1. 1   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9             ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION    SIERRA LEONE       2019  PAY NO BRIBE   INTEGRATED             COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY     FINAL                                     
                    
                      10. 10   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     Integrated   PNB   i nformation   and   stories   on   b ribery   and   corruption ,  disseminated   through   TV  programmes in Freetown with onward transmission  across   the country.      3.   Online and Social Media Presence and Profile   Soci al media   used   internally   to ensure sharing of information within   ACC ; and  externally   to disseminate  bribery and corruption  information with different stakeholder groups , including SABI partners at District  level .    a)   Externally,  ACC  has   (or  is  developing)   pag es  on  Facebook , Dropbox,  YouT ube  and  Sound  Cloud   for  posting and  sharing  corruption  messages , events and news .       4.   Outreach work for Community engagement   A  key  component  of  the  Communications  work  is  the  engagement  of  communities,  individuals  and  groups  by   ACC  PEOs .  ACC  o utreach  activities  introduce  audiences  to  anti - corruption  information  including   P ay  N o  B ribe   messaging ; demonstrate use of the 515 phone call and mobile app; and answer  individual queries.      5.   Pr int Media   For  li terate,  largely  urban - dwelling  c itizens,  responsible  print  media  to  convey  information  about  bribery   and  corruption ,  including  PNB .  Content  will  comprise  f eatures,  op - eds,  and  news  articles  to  encourage citizens to engage in a more in - depth debate around corruption, its causes and its re asons.  In  house articles will use   content from a range of sources .   .      MONITORING   AND    EVALU ATION  OF    TH E  PN B   INTEGRATED  COMMUNICATIONS  STRATEGY       ACC  M&E  unit  will  periodically  monitor  t he  implementation  of  the  PNB  integrated  communications  strategy  and  its   overall contribution to  ACC   communications  goals.         
                    
                      12. 12   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     ANNEX TWO:  PN B  COMMUNICATIONS   MESSAGES       ANTI - CORRUPTION MESSAGES   -   INTEGRATED PNB STRATEGY      GENERAL MESSAGES  –   Translate into Krio an d local language         1   It’s your right to access Free Healthcare    2   Say NO to corruption  –   you have a choice     3   Corruption hurts us all, Pay No Bribe   4   Help eradicate the culture of CORRUPTION  –   FIGHT bribery     5   Anonymous  -    CALL   TOLL FREE   515   6   Corru ption, your NO counts         
                    
                      11. 11   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9       ANNEX ONE:  ACC  INT EGRATED PNB  COMM UNICATIONS OPERA TIONAL PLAN       2019 Communications Integrated PNB Operations Plan    Component    Radio   Nationwide airing of PNB Theme tune 1/ week    Fortnightly PNB m agazine/discussion programmes aired nationwide = 2 programmes/month   30 minute radio discussions integrating PNB  -   4/month WA; 2/month x 19 district stations   Nationwide airing of PNB Theme tune 1/ week    Fortnightly PNB magazine/discussion programmes aire d nationwide = 2 programmes/month   30 minute radio discussions integrating PNB  -   4/month WA; 2/month x 19 district stations     Press   PNB integrated news articles and features (in house)     Publicity   IEC PNB integrated banners   PNB Integrated Posters larg e    PNB Integrated Posters small   PNB integrated stickers    PNB integrated leaflets      ACC Outreach   Community Outreach in 5 districts  - 2/month   ACC monthly PNB integrated mass sensitisation in 16 districts       PNB Integrated Meet the School Campaign   50  schools/academic year   Integrity clubs  5 regions x 2 terms   Accountability Now clubs 5 regions x 10m                                     
                    
                      9. 9   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     COMMUNICATION TECH NI QUES TO BE EM PLO YED     Nationwide  coverage  is  a n   ACC  priority   with   a   variety  of  communications  techniques  applied   to  meet  this aim.      For  wide  coverage  and  sustainability ,   citizens   will  continue   to  be  encou raged  to  independently  phone  the  free  515  number  or  use  the  mobile  app.  This  message  is  integrated   into  all  ACC  communication s  outputs .  The  strategy  also  includes  the   extensive  use  of  social  media,  increasingly  important   among  younger  age  groups.      IEC Mat erials     En gaging and informative  Information, Education, and Communication ( IEC )   Materials , will support the   dissemination of  integrated corruption   messages to wider audience s .   IEC materials will be   produced  in  Krio,  and  made  will  be  made  available  in  for mats  that  can  be  understood  by  both  non - literate  and  literate audiences .       The Communication Operations Plan ( Annex 1 ) details the range of IEC materials produced for different  audiences. These comprise:        Banners   (using  graphics   where relevant);       Posters a nd stickers      Wristbands     PNB  messages  integrated  into  genera l  anti - corruption  IEC  materials,   produced  in  sufficient  quantities  for  outreach activity with different audience types  and  containing appropriate messaging.     1.   Radio   Content   Strategically, r adio  rema ins   a core   element of the comm unication s strategy ,   with the  greatest potential  to   maximis e   both  reach  and  sustainability.  Radio  has   the  largest  network  of  any  communications  medium ,  listened to by a  broad  range of  citizens   including   women , bike riders   and  people living in rural  areas 4 .  81 %   of  Sierra  Leoneans  access  radio,  47%  listen  to  it  on  a  daily   basis .  Fractured  Radio  listenership means however  th at   no single station reach es   a national audience. Around 50 radio stations  are currently broadcasting, with  many having  a  limited, local  audience . Different stations are popular in  different parts of the country .    In order to reach  a maximum  audience  ACC   will  continue to  work with a number of broadcast partners   and   use diversified formats to achieve nationwide c overage .  The ACC will be integrating PNB messaging  into weekly Corruption programmes  as well as allocating fortnightly slots to specific PNB programmes.  The   Communications Operations Plan (Annex 1)  describes  the   range of radio formats, including jingles, a   PNB   signature  tune, 90 - second public service   announcements, and panel discussions. In particular, radio  discussions  will  be  brief  (30  minutes)   and   include  a  PNB  signature  tune,  vox  pops,  jingles,  and  opinion  leader endorsements to  attract   listeners’ atte ntion.       Further  opportunities  identified   by  the  ACC  to  work  with  other  communication s   programmes  and  content  producers  during  201 9 .   By  February  2019   however ,   ACC  will  be  airing  self - produc ed  r adio  content using its  audio   booth ; providing greater independe nce and reduced production costs.     2.   TV Content                                                         4   BBC Media Action 2015   
                    
                      3. 3   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9       INTROD UCTION     Corruption  is  an  insidious  plague  that  has  a  wide  range  of  corrosive  effects  on  societies.  It  undermines  democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, ero des the quality  of life and allows  organized crime,  terrorism and other threats  to human security to flourish.   (UNITED  NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION)     Corruption in Sierra Leone is a significant impediment to the  G overnment’s ability to meet the n eeds of  its citizens and develop the economy. It permeates almost every sector of Sierra Leone’s public services,  compromising citizens’ access to basic public services and institutions such as health, education and  police.      Bribery  and  petty  corruption  o ccurs  at  numerous  levels  and  for  many  reasons.  Conditions  that  contribute  to  its  prevalence  include  economic  factors,  particularly  poverty;  social  factors  such  as  cultural practices; political entitlement by bureaucrats and politicians; and administrative  ineffici encies.  A  culture  of  bribery  is  perpetuated  by  citizens ’   belie f   that  they  cannot  get  anything  done  without  paying.  B ribery  represent s   a  significant  drain  on  poor people’s  household  income ,  particularly  when  regular  health  and/or  education  services  are  required .  G eneral ly,   bribes  are  higher   in  more  remote  areas.     The  Anti - Corruption  Commission,  established  in  2000,  has  committed  to  a  proactive  and  strategic  approach to preventing corruption and strengthening public trust in its work.  It takes a thre e - pronged  approach to the fight against corruption  –   prevention, education and prosecution.       In keeping with the  current SLPP  government’s commitment to tackle  both grand and petty corruption   and  bribery  in  key  service  areas,  the  ACC  shares  data  on  corru ption  trends  with  relevant  MDAs  on  a  quarterly  basis.  ACC  expects  MDAs  to  use  the  information  to  address  corruption  at  source  through  administrative  or  systems reforms.    The  ACC website  and  a  range  of  media  will  publish  reporting  data  and   MDA responses to  citizens .     The  ACC   PNB platform   provides   an anonymous mechanism for citizens to report incidents of bribery in  MDAs through:      a toll - free hotline phone number (dial 515)      a mobile app that can be downloaded and       the ACC website www.anticorruption.gov.sl     Com munications  work  underpins  all  ACC  outreach  work  and  aim s   to   tackl e   public  sector  bribery  and  grand  corruption  in  Sierra  Leone.    The  deployment  of  a   variety  of  tools  and  medium   maximise  the  dissemi nat ion of   corruption messages to all population groups   in o rder   to  inform the  public , strengthen  confidence in the ACC, and to  increase  sustainability   of its work .     An update to t he 2018   PNB communications strategy took place   in   October 2018 . This   process  reflect s   an   ACC  desire  to  integrate  PNB  messaging  into  its   general  communications   and  outreach  materials  following  the  end  of  DFID  funding  for  PNB  in  December  2018.  It  also  reflects  the  2018  change  in  G overnment   and   its  oft - stated   commitment   to   tackle   all   forms   of   corruption,   especially   grand  corruption.            
                    
                      2. 2   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     CONTENTS PAGE     INTRODUCTION   3   COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES   4   IMPLEMENTATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES   Error! Bookmark not defined.   TARGET AUDIENCES   6   REACHING TARGET AUDIENCES   6   STRATEGIC MESSAGES   Error! Bookmark not defined.   WHAT WILL SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?   Error! Bookmark not defined.   COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES TO BE EMPLOYED   9   SUPPORTING PNB DELIVERY THROUGH TRAINING   Error! Bookmark not defined.   MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY   10   Annex One: The  PNB Integrated   Communications Operational plan   11     Annex Two : PNB Communications Messages                         14         Tables     Table 1  Strategy Implementation Activities   ................................ ................................ ................................ .   5   Table 2: Engaging Different Tar get Groups   ................................ ................................ ................................ ..   7     
                    
                      8. 8   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     STRATEGIC MESSAGES     For  the  communications  strategy  to   succe ed ,  public  reporting  of  corruption  through  the  ACC  must  be  perceived  as  easy,  safe  and  free.  All  ACC  communications  will  therefore  make  clear  that  “Reporting  corruption  using  the  ano nymous  515  line   does   not  result  in  the  caller  being  identified ,  nor  the  person  being reported , nor the  name of the facility being reported .   Reporting  is free, it  does not cost anything.”   This is critical  in   building  public  trust in the ACC and  to  maximisin g the number of reports received.     The ACC will develop messages  around the following themes :      Corruption  taken  seriously :  the  Sierra  Leone  Government  is  proactive   in   tackl ing   public  sector  corruption  as well as grand corruption.        W ork ing   together :   the ACC,   public sector , civil society,   and Sierra Leone citizens have the power to  reduce corruption in the public sector .        Corruption disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable in society.      ACC  regional  staff  will  collect  s uccess  stories  and  conc rete  actions  derivi ng  from  their  anti - corruption  work  and  proactively  share   them  in  the  public  domain  to  demonstrate  progress.  They  will  use   social  media (where  possible ); print media; radio s hows; and/or fed into the story  lines of radio drama.       Flexibl e application of c ommunications messages  will help to ensure  that feedback and lessons learned  may   be adaptively applied.  This will largely occur through outreach in the following ways:      PEOs  will  work  with  the  ACC  monitorin g   team  to canvas  citizen  percepti ons  of  corruption  plus   other  concerns during  q uarterly monitoring visits ,   including   FGD.   Results  captured in both M&E  and PEO reports.      Where  applicable ,  PEOs   will  follow  up  on  specific  points  expressed  by  citizens  with   individual  interviews .  These  will   exp lore   whether  or  not  people  read/listen  to/understand  corruption   messages,  and  the  extent  to  which  some  message s  and/or  formats  are  more  usef ul .   F indings  will  help  modify messages or other communications content to ensure  ongoing   relevance.        WH AT WILL SUC CESS  LOOK  LI KE?     Key deliverable s  detailed below :       Citizens of Sierra Leone       Reduced b ribery and corruption in Sierra Leone       Citizen  belief  that  their  active  participation  in  the  fight  for  better  service  delivery  will  make  a  difference  to  corruption   level s.        The impact of p ublic pressure   and engagement  on service delivery agents  will reduce both the level  of  bribe   requests and the amounts paid.       ACC       Improv ed  ACC reputation as a provider of high quality educational content that  positively influences   citiz ens   to combat corruption.             
                    
                      4. 4   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     COMM UNICATION OBJ ECTIVES     The  Overall   O bjective   of   the  ACC  Integrated  Communications  Strategy  is ;   C ontribute  to  an   overall  reduction    of    grand    and    petty    corruption   in  Sierra    Leone .   T hrough    effective    and    targeted  communications,   ACC   will  promote   those  behaviour  changes necessary  in   achiev ing   sustainable  change  to   corrupt practise s .        Implementation of th is   Strategy   focus es   around  four  strategic  approaches :    1/   Develop  effective ,   integrated  public  education  and  outreach   materials   (principally  targeted  at  citizens , users and potential users of services)   2/   S trengthen MDA information and responsiveness (principally tar geting MDA officials, managers  and service delivery agents)   3/   Expand the scope of ACC communications to include all MDAs, the private sector ,   and per sons  with unexplained wealth    4/   Expand  scope  and  release  of  public  interest  information  such  as  monies  recovered,  number  dismissed , numbers successfully prosecuted.      Strategic Approach 1: Actions      Integrate PNB into  selected ACC  IEC in order to maintain P NB ’s   profile amongst citizens        12% of all radio programming  to be  focused on PNB (i.e. 2 prog ramme s/month); PNB messaging  integrated in to   general anti - corruption radio programming      30 %   of all radio output to be produced in - house .        PNB messaging to be inte grated into ACC regional mass sensitisation on corruption issues      PNB messaging to be integrated into Meet the Schools work      Develop new IEC materials  focusing   on grand corruption .      Strategic Approach 2: Actions      In  liaison  with  NACS  team  develop  and  publish   monthly  press  briefings  on  actions  taken  by  MDAs in response to public reports to PNB. Ensure coverage in the press plus nationwide radio      Develop   and  publish   quarterly  public  briefing  papers  on  sums  recovered   from  the  prosecution  of grand and lesser corru ption cases , plus   numbers successfully prosecuted      Strategic Approach 3: Actions          Capture  appropriate  anti - corruption  messages  for  public  dissemination  during  the  planning  of  monthly  o utreach   meetings.        Conduct  an  outcome  assessment  of  every  public  meeti ng   using   structured  questionnaire s   and  vox  pops.     Strategic Approach 4: Actions      Monthly/ Quarterly   press   briefings  on  successful  prosecutions,  indictments,  monies  rec overed ,  numbers transferred or dismissed     IMPLEMENTATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES     The  20 19  strategy  will  be  ACC  implement ed  in  alignment  with  collaborati ve   and  complementary  engagement  by   other   Sierra Leonean institutions   to deliver the  strategy plan  objectives.  T hree groups of  actors   have  been  identified :  i)  ACC  Officials;  ii)  CSOs ;   iii)  Bro adcasters  and  media  associates   who  will  work closely with CSOs and ACC.  T able  1  below indicate s major   areas of activity .       
                    
                      6. 6   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9     service         charters.  S upport  MDAs /IMCs   in  following  up  on  specific  and general responses to  bri bery reports        Engage        responsive  officials  at  district  level  to      help      reduce  corruption  and  bribery  in particular facilities      Lobby   officials   and/or  facilities           where  appr opriate   to   raise  awareness of bribery and  corruption   services .     to  respond  to  criticism  throug h radio or  print         TARGET AUD IENCES       ACC has identified ta rget communitie s   at district and national levels .     The primary target audiences for the  ACC  are:      Immediate users of  public services  in Sierra Leone   –   i.e. men, women and youth       Citizens  working  w ith  other  governance/ anti - corruption  programmes  (e.g.  SABI ,   SSN  ( Social  Safety Net programme ) .      Service delivery   officials   in the following agencies: Health ,   Education,  Sierra Leone   P olice   (SLP) ,  Ju stice  Sector ,   EDSA   (electricity),  SALWACO  (water  in  distric ts)  and  Guma  Water   (Freetown)  plus, over time, additional  service  sectors including the private sector .      Officials  within  the  target  public  sectors,  especially  senior  MDA  managers  and  civil  servants  within  Health ,   Education,  SLP ,  Judiciary,  EDSA   (electricit y),  SALWAC O  (water  in  districts)  and  Guma   (water in Freetown)       Politicians, Paramount Chiefs  and   traditional rulers, leaders and decision makers      Local government and politicians, traditional rulers, and decision maker      School going children       REACH ING  TARGE T AUD IENCES     The  Integrated  Communications  Strategy  identif ies   different  audiences .  It  also  identifies  how  each   audience  receive s   and absorb s   different types of information; and   key messages promoted to different  audiences through n umerous   ACC  communicatio n channels .   Evidence  drawn from similar programmes  highlights the effectiveness of combining media work with public outreach in order to engage rural and  illiterate  audiences  in  particular 1 ,  and  of  not  relying  on  single  interventions 2   to  achieve  sustainabl e  behavioural outcomes.  Below is a listing of the broad approaches applied by ACC:                                                        1     Andrew Skuse, Diane Rodger, Gerry Power, Domenic Friguglietti Mbus, Tait Brimacombe (2013),  ' Communications for Development Intervention s in Fragile States: A Systematic Review '   
                    
                      7. 7   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9       Table  2 : Engaging Different Target Groups 3     Target group   How to reach them   Pregnant  and  lactating  mothers,  U5s   Visit PHUs/MCHs/DHMT   PNB  Integrated   posters/IEC materials   ACC   and collaborative partners attend   health centres to raise awareness   Radio, town hall meetings, trade fairs   School children   Comic posters   Kids and teen shows/programs   Debate, Drama & Quizzes (DDQ)   Sustained engagement by AC C   Oka da riders   Stickers   Engage ment /dialogue meetings with the union executives   Pop music   WhatsApp/social media   Secondary messaging through riders   Drivers   Lorry parks   Same as O kada riders   University students   Public lectures   Strengthen Accountability Now Clubs  as peer educators   WhatsApp, Facebook   Embed   corruption   sensitization   into   public   functions/events  –   eg.   during  orientation   Posters on campus   Chiefdom   structures  –   WDC,  VDC, FMCs, etc   Engage with other   chiefdom network structures  e.g .   SABI  Restless Developm ent  and Christian Aid partners; Action Aid etc .     Establish    MOUs    with    likeminded    agencies    e . g .   RD    and    CAID    plus  Accountability Consortium and Service Delivery   Religious leaders   Promote  dialogue  with   RLs   to  integrate  corruption  into  Sunday  sermons,  Friday  p rayers and religious broadcasting    Strengthen  RL  endorsement and participation in anti - corruption activities   Develop appropriate corru ption messages quoting Bible, Qu ran   Market women/traders’ union   Engage the union   Use comedians in market places   Use Drama /Radio that women listen to   CSOs   Invite to attend meetings e.g. existing quarterly coordination meetings   Radio   Joint advocacy/sensitisation activities   MDAs/other service providers   Encourage public endorsement of  anti - corruption   Sign integrity pacts   Unem ployed youths   Engage  at  the  lorry  park,  attire  base,  poyo  bars,  ghettos,  trade  fairs,  car  wash,  music, WhatsApp, football games, cinema halls   General population    Persuade  national  celebrities  –   footballers,  musicians,  etc.  to  endorse  anti -   corruption   mess ages                                                                                                                                                                                     2     Haider,  Huma; McLoughlin, Claire; Scott, Zoe, (2011),  ' Topic Guide on Communication and Governance' , GSDRC   3   For details and costings for the activities in the table, see the Communications Operations Plan in Annex 1   
                    
                      5. 5   |   P a g e   I n t e g r a t e d   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9         Table  1   Strategy Implementation Activities   Detailed  objectives   ACC Actions   CSO Actions   Broadcasters   and  Med ia   Associates  Actions   Develop  effective  public   education  and information      De velop   relevant,  quality         broadcast  content/IEC   materials/  social media content for  outreach     to     both  literate and non - literate  audiences     in     Krio   integrating          PNB  messaging.      With  partn ers ,   develop  and      deliver      key  corruption   messages      Use           monitoring  techniques ,      including  FGD   to   capture  perceptional       change  arising   from   communication  initiatives      Collect  success  stories  and   other   narratives  that  demonstrate  how  ACC  outreach  materials   influen ce   behaviour  change   of     service  delivery  officials  and/or  influencing          MDA  responses.          Deliver   relevant   outreach  products   in  Krio   to  convey  corruption   messages  to  a  wider  range  of  citizens  in  both   hub   and   non - hub  districts.      In  partnership  w ith  ACC,  develop  and   deliver   key   corruption   messages      Use  monitoring  techniques  that     capture     unusual  methodologies    such    as  cartoons, soap operas etc.        Broadcast  information in a  range         of  formats to help  citizens  become  more  aware  of  corruption   and  bribery   including  PNB       Mai ntain  public  profile        of    bribery      and  corruption    by  reporting     on  corruption   and  PNB stories and  following  up  on  small  and  large   corruption   cases      Introduce     an  Independent  Media  Commission  Award  for  best  journalism    on  corruption  issues.      Strengthen  MDA  info rmation   and  responsiveness           Engage  with  MDAs  at  district  level  in  specific  initiatives   to   improve  accountability        and  transparency      Improve           public  knowledge    of    MDA       Where useful, existing MDA  Service  Charters   will   be  simplifed  and  provided  with  a n   FAQ   section   which  provides answers on how to  procure  various  government     Publicise  stories  targeted      at  MDAs        to  demand  accountability;      Invite    service  delivery  officials