Agencia de Gobierno Electrónico y Sociedad de la Información y del Conocimiento

1 - Uruguay Corruption Observatory

Brief description of the commitment: creation of the Uruguay Corruption Observatory with the objective of monitoring, investigating, evaluating, raising awareness and making visible the phenomenon of corruption in Uruguay, through the generation and centralization of reliable and accessible information.

The observatory will seek to produce useful evidence for the design of public policies, promote citizen oversight, and strengthen institutional prevention capacities.

Organization leading the commitment: Board of Transparency and Public Ethics (JUTEP).

Supporting Institutions/Organizations: University of the Republic - School of Social Sciences – Research Group on Youth, Violence and Criminality in Latin America (JUVICAL).

Person in charge for the commitment: Ana María Ferraris Barrios, President of JUTEP. Contact: aferraris@jutep.gub.uy

Technical head: Beatriz Fernández, Legal Advisor to the President of the Board. Contact: bfernandez@jutep.gub.uy

Stakeholders:

1. Government: Not applicable.
2. Civil Society: Not applicable.
3. Other actors: University of the Republic – Faculty of Social Sciences.

Implementation period: September 2025 - June 2029.

Problem definition

What problem does the commitment intend to address?

This commitment seeks to address the lack of systematization, technical analysis, and public communication regarding corruption in Uruguay. Today, there is no institutional tool that centralizes information, studies its impacts, and generates knowledge for public action.

This problem affects the Uruguayan population, particularly those who depend on public institutions. Governmental authorities, officials, and oversight bodies are also affected by the lack of systematized information for conducting evidence-based assessments. The aim is to provide citizens with better tools for monitoring public resources. The goal is to prevent institutions from losing legitimacy and to ensure that corruption cases are not handled in isolation or reactively. The effects can worsen when there is a lack of transparency, and a deficiency of information and institutional credibility.

This problem occurs throughout the national territory, both in public administrations (national, departmental and municipal) and in the private sector.

What are the causes of the problem?

The problem is multi-causal and arises from the absence of a specialized tool that centralizes, processes and analyzes information in a continuous and technical manner from the Public Administration on the prevention and fight against corruption, the scarce production of applied knowledge on corruption in Uruguay, the weakness of inter-institutional articulation mechanisms, and the lack of a preventive and educational approach sustained over time, among other causes

There is currently no technical tool like the Observatory proposed in this commitment that centralizes, consolidates, processes and analyzes information from the Public Administration on corruption.

Description of the commitment

What has been done so far to solve the problem?

This commitment arose in 2025 as an innovative initiative between JUTEP and the research group Youth, Violence and Criminality in Latin America (JUVICAL) of the School of Social Sciences of the University of the Republic, which identified this deficiency and began the design of a technical strategy.

What solution does it propose?

The proposed solution to this problem is the creation and implementation of the Uruguay Corruption Observatory (OCU), a permanent tool, with technical-academic support, that consolidates data, analyzes the corruption and generates scientific evidence for public action and citizen participation through an inter-institutional agreement between JUTEP and the School of Social Sciences of Udelar.

What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment?

To systematize and centralize relevant data on corruption in Uruguay, based on official, academic and civil society sources.

To monitor the behavior and evolution of corruption crimes, generating indicators that allow the detection of patterns, risks and critical areas.

To produce technical evidence that serves as input to guide informed decisions in the design, evaluation and improvement of public policies.

To measure the social impact of corruption, including levels of victimization, citizen perception, and effects on institutional trust.

To contribute to the development of technical and institutional capacities, as well as to the development of civic competencies for control and informed participation.

To disseminate results and promote public debate, by strengthening transparency, a culture of integrity, and social control.

To contribute to the design of public policies, regulatory frameworks and specific actions, under the responsibility of the Board of Transparency and Public Ethics (JUTEP).

Commitment analysis

How will the commitment promote transparency?

It will contribute to transparency by centralizing, analyzing, and publishing key data and information on corruption in Uruguay. By systematizing indicators, statistics, research, and reports on risks, complaints, sanctions, perceptions, and regulatory frameworks, it will allow both citizens and public and private stakeholders to access data in open and understandable formats, reliable and up-to-date information, and, in turn, generate knowledge with a gender, territorial, and generational perspective.

It will publish reports, bulletins and research on a periodical basis.

How will the commitment help foster accountability?

It will strengthen accountability by providing tools that allow monitoring and evaluation of institutional behavior in the face of corruption, highlighting progress, omissions and critical areas.

By generating and disseminating evidence on institutional practices, regulatory frameworks, compliance with ethical standards and research results, the Observatory will act as an indirect social control mechanism, enhancing citizen oversight and public scrutiny concerning the actions of Governmental entities.

It will also constitute a technical input for control and oversight bodies, allowing them to act with more information and a preventive approach.

How will the commitment improve citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions?

By disseminating information through interactive media (infographics, networks, reports, among others).

By facilitating access to open databases for researchers, journalists, and social organizations. This access to generated information will enable citizens and social organizations to actively participate in monitoring and evaluating integrity policies and the fight against corruption.

Through activities on capacity building, dissemination, forums and public dialogue, the Observatory will promote a more informed, empowered citizenry committed to strengthening public ethics.