TERMS

Accountability: The notion that individuals who commit crimes against humanity should be held
accountable for their actions, either by the state they occurred in or by the international
community. Political accountability means the responsibility or obligation of government to act in
the best interests of society. Legal accountability concerns the mechanisms by which public
officials can be held liable for actions that go against established rules and principles.
Autocracy: A system of government in which a single person has the authority and power to rule
over others in a relatively defined boundary or territory.
* Bribery: Bribery is the act of offering someone money, services or other valuables, in order to
persuade him or her to do something in return. Bribery is corruption by definition. Bribes are also
called kickbacks, baksheesh, payola, hush money, sweetener, protection money, boodle, gratuity,
etc. Bribery is widely criminalized through international and national laws. Active bribery refers to
the offense committed by the person who promises or gives the bribe; as contrasted to “passive
bribery,” which is the offense committed by the official who receives the bribe.
* Checks and Balances: Usually refer to the institutional mechanisms for preventing power
abuse. Often, they are constitutional controls whereby the three branches of government
(executive, legislative and judiciary) and other state institutions have powers over each other so
that no single branch will dominate.
Civil Society: A collective term for nongovernmental, mostly non-profit groups that help their
society at large function while working to advance their own or others’ well-being. It can include
civic, educational, trade, labor, charitable, media, religious, recreational, cultural, and advocacy
groups. A strong civil society, or “public space,” can protect individuals and groups against
intrusive government. Some definitions do not consider the media, most of which is for profit, to
be part of civil society but rather a tool that can promote civil society.
* Corruption: While there is not a universally recognized definition of corruption, many
practitioners in the field use Transparency International’s definition, or “the abuse of entrusted
power for private gain.” In international law, a person commits the criminal act of corruption when
he or she “promises, offers, or gives” undue benefits to a public official “in order that the public
official act or refrain from acting in the exercise of his or her official duties.” If a public official
solicits or accepts such an undue advantage, that also counts as corruption.
Democracy: A state or community in which all members of society partake in a free and fair
electoral process that determines government leadership, have access to power through their
representatives, and enjoy universally recognized freedoms and liberties. Democracy building or
democratization is the exercise of consolidating and strengthening institutions that help to support
democratic government. These institutions may relate to rule of law initiatives, political party
development, constitution building, public administration development, and civil society education
programs.
Development: In general, development is the process of improving people’s lives. Originally, the
term focused on the goal of greater economic prosperity and opportunity. But it now typically
includes efforts at human development that take into account such issues as governance,
education, the environment, and human rights.