TIRANA, Jan. 14 – More than 38 percent of Albanian civil servants believe that corruption is prevalent or very prevalent in the civil service with men more than women being aware of corruption incidence, according to a UNDP survey. Similar to Kosovo, favoritism, nepotism and patronage seem to be the most common corrupt practices.
The survey shows only 11 percent admit they have witnessed corruption but 23 percent of participants refused to answer to this particular question. More men than women have been asked to engage in corrupt practices. Many participants explain this difference with the traditional roles and responsibilities, higher moral stigmatization of women, and stronger social and political networks and support among men. Most of those civil servants that have witnessed corruption do not report it, primarily because it is difficult to prove, they lack trust in respective authorities or fear retaliation.
“Women more often than men, see gender inequalities manifested within the civil service. They are 3 times more sensitive towards gender inequalities in the access to all sectors and hierarchical levels than men result to be,” the survey notes.
Women are twice more sensitive towards unfair share of workload in terms of working hours and similarly in regards to differences in the promotion processes. However, the largest gender gap in opinions is on the inequalities related to participation and involvement in policy – and decision-making processes (22 percent women vs. 6 percent men report this kind of gender inequalities) as well as in the opportunities to grow professionally through international events and exchanges (20 percent women vs. 4 percent men report for gender inequalities in these aspects).
UNDP Country Director, Yesim Oruc Kaya said that progress in gender equality and balanced participation of women and men in all levels of decision-making in civil service correlates positively to reduced corruption, therefore she encouraged participants to view investment in gender equality as an important and cost-effective complement to other government efforts to combating corruption.
The UNDP survey included civil servants from ministries of health, education, foreign affairs and urban development and tourism.
