitive bidding. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 25. In practice, major public procurements involve competitive bidding. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) bids from competing contractors, suppliers, or vendors are invited through open advertising of the scope, specifications, and terms of the proposed contract, and 2) the criteria by which the bids are evaluated is available for scrutiny. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) bids from competing contractors, suppliers, or vendors are invited through open advertising, but the advertising doesn't leave much time for bidders to prepare their offers or it lacks basic components (scope, specifications, or terms of the proposed contract), or 2) the criteria by which the bids are evaluated is not readily available for scrutiny. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) bids from competing contractors, suppliers, or vendors are rarely or never invited through open advertising of the scope, specifications, and terms of the proposed contract, or 2) the criteria by which the bids are to be evaluated is rarely available for scrutiny.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 26. In practice, citizens can access the results and documents associated with procurement contracts (full contract, proposals, execution reports, financial audits, etc.). A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) there is an archive containing full records of all procurement contracts, whether in a central government office or at each contracting institution, and 2) full records are readily available on or off line for scrutiny by journalists, auditors, competitors and any citizen who request them. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) there is an archive but it doesn't contain complete records of all procurement contracts, whether in a central government office or at each contracting institution, and 2) full records are not readily available on/off line for scrutiny by journalists, auditors, competing contractors and any citizen who request them. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) there's no archive containing full records of all procurement contracts, whether in a central government office or at each contracting institution, or 2) full records are rarely or never available on/off line for scrutiny by journalists, auditors, competitors or any citizen who request them.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 27. In law, companies found guilty of violations of procurement regulations are prohibited from participating in future bids. A 100 score is earned where the law forbids companies found guilty of violating the law (procurement, tax, labor, corruption, etc.) from participating in future bidding in the country, whether indefinitely or for a limited period of time. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 28. In practice, companies found guilty of violating procurement regulations are prohibited from participating in future bids A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) companies found guilty of violating the law (procurement, tax, labor, corruption, etc.) are forbidden from participating in future bidding in the country, whether indefinitely or for a limited period of time, and 2) there is a registry of companies forbidden from bidding that citizens can access immediately or in less than two weeks upon request. A 100 is also earned if there is a registry in place that at the time of this research is empty because no company has violated the law. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) companies found guilty of violating the law (procurement, tax, labor, corruption, etc.) are generally forbidden from participating in future bidding, but there is evidence that some exceptions exist, or 2) citizen access to the full list of companies forbidden from participating takes more than two weeks. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) companies found guilty of violating the law (procurement, tax, labor, corruption, etc.) are rarely forbidden from participating in future bidding, or 2) there is no registry of companies forbidden from participating or it exists but it's not public.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 29. In practice, citizens can access the financial records of state-owned companies. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) financial records of state-owned companies are available on/offline to journalists, auditors and citizens at least quarterly, and 2) the records can be obtained immediately for free online or on paper in less than two weeks of requested at cost of photocopying. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) financial records of state-owned companies are available less than quarterly, or 2) obtaining the records takes two weeks to a month, or costs are higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where financial records of state-owned companies are rarely available to the public or don't exist.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 30. In practice, citizens can access the financial records associated with natural resources exploitation (gas, oil and mining), whether they involve the participation of public or private corporations. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) financial records associated with natural resource projects are available on/offline to journalists, auditors and citizens at least quarterly, and 2) the records can be obtained immediately for free online or on paper in less than two weeks of requested at cost of photocopying. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) financial records associated with natural resource projects are available less than quarterly, or 2) obtaining the records occasionally takes more than two weeks of requested, or costs are higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where financial records associated with natural resource projects are rarely available to the public or don't exist.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 31. In practice, significant public expenditure receives legislative approval on an annual basis. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) all significant government expenditure is approved by the legislature on an annual basis in open hearings, and 2) the legislature makes in-year budget amendments to the government proposed budget. A 100 score is earned even if defense expenditure is approved in closed hearings. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) not all significant government expenditure is approved annually by the legislature or it's not approved in open hearings, or 2) the legislature occasionally doesn't approve in-year budget amendments. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions applies: 1) the legislative rarely approves significant government expenditure, or 2) the legislature rarely makes in-year budget amendments to the government proposed budget.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 32. In law, both the executive's budget proposal and the approved budget must be published in full every year. A 100 score is earned where in law both the budget proposed by the Executive (draft sent to Congress for approval) and the approved budget must be published in full every year. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 33. In practice, citizens can provide input for budget decisions. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the government publicly invites citizens to provide input for budget decisions with at least four weeks of time for citizens to study the full budget, and 2) functioning mechanisms are in place for citizens to submit their input (from on/off line submission mechanisms to town hall meetings). A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the government publicly invites citizens to provide input in budget discussions but the invitation allows them less than four weeks to study the full budget, or 2) functioning mechanisms for citizens to submit their input (from on/off line submission mechanisms to town hall meetings) are sporadic, limited to a few actors, or not always in service. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions applies: 1) the government rarely publicly invites citizens to provide input for budget decisions, or 2) no functioning mechanisms are in place for citizens to submit their input.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 34. In practice, a legislative committee exercises oversight of public funds. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) there is a functioning oversight committee that goes into session at least weekly, and 2) the committee has conducted at least one investigation in the last year (even if the investigation hasn't finished at the time of this research). A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) there is a functioning oversight committee but it goes into session at least biweekly, or 2) the committee has conducted only one investigation in the last two years. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions applies: 1) no functioning oversight committee exists or it exists but it meets monthly or less frequently, or 2) the committee has not conducted any investigation in the last two years.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 35. In law, civil servants are required to report cases of alleged corruption. A 100 score is earned where the law creates a explicit legal requirement for civil servants to report any cases of alleged corruption they are aware of. A 0 score is earned if no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 36. In law, civil servants who report cases of corruption are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) there is a law specifically created to protect public sector whistle-blowers, and 2) the law forbids termination, transfer, harassment or other negative consequences against whistle-blowers. Note: General protections for civil servants do not grant a 100. A 0 score is earned if no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 37. In law, there are formal rules to prevent conflicts of interest, nepotism, cronyism and patronage in all branches of government. A 100 score is earned where at least two of the following three conditions are met: 1) the law prohibits conflicts of interest, nepotism, cronyism, and patronage (at least two of these offenses must be prohibited), 2) the law applies to all branches of government, including the civil service, and 3) it mandates mechanisms such as competitive recruitment and promotion procedures, safeguards against arbitrary disciplinary actions and dismissal, and recusal procedures. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists. It also scores 0 if only one of the three conditions described in 100 is met.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 38. In practice, civil servants' work is not compromised by political interference. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) civil servants are disciplined/removed/transferred only through due process by a peer panel/oversight body, and 2) civil servants are not removed when a new administration takes power. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) civil servants are occasionally disciplined/removed/transferred without following due process by a peer panel/oversight body, or 2) civil servants are occasionally removed when a new administration takes power. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) the due process is so weak it doesn't protect civil servants (e.g. the members of the panel that conducts the due process have a particular interest in how the issue is decided), or 2) civil servants are usually removed when a new administration takes power.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 39. In practice, civil servants are appointed and evaluated according to professional criteria. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) appointments to the civil service are made on a merit-based system, 2) individuals appointed are free of conflicts of interest due to personal loyalties, family connections, political party affiliations or other biases, and 3) performance evaluations are based on standard benchmarks. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) not all civil servants are appointed because of their merits, 2) not all appointees are free of conflicts or interest, or 3) performance evaluations are not always based on standard benchmarks. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) no merit-based system is in place or it's so weak it's useless, 2) civil servants frequently have conflicts of interest, or 3) performance evaluations are usually based on personal, discretionary criteria.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 40. In law, there are restrictions for civil servants entering the private sector after leaving the government. A 100 score is earned where the law forbids civil servants to take a position in the private sector for a period of time after leaving government if the position involves any of the following: 1) would present a conflict of interest, 2) would involve seeking to influence their former government colleagues, or 3) would establish a relationship between the former and the new office. A 0 score is earned if no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 41. In law, citizens have a right to request public information from state bodies. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) a Constitutional principle guarantees citizens' rights to request and receive access to any public documents and information, and 2) there is a specific access to information law that establishes the process for this right to be implemented. Note: It's possible to score 100 if national security or individual privacy information is protected, as long as the law defines the parameters and processes to declare what information is protected and they are limited in scope. Just the constitutional protection is not enough to score 100. A 0 score is earned if there is no such law, or a law exists but it doesn't mandate all the conditions described in 100.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 42. In practice, citizen requests for public information are effective. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) records are available online or on paper less than two weeks after requested, and 2) costs are limited to photocopying. A 100 score is possible even if there are exceptions for information protected by national security or individual privacy laws. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) many records are not online and/or it takes between two and four weeks for citizens to obtain them, or 2) costs sometimes are higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions applies: 1) most records are not online and it takes more than a month for a citizen to obtain them, or 2) costs are usually higher than photocopying.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 43. In practice, citizens can access legislative processes and documents. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) legislative records (at least transcripts of debates/votes, roll call votes, and full text of bills) are accessible to the public online or at the cost of photocopying, 2) most records are available within a day of legislative proceedings, and 3) there is a complete, easily available legislative archive either on or off line. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) occasionally legislative records (at least transcripts of debates/votes, roll call votes, and full text of bills) are not accessible to the public online or the cost is higher than photocopying; 2) records are usually available within a week of legislative proceedings, or 3) citizens have limited access to a legislative archive either on or off line or the archive is not complete. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) legislative records (at least transcripts of debates/votes, roll call votes, and full text of bills) are rarely accessible to the public online, 2) records take more than a week after legislative proceedings to be available, or 3) there is no legislative archive or citizens don't have access to it.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 44. In law, senior officials of the three branches of government (including heads of state and government, ministers, members of Parliament, judges, etc.) are required to disclose records of their assets and disclosures are public. A 100 score is earned where in law all the following conditions are met: 1) senior officials of the three branches of government (including heads of state and government, ministers, members of Parliament, judges, etc.) must file asset disclosures, 2) disclosures must contain all assets and income belonging to them and their immediate family (including real estate, movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), and 3) disclosures must be available to the public. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) no such law exists or it exists but it doesn't apply to all senior officials of the three branches of government, 2) the law requires so little information as to render the disclosures useless (e.g. it doesn't require disclosing assets of the immediate family, or requires citing real estate but not movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), or 3) the law doesn't make the disclosures public.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 45. In practice, the asset disclosure process for senior officials of the three branches of government (heads of state and government, ministers, members of Parliament, judges, etc.) is effective. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) senior officials of the three branches of government file their asset disclosures, 2) their disclosures contain detailed information about assets belonging to them and their immediate family (including real estate, movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), and 3) disclosures are available to the public online or within two weeks of request at the cost of photocopying. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) not all senior officials of the three branches of government file their asset disclosures, 2) their disclosures don't contain detailed information about them and their immediate family, or 3) disclosures are not always available to the public (they're not online, paper versions take more than two weeks to obtain, or costs are higher than photocopying). A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) senior officials of the three branches of government routinely fail to file asset disclosures, 2) asset disclosures contain so little information they are useless (e.g. they don't disclose assets of the immediate family, or cite real estate but not movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), or 3) asset disclosures are not available to the public. A 0 score is also earned where no law requires asset disclosures.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 46. In law, members of the civil service are required to disclose records of their assets and the disclosures are public. A 100 score is earned when in law all the following conditions are met: 1) members of the civil service must file asset disclosures, 2) disclosures must contain all assets and income belonging to them and their immediate family (including real estate, movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments, both domestic and foreign), and 3) disclosures must be available to the public. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) no such law exists or it exists but it doesn't apply to all members of the civil service, 2) the law requires so little information as to render the disclosures useless (e.g. it doesn't require disclosing assets of the immediate family, or requires citing real estate but not movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), or 3) the law doesn't make the disclosures public.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 47. In practice, the asset disclosure process for members of the civil service is effective. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) all members of the civil service file their asset disclosures, 2) their disclosures contain detailed information about assets belonging to them and their immediate family (including real estate, movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), and 3) disclosures are available to the public online or within two weeks of requested at the cost of photocopying. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) most but not all members of the civil service file their asset disclosures, 2) their disclosures are not complete (e.g. they contain real estate assets but not movable property, or list the asset but don't provide its estimated value), or 3) disclosures are not always available to the public (they're not online, paper versions take more than two weeks to obtain, or costs are higher than photocopying). A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) members of the civil service routinely fail to file asset disclosures, 2) asset disclosures contain so little information they are useless (e.g. they don't disclose assets of the immediate family, or cite real estate but not movable property, cash, salaries, and income from investments), or 3) asset disclosures are not available to the public. A 0 score is also earned where no law requires asset disclosures.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 48. In law, political parties are required to regularly disclose public donations (funds sourced from the government). A 100 score is earned where a law requires political parties to publish all public contributions. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 49. In practice, political parties regularly disclose public donations (funds that are sourced from the government) and the disclosures are easily available to the public. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) political parties disclose public donations within a month of received, and 2) they are easily available online or at the cost of photocopy. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) political parties don't always disclose public donations or disclose them more than a month of received, or 2) disclosures are not available online or the cost of paper versions is higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where political parties rarely disclose public donations.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 50. In law, political parties are required to regularly disclose private donations. A 100 score is earned where the law requires political parties to publish all private contributions. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 51. In practice, political parties regularly disclose private donations and the disclosures are easily available to the public. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) political parties disclose private donations within a one month of received, and 2) they are easily available online or at the cost of photocopy. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) political parties don't always disclose private donations or disclose them more than a month of received, or 2) disclosures are not available online or the cost of paper versions is higher than photocopying. A 0 score is earned where political parties rarely disclose private donations.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 52. In practice, media organizations (print, broadcast, online) disclose the identities of their owners to the public. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) major media organizations disclose the names of their owners to the public, and 2) the information is readily available to any citizen (online, in the newspaper, etc.). A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) only some major media organizations disclose the name of their owners or they disclose only some of the owners, or 2) the information is public but obtaining it takes two weeks or more. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) major media organizations don't disclose the names of their owners, or 2) the information is available only to the government.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 53. In practice, journalists and editors adhere to strict, professional practices in their reporting. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) major media organizations have a formal document with standards guiding journalistic work (Code of Ethics, Editorial Guidelines, Statement of Principles, Code of Conduct, etc.), 2) the document codifies standards for the use of anonymous sources, conflicts of interest, and impartiality, and 3) major media organizations enforce this document. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) some but not all major media organizations have a formal document, 2) the formal document contains only one of the three aspects mentioned in 100 (use of anonymous sources, conflicts of interest, and impartiality), or 3) major media organizations enforce this document but some exceptions exist. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) most major media organizations lack a formal document, 2) the formal document is vague and doesn't provide guidance on use of anonymous sources, conflicts of interest, and impartiality, or 3) major media organizations rarely or never enforce this document.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 54. In law, it is legal to report accurate news even if it damages the reputation of a public figure. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) it is legal to report accurate information on public figures regardless of the damage to their reputations, 2) journalists can only be convicted if malice is proved (a story was published even though the journalist knew it was false or didn't try to verify it). Note: Public figures include anyone in a position of responsibility in the government or civil service; political leaders; and leaders of civil society organizations, religious groups, trade unions, or large businesses. A 0 score is earned where no such law exists, or a law exists but it doesn't include all the conditions described in 100. A 0 score is also earned where the law establishes the presumption of bad faith for all comments deemed defamatory and/or the burden of proof falls to journalists.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 55. In practice, there is no prior government restraint (pre-publication censoring) and the government doesn't promote the media's self-censorship. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the government never prevents the publication of information, and 2) the government doesn't promote the media's self-censorship (e.g. with threats, discrimination in the application of tax laws, government advertising, etc.). A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the government occasionally prevents the publication of information, or 2) it occasionally encourages the media to self-censor (e.g. with threats, discrimination in the application of tax laws, government advertising, etc.). A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) the government usually prevents the publication of information, or 2) it usually encourages the media to self-censor (e.g. with threats, discrimination in the application of tax laws, government advertising, etc.).
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 56. In practice, there is no prior government restraint (pre-publication censoring) of citizen-created content online and the government doesn't promote the self-censorship of citizens online (in blogs, social media, etc.). A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) the government never prevents the publication online of information by citizens, and 2) the government doesn't promote citizens' self-censorship (e.g., with arrests, threats to prosecute, interrogations, etc.). A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) the government occasionally prevents the publication online of information by citizens, or 2) it occasionally encourages citizens to self-censor (e.g. with arrests, threats to prosecute, interrogations, etc.). A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) the government usually prevents the publication online of information by citizens, or 2) it usually encourages citizens to self-censor (e.g. with arrests, threats to prosecute, interrogations, etc.).
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 57. In practice, the government does not block (or require ICT firms to block) online content. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) there is no evidence that politically sensitive websites, keywords, search results or content are filtered, blocked or taken down, and 2) Web users in the country are able to access any website in the world without restriction. A 100 score can still be earned if child pornography or delinquent intellectual property websites have been taken down. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) a small number of sites, keywords or search results on a specific issue are blocked (blocking cannot include widely used Internet tools such as Skype, Google, YouTube, or Facebook/Twitter), or 2) citizens are occasionally unable to access certain websites (national or international). A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) politically sensitive websites, keywords, search results or content are usually filtered, blocked or taken down, or 2) Web users in the country are usually unable to access many websites without restriction, including widely used Internet tools such as Skype, Google, YouTube, or Facebook/Twitter.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 58. In practice, ministries and autonomous agencies have websites. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) all ministries and autonomous agencies (public service providers) have websites, and 2) are updated at least once a month. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) about half of the ministries and autonomous agencies (public service providers) have websites, or 2) the websites are updated less than once a month. A 0 score is earned where less than 10% of the ministries and autonomous agencies (public service providers) have websites.
More about this variableSub-score (0-100). Question no. 59. In practice, the public services regulatory agencies and the national ombudsman (when and if there is one) have websites. A 100 score is earned where all the following conditions are met: 1) all the public services regulatory agencies and the national ombudsman (if one exists) have websites, 2) the websites inform users of their rights and how to exercise them in a way that is easy to grasp for users with limited education, and 3) the websites allow users to file complaints online. Note: other digital methods to file complaints, such as mobile apps or phone lines, can also be considered for this indicator. A 50 score is earned where any of the following conditions apply: 1) some but not all the public services regulatory agencies and the national ombudsman have websites, 2) the websites contain little information about users' rights and how to exercise them or the information is difficult to grasp for users with limited education, or 3) the websites don't allow users to file complaints online. A 0 score is earned where at least one of the following conditions apply: 1) the public services regulatory agencies and the national ombudsman lack websites, or 2) the websites generally lack basic information about users' rights or how to exercise them.
More about this variableRule of Law. This sub-index from 0 to 100 is composed of: 41. In law, citizens have a right to request public information from state bodies. 42. In practice, citizen requests for public information are effective. 43. In practice, citizens can access legislative processes and documents. 44. In law, senior officials of the three branches of government (including heads of state and government, ministers, members of Parliament, judges, etc.) are required to disclose records of their assets and disclosures are public. 45. In practice, the asset disclosure process for senior officials of the three branches of government (heads of state and government, ministers, members of Parliament, judges, etc.) is effective. 46. In law, members of the civil service are required to disclose records of their assets and the disclosures are public. 47. In practice, the asset disclosure process for members of the civil service is effective. 48. In law, political parties are required to regularly disclose public donations (funds sourced from the government). 49. In practice, political parties regularly disclose public donations (funds that are sourced from the government) and the disclosures are easily available to the public. 50. In law, political parties are required to regularly disclose private donations. 51. In practice, political parties regularly disclose private donations and the disclosures are easily available to the public. 52. In practice, media organizations (print, broadcast, online) disclose the identities of their owners to the public. 53. In practice, journalists and editors adhere to strict, professional practices in their reporting. 54. In law, it is legal to report accurate news even if it damages the reputation of a public figure. 55. In practice, there is no prior government restraint (pre-publication censoring) and the government doesn't promote the media's self-censorship. 56. In practice, there is no prior government restraint (pre-publication censoring) of citizen-created content online and the government doesn't promote the self-censorship of citizens online (in blogs, social media, etc.). 57. In practice, the government does not block (or require ICT firms to block) online content. 58. In practice, ministries and autonomous agencies have websites. 59. In practice, the public services regulatory agencies and the national ombudsman (when and if there is one) have websites.
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