Summary

In recent decades, states have increasingly used peer review mechanisms to evaluate their compliance with international anti-corruption standards and commitments. Immense efforts and technical skill go into producing these evaluations, which generally culminate in reports that identify gaps and recommendations for improved practice. However, the evaluations’ findings are often underutilized, providing an opening for corruption to undermine political, judicial and electoral processes.

In turn, corruption within these processes undermines prospects for sustainable development, corrodes the social fabric, weakens public institutions, strangles the business environment and fuels instability and conflict.

Made possible with support from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and the Central and Eastern European Law Initiative Institute’s Piercing the Veil: Using Peer Reviews in the Fight Against Corruption is a guide for turning analysis into action. Civil society organizations, international organizations, donors and other stakeholders can use the guide to maximize the impact of peer reviews to combat corruption. It walks readers through a series of practical activities to help them understand the review processes, analyze and synthesize the reports they yield, amplify important messages, set priorities for anti-corruption initiatives and engage in action planning to drive meaningful change.