Resource information
Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power to acquire illicit benefit for private gain. Corrupt practices in the context of land administration and land management have come to be known as ‘land corruption’. As with all other forms of corruption, it thrives in the dark corners of closed systems where transparency is lacking, and accountability can be avoided.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide the opportunity and the means to reimagine how land-related data is stored and accessed. Technology can help to shine light into the darkest recesses of the systems used to record and track land ownership and management.
The global land governance community has piloted a series of initiatives using ‘open data’ – information that is available, accessible and usable by everyone – to counteract land corruption around the world. These initiatives are helping to increase transparency and foster accountability, at all levels, through the use of new and emerging digital technologies.