Strengthening Integrity, Democracy, and the Fight Against Corruption in Vulnerable Sectors

To promote research, development and professionalization of associated individuals and organizations, through the creation of a collective space that allows for debate, exchange of experiences, promotion of research, establishment of appropriate regulations, certification and general interaction of its members.

The initiative “Strengthening Integrity, Democracy, and the Fight Against Corruption in Vulnerable Sectors” aims to empower citizens — particularly youth and Afro-descendant women — to actively participate in building more transparent, inclusive, and accountable democracies. Its objective is to bridge the gap between citizens and institutions by strengthening capacities to identify, prevent, and report corruption, while promoting civic engagement, accountability, and cross-sector collaboration.

The initiative brings together a diverse and highly committed group of actors within a robust collective action framework:

• Public sector, including key institutions such as the Office of the Comptroller General (Contraloría General de la República), the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Public Defense, the Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice (TSJE), and national and local youth secretariats, strengthening transparency, accountability, and citizen oversight mechanisms.
• Private sector, including companies such as Central S.A. de Seguros and other business actors, promoting corporate integrity, ethical leadership, and the adoption of compliance practices within organizational environments.
• Civil society, including organizations such as Kuña Afro, ENJUVES (Youth for Escazú), Fundación Vida Luz, the Junior Chamber of Asunción (JCI Paraguay), as well as community and youth leaders, advancing social accountability, inclusion, and participation at the local level, particularly among historically underrepresented groups.
• Academia, including the National University of Asunción — Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences (FACEN) and Faculty of Law (San Juan Bautista campus), Universidad Americana, and student organizations, contributing knowledge, civic education, and spaces for youth engagement.
• International cooperation, including the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and Alliance for Integrity, providing technical support, strategic alignment, and linkage to international integrity standards.
• Direct beneficiaries: secondary and university students, as well as Afro-descendant women — particularly from communities such as Kamba Cuá —who are empowered as agents of change and active participants in democratic governance processes.

The initiative implements an innovative collective action model based on three pillars:

1. Capacity Building and Empowerment: In-person and digital training programs on democracy, rights, integrity, and reporting mechanisms, targeted at youth and Afro-descendant women.
2. Technology for Transparency: Development of a web-based application and an educational platform that facilitate access to public information, secure reporting, and continuous learning.
3. Multisectoral Governance: Establishment of dialogue platforms, public meetings, and forums that bring together the public sector, private sector, academia, and civil society to co-create solutions and strengthen accountability.