The 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reveals that corruption levels have stagnated worldwide at a time when human rights and democracy are also under attack.
More corrupt regimes tend to deliberately suppress the civil and political rights of their citizens, and when these rights are weak, people are less able to tackle corruption.
Transparency International’s research also shows a stark correlation between corrupt regimes and the murder of human rights defenders. Of the hundreds of human rights defenders murdered in 2020, 98 per cent occurred in the 23 countries with high levels of public sector corruption – or a CPI score below 45.
Of the 23 countries that significantly declined on the CPI since 2012, 19 also declined on their civil liberties score.
Meanwhile in Australia, the latest CPI report has given Australia’s its worst-ever score. Australia is now in 18th place, scoring just 73 points on the 100-point scale.
Access the report here: 2021 CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX (CPI) - TIA (transparency.org.au) (External link)