The Influence of External Funding on the Effectiveness of Civil Society Organizations in the Fight Against Corruption – a Case Study of Transparency International Kenya

Abstract

As more patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Kenya commence antiretroviral therapy, healthcare workers have made efforts to reach out to populations that are both hidden and more prone to acquiring HIV. One of the aforementioned populations is Male Sex Workers (MSW). This study’s aim was to look into the association between depression and utilisation of HIV infection prevention, treatment and care services in the midst of MSW, who exclusively sell sex to men. This study was conducted among male sex workers at the Coast HIV Resource Centre in Mombasa County. This study was governed by four objectives: to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of MSW at the Coast HIV Resource Centre, to determine the depression status of MSW at the Coast HIV Resource Centre, to describe the utilisation of healthcare services among MSW at the Coast HIV Resource Centre in Mombasa and to determine the relationship between depression status and utilisation of HIV infection prevention, treatment and care services at the Coast HIV Resource Centre in Mombasa. This was a cross-sectional study employing both qualitative and quantitative methods and had 281 respondents. Quantitative data were collected using structured researcher administered questionnaires and data entry done using Epi data 3.0 and exported into SPSS 25.0 for further analysis and presented in tables, pie charts, bar graphs, and prose form. Qualitative data were analysed using NVivo version 12 to categorise and organise information, examine relationships in the data by combining the analysis with linking, searching and modelling. The study observed that most of the respondents were aged 20-24 and the prevalence of clinically significant depression was at 25.4%. (No depression56, Mild depression 118, moderate depression 45, severe depression 14).More than half of the respondents (52.8%) mentioned that

health provider attitudes hinder utilisation of HIV infection prevention, treatment and care. This study has found out that fear of stigma, violence and discrimination play a role in preventing male sex workers from accessing health services. Societal stigma may also have a hand discouraging the use of health services due to incidences such as verbal harassment, physical assault and blackmail. The study observed that the respondents experienced stigma from healthcare providers, reinforcing the necessity of mitigation and intervention as regards stigma. Though the prevalence of depression among the respondents was low, the study recommends integration of mental health services to be included in the existing prevention, care and treatment services. This will benefit both their sexual and mental health. This study also recommends the sensitization and training of both government and private healthcare providers on the appropriate ways of providing health services to the MSW population. It further recommends training for police and prison officers who are likely to come in contact with these populations when they are in their custody. This training will be a critical step in not only preventing new infections, but also ensuring that those who are infected with HIV have access to the Corruption is a societal problem that continues to thrive unabated, despite the policy and legislative overdrive against it in Kenya. As a result, the government’s effort to eliminate corruption has been welcomed with lots of cynicism and suspicion. The government has been accused of manifesting insufficient political will in addressing corruption, as demonstrated by the deeply entrenched political impunity in public service. This has led to the capture and manipulation of key state institutions and processes of governance undermining public service delivery and the quality of citizens’ livelihood. The government has therefore lost the credibility to lead the fight against corruption to the Civil Society. Civil Society Organizations depend on external funding to conceptualize and implement anti-corruption projects that include among others compelling the government to fight corruption effectively. This study therefore sought to assess the influence of external funding on the effectiveness of Civil Society Organizations in the fight against corruption, by determining the influence of funding from: (1) International Development Agencies (IDAs) and (2) Foreign Embassies (FEs) on the effectiveness of Transparency International Kenya in the fight against corruption. The study utilized Hegel’s theory on civil society and employed an exploratory research design using Transparency International Kenya as a case study. Both primary and secondary sources of data were utilized. Purposive sampling technique was employed in the collection of primary data, to identify the target population from whom data was gathered through administration of questionnaires and oral interviews. In the analysis of data both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were utilized. The study established that there is a positive relation between external funding from both International Development Agencies and Foreign Embassies, and the effectiveness of Transparency International Kenya. For instance, the study established that an increase in funding from IDAs & FEs strengthened and enhanced TI Kenya effectiveness. When TI Kenya had more funds, the study findings showed that the organization’s capacity and ability to undertake more and quality anti-corruption activities was greatly improved. Some of the key anti-corruption activities undertaken by TI Kenya as a result of funding from both IDAs & FEs include; undertaking quality anti-corruption research, support the formulation, review and enforcement of both anti-corruption and accountability related policies and legislations, conduct anti-corruption public awareness campaigns & citizens’ empowerment initiatives, build nascent anti-corruption partnerships, networks & coalitions for collective anti-corruption efforts

supporting and strengthening integrity and ethics initiatives in county governance and lastly building internal excellence as an anti-corruption organization. The study concluded by recommending that external funding should continue and should be increased as it plays an important role in enhancing CSOs’ effectiveness in combating graft. In addition, the study recommends the utilization of core funding as the best model for funding CSOs compared to the project funding model. appropriate care and treatment even when in confinement.