scholarly journals The Global Fund: why anti-corruption, transparency and accountability matter

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihao Chang ◽  
Violet Rusu ◽  
Jillian C. Kohler

Abstract Background The creation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, also known as the Global Fund, was prompted by the lack of a timely and effective global response, and the need for financing to fight against three devastating diseases: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. During the formation of the Global Fund, necessary anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability (ACTA) structures were not put in place to prevent fraud and corruption in its grants, which resulted in the misuse of funds by grant recipients and an eventual loss of donor confidence in 2011. The Global Fund has instituted various ACTA mechanisms to address this misuse of funding and the subsequent loss of donor confidence, and this paper seeks to understand these implementations and their impacts over the past decade, in an effort to probe ACTA more deeply. Results By restructuring the governing committees in 2011, and the Audit and Finance; Ethics and Governance; and Strategy Committees in 2016, the Global Fund has delineated committee mandates and strengthened the Board’s oversight of operations. Additionally, the Global Fund has adopted a rigorous risk management framework which it has worked into all aspects of its functioning. An Ethics and Integrity Framework was adopted in 2014 and an Ethics Office was established in 2016, resulting in increased conflict of interest disclosures and greater considerations of ethics within the organization. The Global Fund’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has effectively performed internal and external audits and investigations on fraud and corruption, highlighted potential risks for mitigation, and has implemented ACTA initiatives, such as the I Speak Out Now! campaign to encourage whistleblowing and educate on fraud and corruption. Conclusions From 2011 onwards, the Global Fund has developed a number of ACTA mechanisms which, in particular, resulted in reduced grant-related risks and procurement fraud as demonstrated by the decreased classification from high to moderate in 2017, and the reduction of investigations in 2018 respectively. However, it is crucial that the Global Fund continues to evaluate the effectiveness of these mechanisms; monitor for potential perverse impacts; and make necessary changes, when and where they are needed.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihao Chang ◽  
Jillian Kohler

Abstract Background: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis has been a key international organization in improving the health of those affected by the three big diseases. It was created during a time of health crisis and did not have the necessary anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability (ACTA) structures in place to prevent fraud and corruption in its grants, which resulted in misuse of funds by grant recipients and loss of donor confidence in 2011. Almost one decade later, this paper seeks to describe the ACTA mechanisms within the Global Fund and their results. Results: At the highest level, the Board of Directors has restructured the Global Fund’s governing committees in 2011 and in 2016 to its current Audit and Finance, Ethics and Governance, and Strategy Committees. This has helped to delineate committee mandates and to strengthen the Board’s oversight and direction on operations. In addition, the Global Fund has adopted a rigorous risk management framework and has worked risk mitigation into all aspects of functioning. An Ethics and Integrity Framework was adopted in 2014 and an Ethics Office was established in 2016, resulting in increased conflict of interest disclosures and greater ethics considerations within the Global Fund. The Office of the Inspector General of the Global Fund has been effective in performing internal and external audits and investigations on fraud and corruption, suggesting changes to mitigate future risks, and implementing novel initiatives, such as the I Speak Out Now! campaign to encourage whistleblowing and to educate on signs of fraud and corruption. Finally, the “eyes and ears” of the Global Fund, the Local Fund Agents, have been involved in exposing fraud and corruption during the implementation of Global Fund grants. These mechanisms have reduced grant-related risks and procurement fraud in particular. Conclusions: Over the past decade, the Global Fund has developed a number of ACTA mechanisms. It will be critical that the Global Fund continues to monitor and evaluate how effective these mechanisms are and to make changes, when and where needed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1299-1310
Author(s):  
Mohammad Esteki ◽  
Taghi Javdani Gandomani ◽  
Hadi Khosravi Farsani

The distributed Agile development approach has been accepted by software companies due to its promised benefits. However, due to the controversial nature of distributed and Agile development, significant challenges arise from spatial, temporal, social, and cultural differences between distributed teams. Scrum, as the most popular Agile methodology, assumes that team members work together in the same room. But this principle does not apply in a realistic scenario where Scrum teams are distributed in different locations. Hence, proposing a risk management framework is necessary in order to succeed such teams. The purpose of this research was to propose a risk management framework in Scrum using the PRINCE2 methodology, which includes the perceived risks in distributed Scrum projects and their causes and roots for managing these risks. By embedding distributed Scrum in delivery layer of PRINCE2 and considering perceived risk factors, along with a hybrid model, a risk management framework was suggested. This framework has been used in a case study, and the results showed its proper functionality in detecting and eliminating potential risks in the case under study. Also, using this framework led to higher team efficiency in terms of increasing the number of completed user stories in each sprint.


Author(s):  
Ghaleb Y. Abbasi

A comprehensive risk management framework (RMF) was developed and introduced to help management deal with the project risks in today’s changing world using a well-defined process. Several projects were analyzed to determine their causes of failure and identify risk elements. The RMF consisted of six phases; project identification, risk identification, risk assessment, response development, contingency planning, and implementation and control. Each process must be tailored to the particular circumstances of the project and of the organization undertaking it. The RMF treated risks in a structured process starting by identifying the project and the potential risks, assessing these risks and responding to each risk. Using such an approach management can identify potential risks that may affect the project and respond proactively. The developed framework is comprehensive and applicable for any project type.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-77
Author(s):  
V. E. Zaikovsky ◽  
A. V. Karev

Project success depends on the ability to respond to risks and make correct decisions in a timely manner. The project approach provides a better framework for implementing a new management system into the company’s business processes. The risk management framework developed by the company comprises a risk management infrastructure, a set of standards, human resources, and a risk management information system. To improve staff compliance, it is necessary to provide training and to communicate the goals of the project effectively. It is also important to develop a motivation system because well trained and motivated staff are able to work more efficiently.


Ergonomics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 927-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Salmon ◽  
A. Williamson ◽  
M. Lenné ◽  
E. Mitsopoulos-Rubens ◽  
C.M. Rudin-Brown

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