TNRC How-to Guide: Strengthening internal controls to prevent corruption in illegal wildlife trade enforcement

This guide was developed for program managers and donors who seek to understand and assess the strength of internal control functions in government agencies responsible for enforcing laws against illegal wildlife trade (IWT). It provides detailed steps and guidance based on experience implementing assessments of internal controls, but a scan of the guide may also be helpful for conservation practitioners who want to understand more about how internal controls systems should work to reduce risks posed by corruption. Such an assessment can aid strategic efforts to enhance the integrity of government operations and to reduce the negative impact of corruption on the enforcement of IWT laws. Though this guide focuses on IWT, the same approach can be useful in other areas of natural resource management, such as forests and fisheries.