In 2009, CIPE faced a broad variety of challenges in Asia, with some countries showing encouraging signs of democratic consolidation and others demonstrating the fragility of their democratic institutions. One of CIPE’s key efforts was a program with local partners in China to provide a safe space for public discussion on democratic and economic policy reform. Additionally, CIPE Pakistan partnered with a wide variety of chambers of commerce, business associations, and civil society groups to strengthen advocacy skills through workshops and capacity building. CIPE promoted awareness of issues related to corruption and public governance in Indonesia and the Philippines. In Bangladesh, Burma, Mongolia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, CIPE focused on strengthening the ability of business and civil sector groups to make their voices heard in the policymaking process through effective advocacy strategies.

More than 150 women business leaders attended the “Women Leadership Conference” in Lahore, Pakistan, sharing experiences on their leadership roles as democratic activists in civil society.

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Sheherbano Burki of Nur Concepts (top) leads a session on characteristics of leadership at the “Women’s Leadership Conference.” Another participant reads the Pakistan activities report, which documents CIPE Pakistan’s work with business associations, women entrepreneurs, youth, economic journalists, and corporate directors.

CIPE Pakistan’s work in 2009 focused on strengthening chambers and associations, emphasizing the importance of corporate governance, and developing a corps of reliable and informed economic and business journalists. Through a growing network of partners and programs, CIPE Pakistan has been building local capacity and supporting efforts to bring the government and the business community together in working relationships. By helping the business community improve institutional operations and advocate for legal reforms, CIPE Pakistan has helped to create a more competitive environment for chambers of commerce and business associations. In 2009, CIPE Pakistan hosted more than 40 events on association development, corporate governance, economic journalism, and women’s economic participation.

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International organizations often note that the Philippines suffer from some of the worst corrupt practices in the world. Corruption at the local government level is especially disruptive to smaller firms and community groups, even though it may attract fewer headlines than national government scandals. The Institute for Solidarity in Asia’s (ISA) performance governance system (PGS) is an effective transparency and accountability tool for more than 40 local governments across the Philippines. When a city adopts the system, officials work through broad-based community consultation to design specific public policy goals, an action plan to accomplish them, and performance metrics by which to measure progress. As a sign of improved democratic participation, community groups and business associations are now an established part of the local policymaking process. This, in turn, strengthens the incentives of public officials to improve transparency, foster economic growth, and improve the quality and reliability of public services. In 2009, CIPE supported ISA’s work to implement the PGS in municipal-level governments and to expand the system to national public agencies.

Ambassador Caesar Bautista (left), former Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom and long-time ISA fellow, welcomes private sector leaders as new members of the ISA Society of Fellows.

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BWCCI President Selima Ahmad (left) presents the mayor of Rajshahi, Bangladesh with a copy of the WNBA.

Women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh suffer from many barriers to entry when starting a business: cultural and social taboos, regulatory obstacles, and a lack of institutional capacity to advocate effectively for change. Without a voice in the democratic process, they are often excluded from reform efforts. In 2009, the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) grew as a strong advocate for women entrepreneurs – membership increased more than 17 percent, adding 300 members for a total of 2,000. BWCCI also worked to give women across the country a voice by launching the Women’s National Business Agenda (WNBA) and advocating for the specific policy priorities it identifies. The WNBA, developed by a BWCCI-led coalition, focuses specifically on social, capacity- based, and fiscal barriers to women entering the marketplace. Altogether, the WNBA offers more than 20 specific suggestions on democratic and economic reforms that will create a women-friendly business environment in Bangladesh.

BWCCI members from Dhaka and around Bangladesh work together to set the agenda for an upcoming meeting of the WNBA coalition.

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The future success of economic and democratic freedom in Nepal depends on a strong and vibrant youth voice for reform and active participation from young people in the private sector. Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation is helping university-aged students develop their knowledge of democratic and economic reform. Through five workshops for 120 young people in 2009, Samriddhi introduced concepts of economic freedom and free market principles, advocacy, and civic leadership. The workshops, or “Arthalayas,” also helped the participants understand the path toward creating and running their own businesses. Students heard from local entrepreneurs and business leaders and simulated running their own businesses. Samriddhi’s work to educate young people about market economies, efficient governance, transparency, and running a business is helping them discover and define the roles that they can play to further economic and democratic growth in Nepal.

A student participant at an Arthalaya workshop. She and her peers practiced running their own businesses and shared ideas about market economic principles, entrepreneurship, and advocacy.

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Much of Indonesia’s post-independence history has been defined by large-scale corruption at the highest levels of government and collusion between political elites and industrial conglomerates. This reliance on fraud and unethical business practices has impeded democratic consolidation and sustainable economic growth. CIPE partner Indonesia Business Links (IBL) – a leading independent, non-partisan think tank – has been tackling some of the many problems associated with corruption in Indonesia by promoting awareness of corporate governance concepts and ethical business practices. To push back against the culture of corruption in Indonesia, IBL conducts increasingly popular training workshops on business ethics and management for companies in more than 15 cities across Indonesia.

Although the majority of IBL’s training efforts have been directed at small and medium-sized enterprises, 2009 was an important year of expansion to some of the largest corporations in the country. IBL held a series of workshops on business ethics and anti-corruption with the senior management of the largest state-owned energy company in Indonesia, Pertamina, as well as with the senior management of Pertamina’s network of suppliers and vendors. Participants learned about corporate social responsibility and business ethics, with a particular focus on procurement and facilitation payments. Pertamina has subsequently incorporated IBL’s training programs into its new corporate compliance program, “Pertamina Clean.” Other large companies, such as the water services company Palyja, have reached out to IBL to request training programs for their management and employers. By reducing the likelihood that businesses and citizens will rely on fraud and informal practices, IBL is contributing to the democratic consolidation underway in Indonesia.

An interview and discussion on IBL’s radio program, Fighting Corruption is the Solution for the Country.

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