Ex.4 p.

152
People have been either fighting corruption or have been victims of
it for decades. So, we should accept it as a feature of life and carry on or
try to fight it where we can. Some studies show how reform-minded
governments and civil society organizations have contributed to
reducing corruption in their specific contexts or laid important
foundations that can be built on by others.
Virtually every continent, from Asia to Africa, Europe and the
Americas, faces perpetrators who bypass or exploit weaknesses in
existing laws and regulations to execute schemes, which have been
increasing in scale and sophistication. Corruption undermines the
credibility of the public sector and erodes trust in governments and their
ability to steer a country to achieve high economic growth and shared
prosperity. It often weakens the impact of public service delivery,
adversely affecting all citizens, especially the poor.
The spotlight is on the capacity and integrity of the public sector --
not just in managing the health crisis but also in dealing with the
economic and social impacts of the pandemic.
Drawing studies from around the world, all is not lost and it is
possible to reduce corruption risks even in the most challenging
environments. The complex nature of corruption means that technical
solutions and added compliance measures will usually be insufficient. A
good understanding of the historical origins, social norms, and political
culture are often critical to design impactful policies and institutional
structures that can support their implementation.
 At the same time, one must acknowledge the potential challenges
from the forces that benefit from the status quo. There will be resistance
owing to the strong interplay between power, politics, and money. The
scope for reformers to make changes will therefore be constrained by the
limits of their political influence. It could be a long and frustrating
journey with two steps forward and one step backwards.
There is no single formula or magic bullet to address corruption.
For example, open government reforms can be effective in promoting an
ethos of transparency, inclusiveness, and collaboration and in shifting
norms over time by making conditions less conducive to corrupt
activity. However, their impact depends on the existence of other
enabling factors, such as political will, a free and independent media, a
robust civil society, and effective accountability and sanctioning
mechanisms.
Case studies featured in the report highlight that multiple factors
contribute to the impact of anti-corruption efforts, including political
leadership, institutional capacity, incentives, technology, transparency
and collaboration. Enhanced collaboration with stakeholders within and
outside of government is a critical success factor in overall government
effectiveness. Such collaboration involves both the public and private
sectors, civil society, media, research organizations, think tanks and
citizens. Strengthening the fight against corruption is a collective
responsibility!