Congo - Kinshasa
City of Bukavu (Democratic Republic of Congo)
01-02-2021
Start of the practice: February 2021, End of the practice planned: September 2025
30-09-2025
The "Strengthening Integrity in the Democratic Republic of Congo" program aims to fight corruption and promote transparent local governance for participatory and inclusive democracy. It focuses on four innovative approaches: celebrating honest public servants, innovating democratic initiatives, creating community-based solutions, and investing in art to change behaviors. This program has had a significant impact in Bukavu and beyond, mobilizing thousands of people and enhancing civic participation through projects such as Integrity Icon, accountability workshops, and artistic and civic actions.
The "Strengthening Integrity in the Democratic Republic of Congo" program, launched in Bukavu in 2021, aims to broadly promote a culture of integrity and accountability within public institutions and Congolese society as a whole. It pursues several specific objectives: identifying and celebrating honest civil servants, strengthening participatory democratic culture through innovative initiatives, creating community-based solutions in decentralized territorial entities, and investing in art as a vehicle for behavioral change. The program seeks to restore citizens' trust in their leaders, encourage civic participation, and contribute sustainably to local development.
The "Strengthening Integrity in the Democratic Republic of Congo" program, implemented in the city of Bukavu (1.2 million inhabitants), mobilizes a wide range of actors from various social backgrounds. It adopts a participatory and inclusive approach, particularly targeting young people aged 18 to 35 through "accountability incubators" (a one-year training and support program for youth with big ideas on accountability), while also involving all state civil servants through the Integrity Icon initiative. The program also works closely with local authorities, community leaders, artists, and volunteers engaged in civic awareness.
Over the first three years of implementation, 5,496 citizens participated in the nomination process of icons, 70 youth volunteers were mobilized, 35 young project leaders were supported, and more than 50,000 people were reached through communication campaigns and community engagement.
This practice was presented during the 18th edition of the OIDP Award in 2024. Despite the ongoing conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has deeply affected the region, this experience remains a testament to the substantial efforts made toward institutionalizing democracy and good governance.
The "Strengthening Integrity in the Democratic Republic of Congo" program is an ambitious local initiative led in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province. This city, once a symbol of prosperity and modernity in eastern DRC, is currently experiencing development setbacks due to a lack of integrity in public management and weak community participation. In response to these challenges, Accountability Lab DRC launched a flagship project in 2021 structured around four key approaches: Integrity Icon, Accountability Incubators, Art for Change, and Civic Action Teams.
Integrity Icon allows the population to nominate civil servants known for their honesty. After a preselection phase and legal background checks, these "icons" are highlighted through audiovisual productions shared on social media and celebrated at public summits. To date, over 5,000 citizens have participated in nominating 14 exemplary civil servants, engaging more than 70 youth volunteers and reaching nearly 170,000 people.
Accountability Incubators target young project leaders fighting against corruption and promoting transparency. Through high-quality training, mentoring, technical support, and seed funding, these young people develop high-impact local initiatives. Over three years, 35 young people have been trained and supported in this dynamic. Art as a driver of change, through the Art for Change project, brings together musicians, filmmakers, and artists to spread messages of integrity, civic participation, and peace. In 2023, three singers were supported during the elections, and 18 films were produced—some of which received international recognition.
Civic Action Teams serve as a bridge between citizens and local authorities. "Community associates" are trained to collect data on electoral and tax accountability, which is then analyzed and shared with the public during town hall meetings. These efforts have raised awareness among more than 9,000 people and led to the publication of over 320 informational materials. They also contributed to a 7% improvement in local tax revenue collection and the completion of six community projects.
This program is part of a broader effort to transform social norms and build unlikely networks for change, relying on decentralization, civic engagement, and digital technologies (via the KOBE COLECT app for monitoring and evaluation). It enjoys growing support from public institutions and civil society and now stands as a model of democratic innovation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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