The International Anti-Corruption Day is observed by the United Nations every year on 9 December. The theme for 2014 is "Break the Corruption chain", which aims at highlighting how corruption affects every phase of the democratic system and results in world-wide instability.
"Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes," the UN Said in a statement ahead of the event.
The event came into existence after the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption on 31 October 2003 and also designated 9 December as International anti-Corruption Day in order to raise awareness of corruption around the world.
Here are 5 interesting facts to know about corruption:
- According to the World Bank Institute, around $1,000 billion are paid in bribes per year.
- Corruption can cost a country up to 17 percent of its GDP, the Asian Development Bank said in a 2009 report.
- According to a widely cited report from Global Financial Integrity, 2010, around US$ 1.8 trillion illicit money flowed from Africa between 1970 and 2008.
- According to the latest Transparency International report on Corruption Perception index, the top 5 most corrupt countries are Somalia, North Korea, Sudan, Afghanistan and South Sudan.
- The least corrupt countries in 2014 are Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland.
To mark the Anti-Corruption Day, here are Top 10 Inspiring Quotes by famous personalities on the evils of Corruption.
"If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher."
-- APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India."The duty of youth is to challenge corruption" --Kurt Cobain, Singer
"Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it's set a rolling it must increase." -- Charles Caleb Colton, English cleric, writer and collector
"There is no compromise when it comes to corruption. You have to fight it." -- A. K. Antony, Indian politician.
"Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country." --Karl Kraus, Austrian writer and journalist
"I was put into office by the people who believed in my idea that corruption is the root of poverty; that an end to corruption would mean an end to poverty."-- Benigno Aquino III, 15th President of the Philippines
"Corruption is a true enemy to development." --Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia since 2009
"The worst affected from corruption is the common man." --Kailash Kher, Indian singer.
"What is it about the government and its agents and employees that they can lie to us with impunity, but we risk being sent to jail if we lie to them?"
― Andrew P. Napolitano, Senior Judicial Analyst for Fox News Channel"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet."
― Mahatma Gandhi, Indian freedom fighter."Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power."
― John Steinbeck, American author
