GLOBAL CORRUPTION BAROMETER - Asialink

6. Conclusions
The Global Corruption Barometer offers policy makers,
business and the anti-corruption community a unique
opportunity to assess over time the state of corruption, as
reflected in the opinions and experiences of ordinary people.
The 2009 Global Corruption Barometer shows that bribery
levels around the world are still too high: around 10 per cent
of the general public reported paying a bribe in the previous
year, and the most vulnerable appear to be hardest hit. What
is more, incidences of petty bribery appear to have increased
rather than decreased in several countries since 2005.
Finally, reporting on bribery takes place at worryingly low
levels – with only about a quarter of citizens taking any
action against corruption. A lack of reporting can be linked to
insufficient, complicated or inaccessible complaint mechanisms.
It may also reflect social pressures or a lack of awareness
of the damage that corruption causes: ultimately,
citizens need to feel that filing a complaint is the right thing
to do. It is up to governments, the private sector and other
stakeholders in the anti-corruption movement to make
citizens more aware of the harm caused by every bribe, not
only to their pocket, but also to society.
Around the globe, ordinary citizens are unconvinced by their
governments’ anti-corruption efforts and have become
particularly disillusioned with the private sector and its
perceived role in influencing policy, in capturing the state and
subverting the public interest. While this sceptical view is no
doubt a reflection of the widespread lack of transparency that
contributed to the financial crisis that began in 2008, there is
some good news on the horizon. Respondents from most
countries reported that they are willing to pay a premium for
clean business. Companies should take note: there is a market
value in adhering to the highest standards of anti-corruption
in word and action.
Perceptions of many public institutions remain negative. The
public continues to identify political parties as the institution
most tainted by corruption, while the direct experiences of
respondents indicate that the police, followed by land services
and the judiciary, are most likely to take bribes. The result is
that key institutions in society, in particular institutions
central to the integrity and accountability of government and
for guaranteeing people’s rights, are compromised. There can
be little doubt that corruption undermines the legitimacy
both of government and those who govern in many countries.
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