SAN SALVADOR–Under the Partnership for Growth, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Transparency and Governance Project, held another session of the “Ethics Culture for University Students Program”. In this occasion, Over 150 university students attended a USAID-sponsored ethics forum delivered by the Chief Justice of Puerto Rico, Federico Hernández Denton.

The forum is part of a five module program with the National University of El Salvador, Alberto Masferrer University, Francisco Gavidia University, Dr. José Matías Delgado University and the Technological University to promote ethics and youth leadership. The courses promote policies to prevent and combat public and private, accountability and rule of law, access to public information, citizen participation, values ​​and ethical principles, and effective use social networks and technology to influence a culture of transparency. The modules are taught by national and international professionals and consist of interactive workshops, conferences and forums with leaders from different sectors.

The ethics forums support the goals of the Partnership for Growth (PFG) agreement between the U.S. government and El Salvador to reduce crime and insecurity and expand economic growth and opportunities.  Improving government accountability and transparency, citizen access to information, and citizen participation are key commitments under PFG.

With a total investment of $7.9 million for the period 2009-2014, the USAID Transparency  and Governance Project provides technical assistance and training to government, civil society, and the private sector to implement anti-corruption measures, comply with international conventions against corruption, and to promote ethical values ​​among public and private sector employees.

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