Corruption diverts crucial resources, hampers essential services, enables organized crime, and deepens inequalities and grievances.
It encompasses a broad range of activities, including the misuse of public power, office or authority for private benefit; bribery; extortion; influence peddling; nepotism; fraud or embezzlement.
Perhaps you couldn’t see a doctor you urgently needed because you were unable or unwilling to offer a bribe. Or possibly you were denied a job because you lacked the right family connections. Maybe you can no longer eat the fish from your local lake because a company dumped chemicals into the water – and got away with it by paying off an official.
Or perhaps you, like millions of other people around the world, have had another brush with corruption – and as a result, you’ve lost trust in your government or were deprived of your rights and access to services.
But its impacts extend far beyond any one individual. Corruption also impoverishes countries and stifles economic growth and allows organized crime, terrorism and other illegal activities to flourish.
UNODC serves as Secretariat to the UN Convention against Corruption, the world’s first and only legally binding anti-corruption instrument.
UNODC also works with countries to improve anti-corruption laws and enforcement; strengthen the ability of institutions to expose and investigate corruption;
recover stolen assets; promote business integrity; reduce corruption in international investments and more.
