Governments across the world make laws and implement policies to check corruption as it undermines democratic institutions and slows economic development. Corruption affects electoral processes, perverts the rule of law and creates bureaucratic quagmires.
In several countries, corruption scandals have led to dislodging of governments or senior politicians losing their posts.
In order to raise awareness of corruption, International Anti-Corruption Day is observed every year on December 9. This day also highlights the role of United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing corruption.
Theme of International Anti-Corruption Day 2020
This year’s theme for International Anti-Corruption Day is “Recover with Integrityâ€. The theme emphasises the urgent need for countries to ensure that anti-corruption is an integral part of all sustainable development efforts. Through this theme, the United Nations urges world leaders to build greener economies, end poverty, invest in women’s empowerment and gender equality and provide Universal Healthcare Coverage.
The UN believes that the COVID-19 pandemic creates enormous opportunities for corruption to thrive because of weakening of oversight mechanisms and relaxation of safeguards under emergency protocols.
Background
United Nations General Assembly on October 31, 2003, adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which entered into force in December 2005, and also designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day. The Assembly, on that, requested the Secretary-General to designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties.
What the stats say
According to UNDP, businesses and individuals pay an estimated US$1.5 trillion in bribes every year. Besides, at least US$500 billion is lost to corruption in the health sector annually. The money lost in health sector is more than the total cost of global Universal Health Coverage.
What the leaders and organisations have to say on International Anti-Corruption Day 2020
“On International Anti-Corruption Day, all of us – governments, businesses, civil society and all stakeholders – must resolve to work together to promote accountability and end corruption and bribery for a more just and equal world,†said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that India has “put behind a culture of scams and impunity to usher in an era of development with integrity.†He has asked people to renew the pledge of continuing on the path of development with integrity.
Here are some more tweets:
During crises like COVID-19
, corruption thrives. We call on all States to not trade compliance & oversight for speed and flexibility during #COVID19 rapid response. To RECOVER with INTEGRITY we need to stand #UnitedAgainstCorruption.
— UNDP Myanmar (@UNDP_Myanmar) December 9, 2020
It will be seen how the current policies will help the world do away with corruption in the coming years.
