Unfortunately, most countries have made little to no progress in tackling public sector corruption, according to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released last month by Transparency International.
The CPI global average remains unchanged at 43 for the twelfth year in a row, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50. This indicates serious corruption problems.
"Corruption will continue to thrive until justice systems can punish wrongdoing and keep governments in check," said François Valérian, chair of Transparency International, in a statement. "When justice is bought or politically interfered with, it is the people who suffer. Leaders should fully invest in and guarantee the independence of institutions that uphold the law and tackle corruption. It is time to end impunity for corruption.”
The organization said it calls on governments to give justice systems the independence, resources and transparency needed to effectively punish all corruption offences and provide checks and balances on power.
“Corruption worsens social injustice and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable. In many countries, obstacles to justice for victims of corruption persists," said Daniel Eriksson, CEO of Transparency International, in a statement. "It is time to break the barriers and ensure people can access justice effectively. Everyone deserves fair and inclusive legal systems where victims’ voices are heard at every stage. Anything else is an affront to justice.”
This slideshow highlights the rankings from Transparency International and the general information comes from the Freedom Report 2023 from Freedom House.
This slideshow highlights just a part of the survey, so check here for the full details.