EFFORTS are being made by Transparency International (TI) Fiji to encourage communities in the Western Division to think about the causes of corruption and how to combat it at grassroots level.
TI Fiji's Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) staff will delivering interactive workshops in Navua, Lautoka and Ba from today to educate people on the impacts of corruption.
ALAC program director Davina Chan said workshop participants would learn about different forms of corruption and the national and international laws that prohibited corrupt practices.
"Participants will think about how corruption can adversely affect their lives and their communities.
"They can also learn how they can respond individually and collectively to address corruption if they face it," Ms Chan said.
Ms Chan said the focus of the workshops was empowerment.
"Some people may feel that they can't respond to or report corruption if they encounter it.
"Or they may regard some practices as acceptable because that's just the way things usually operate," she said.
She said people might not be aware of the long-term damage and destructiveness of corruption.
"TI Fiji's workshops are all about making people aware and providing advice on how they can say 'no' to corruption," Ms Chan said. Five separate workshops will be delivered by TI Fiji over three days as part of a regular outreach to provide advice and assistance to rural communities.