The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help strengthen the role of civil society in the fight against corruption through a technical assistance (TA) grant of 150,000 U. S. dollars, an ADB report said on Tuesday.

The TA will be undertaken in four of the 26 countries that have endorsed the ADB-OECD Anti-Corruption Action Plan -- India, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Philippines, according to the report.

The TA will provide small grants to civil society organizations (CSOs) to demonstrate their role in improving transparency and accountability, and fighting corruption.

"The fight against corruption cannot be won without citizens' support, participation, and vigilance. The media, civic and business association, trade unions, and other nongovernmental actors play a crucial role in fostering public discussion of corruption and increasing awareness about the negative impacts of corruption," said ADB Vice President Geert van der Linden.

The TA capitalizes on the role of CSOs as innovators, mobilizers, and monitors in support of effective measures to combat corruption. It will give voice to civil society, and demonstrate the value of partnerships between government, civil society and ADB, said the report.

Source: Xinhua