Anti-Corruption and SDGs
Introduction
Corruption undermines human development. It diverts public resources away from the provision of essential services. It increases inequality and hinders national and local economic development by distorting markets for goods and services. It corrodes rule of law and destroys public trust in governments and leaders.
The financial and economic costs of corruption are enormous: US$1 trillion are paid in bribes per year (The World Bank Institute) and there were US$1.8 trillion in illicit financial flows from Africa between 1970 and 2008 (Global Financial Integrity, 2010). The UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) is the first legally binding instrument against corruption. As of 12 July 2017, UNCAC has 182 State Parties.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) now make an explicit link between corruption and peaceful, just and inclusive societies. SDG 16 and its targets on reducing bribery, strengthening institutions and accessing information are not only valuable aspirations in their own right, they are also vital conditions for the achievement of all the 17 goals. UNDP’s approach aims at strengthening anti-corruption institutions and systems, supporting the implementation of UNCAC, mitigating corruption risks in essential sectors, and strengthening the collective actions of governments, civil society and the private sector in fighting corruption.
Featured Publications
(New Publication) New Technologies for Sustainable Development: Perspectives on Integrity, Trust and Anti-Corruption
View the publication hereThe 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has brought immense opportunities to leverage digitalisation and technological innovation to meet many development challenges. In the area of anti-corruption, technology has become one of the greatest allies for preventing and tackling corruption, not only through detecting, analysing and monitoring corruption but also through promoting effective, […]
New UNDP Resource Guide: Building Transparent and Open Public Procurement Systems for Achieving the SDGs in ASEAN (2021)
View the publication hereCorruption poses a significant threat to economies around the world. It weakens institutions, erodes public trust, undermines fair competition, and discourages investment. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), approximately 10 to 25 percent of all funds spent globally on procurement are lost to corruption. As a result, […]
UNDP Support to the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
UNDP Support to the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals August 2014 There is an imperative today to foster sustainable development. A vision for what this encapsulates is laid out in the new sustainable development agenda that aims to end poverty, promote prosperity and people’s well-being while protecting the environment by 2030. As the UN’s […]
UNDP Global Anti-corruption Initiative (GAIN) 2014-2017
UNDP Global Anti-corruption Initiative (GAIN) 2014-2017 August 2014 To achieve the objectives of UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2014-2017) and respond to the growing demand from programming countries for policy and programme support on anti-corruption, UNDP launched its Global Anti-corruption Initiative (GAIN) (2014-2017) at the start of 2014. GAIN builds on the successes of the Global Thematic […]
Discussion Paper: Building Transparency, Accountability and Anti-corruption into the Post 2015 Development Agenda
Discussion Paper: Building Transparency, Accountability and Anti-corruption into the Post 2015 Development Agenda 2014 Today, there is growing evidence and awareness about the impact of transparency and accountability for citizens to enjoy effective service delivery. These linkages have been widely aknowledged by different international and national stakeholders addressing the role of effective insitutions in fosterting […]
Asia Pacific Human Development Report 2008 – Tackling Corruption, Transforming Lives
Asia Pacific Human Development Report 2008 – Tackling Corruption, Transforming Lives 2008 Asia Pacific Human Development Report 2008 – Tackling Corruption, Transforming Lives: Corruption is increasingly being challenged as unacceptable across Asia and the Pacific. This report shows why eliminating corruption that plagues people’s daily lives must become a priority. The police, social services, and environment are areas […]
Corruption and Development: A primer
Corruption and Development: A primer December 2008 This primer explores the relationship between corruption and development including economic growth, poverty, human rights, gender, governance, human development, environment and sustainable development. It considers how UNDP could integrate anti-corruption principles and strategies with its technical assistance to reduce poverty, realize the MDGs and promote sustainable development. This publication […]