How bad is corruption, and what can be done? Based on expert opinion, the Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 covers 177 countries. While a handful perform well, not one country gets a perfect score. More than two-thirds score less than 50. The need for greater accountability is clear, and leaders cannot look the other way. But recognising the problem is only the first step – governments need to turn pledges into actions. All citizens deserve bribe-free services, and leaders that are answerable to the public, not to powerful friends.
From children denied an education, to elections decided by money not votes, public sector corruption comes in many forms. Bribes and backroom deals both steal resources from the most vulnerable and undermine justice and economic development, and destroy public trust in leaders. But while the results of corruption are clear, the real extent of the problem is harder to pin down. Corruption is shadowy and secretive by nature. The CPI measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in countries worldwide, scoring them from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Covering 177 countries, the 2013 index paints a worrying picture.
Key Findings:
- Scoring less than 50 out of 100, almost 70 per cent of countries are perceived to have a serious corruption problem. No country achieves a perfect score.
- The least corrupt countries are Denmark and New Zealand at 91.
- The most corrupt countries are Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia at 8.
