UNODC and corruption
Corruption is a com 
plex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries. The United Nations Convention against Corruption is the first legally binding international anti-corruption instrument. The Convention provides a unique opportunity for mounting a global response to a global problem. For more information about the Convention against Corruption, follow the link.
The UNODC Global Programme against Corruption is a catalyst and a resource to help States effectively implement the provisions of the Convention. It assists States with vulnerable developing or transitional economies by promoting anti-corruption measures in the public and private sector, including in high-level financial and political circles. 
"Everyone has a role to play, not only Governments, but also parliamentarians, businesses, civil society, the media and the average citizen. Corruption hurts us all, therefore fighting it is a shared responsibility"
Antonio Maria Costa, UNODC Executive Director
In his statement at the Bali Conference against Corruption held in January 2008.
Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental 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. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the "start-up costs" required because of corruption.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption provides an opportunity to develop a global language about corruption and a coherent implementation strategy. Although a multitude of international anti-corruption agreements exist, their implementation has been uneven and only moderately successful. This Convention gives the global community the opportunity to address both of those weaknesses and begin establishing an effective set of benchmarks for effective anti-corruption strategies. The Global Programme against Corruption of UNODC is a catalyst and a resource to help States effectively implement the provisions of the Convention.
A rapidly growing number of States have become parties to the Convention. The primary goal of the anti-corruption work done by UNODC is to provide States with practical assistance and build the technical capacity needed to implement the Convention. Efforts will concentrate on supporting Member States in the development of anti-corruption policies and institutions, including preventive anti-corruption frameworks.
Main areas of work:
Technical assistance: Projects undertaken in the framework of the Global Programme against Corruption have a specific global logic, leading to the identification of good practices and the production of materials that are not only relevant to one specific country or limited geographic context, but are able to inform policymaking and strategic planning worldwide. The Global Programme functions as a focal point for the UNODC field office network in the development and implementation of anti-corruption projects designed to support Member States build local capacities in the long run.
Through the Global Proramme against Corruption, UNODC supports the Judicial Integrity Group, an association composed of chief justices and senior judges, in the development of standards and policies to strengthen judicial integrity and capacity. In 2002, the Judicial Integrity Group adopted the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct, which the Global Programme will help to implement.
Policy development and research: Through the Global Programme against Corruption, UNODC contributes to programmes and projects that identify, disseminate and apply good practices in preventing and controlling corruption. It has also produced several technical and policy guidelines, including the Anti-Corruption ToolKit. The Global Programme has facilitated the production of assessment publications based on information collected during country missions. Both through the International Group for Anti-Corruption Coordination and bilateral relations, UNODC engages with other agencies in its anti-corruption work. For example, the UNODC Anti-Corruption Unit is working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization on the development and implementation of measures and tools to assist small and medium-size enterprises in protecting themselves against corruption. Finally, the Anti-Corruption Unit has partnered with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute on a project for the development of a guide on best practices and the creation of an electronic library for the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Anti-Corruption Unit continues its efforts to coordinate and facilitate the development of benchmarks, methodologies and approaches for a global assessment of corruption, as well as anti-corruption efforts.
Awareness-raising and outreach:
Public awareness materials are produced that can be used globally in anti-corruption campaigns by UNODC field offices, Governments, non-governmental organizations and other civil society organizations. Special attention is paid to corruption-related issues on 9 December, every year, on the occasion of the International Day against Corruption to raise awareness about the problem of corruption.
The text of the United Nations Convention against Corruption
In: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government: Building Trust in Government
26-29 June 2007, Vienna, Austria - more...
Problems of corruption became a very serious problem to be handled, this should involve many parties. But more important is the desire of the authorities who have a great desire to eradicate all forms of corruption.
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