Background
Parliamentary Codes of Conduct and Parliamentary Ethics are two terms which are often used interchangeably, however, each are quite distinctive.
Parliamentary Codes of Conduct tend to be formal documents which regulate the behavior of legislators by establishing what is to be considered to be an acceptable behavior and what is not. It is intended to promote a political culture which places considerable emphasis on the propriety, correctness, transparency, and honesty of parliamentarians’ behavior. Parliamentary Ethics on the other hand, formulate broad principles of behavior but they do not define what is appropriate and nor what is inappropriate behavior, and they do not establish sanctions for violations of the code.
A number of GOPAC’s partner organizations have undertaken comprehensive studies of Codes of Conducts. The World Bank Institute, Westminster Foundation, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and UNDP have all examined the various types and typologies of Codes of Conduct adopted throughout the world.
Global Task Force
The dominant concern of GOPAC members that encouraged action on the a Code of Conduct, and who drafted and passed the Arusha resolution, was the low level of public trust in their parliamentary representatives, which in turn reduces parliamentarians credibility in playing effective legislative, oversight and, of course, representation roles. They therefore suggested an approach that strengthens parliamentary ethics, but also aims to strengthen public credibility in their playing their key governance roles.
This project aims at providing parliamentarians and public officials with concrete tools and means on standards of conduct and conflict of interests to develop and strengthen legislative ethics regimes based on the principle of transparency, accountability and integrity. Developing these tools and standards are crucial to foster public trust in and improve public perception of Parliament and its members and of public officials at large.
The Global Task Force will be led by Hon. Ghassan Moukheiber (MP, Lebanon, Member of ARPAC).
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