Corruption has many serious negative effects. Learn more about the negative effects of corruption explored in this campaign: 

Corruption doesn’t always involve asking for money. It can also be asking to provide sexual favors in exchange for access to services like education, or obtaining basic requirements such as food, medicine and other necessary items. This type of corruption is called sexual extortion or “Sextortion”. It occurs when those entrusted with Power use it to sexually exploit those dependent on that power. While evidence shows that women and girls are disproportionally targeted, boys and men are also affected often by other males, although to a much lesser extent than women and girls. Sextortion has long been a silent form of corruption hiding in plain view. Until recently, it was never discussed within the corruption framework and as such, even with the many efforts to help them, victims are often shamed and do not feel comfortable speaking up.

Poverty can simply be defined as the lack of adequate resources to meet basic human needs like food, shelter and clothing. It refers to a situation where people are unable to meet their basic needs. Poverty is equal to denial. A general lack of development and a rise in inequality leads to higher poverty. The poor are generally excluded from a corrupt system because they have no economic means to participate since only a few have access to resources. When people are faced with such situations they become vulnerable and are driven by survival instincts, so they can easily accept bribes in order for them to access, food, medicines and other basic needs, thereby encouraging corruption. For example, the rich can find themselves on welfare programs meant for the vulnerable. Corruption thus leads to the marginalization of disadvantaged groups from public decision-making. Skewed policies, budget allocations and the diversion of scarce development funds are the result of corruption.

Corruption makes it harder for people to access public services that should be free to them. People are being asked to pay school authorities in order for their children to be able to go to free schools, or being asked for a small payment so that they can see a doctor quicker without waiting in a queue. This means that services that should be free and universally accessible are not easily accessible to the poor. Also, these funds obtained through bribery do not benefit the communities or these institutions – they are pocketed by the individuals for personal gain. Corruption hampers the developmental prospects of a country. It increases the cost of public investment and service delivery through inflated prices and financial leakages. Fewer schools, hospitals and roads will be constructed and poor public service delivery will become normal due to corruption.

Corruption robs people of their resources. It steals opportunities from people to progress and prosper in life, as it negatively affects service delivery and access to services and goods. High-level corruption steals funds that were supposed to benefit everyday citizens, in areas such as education, infrastructure, social programs, healthcare and others. In the private sector, business will no longer be fair. Less efficient firms will get access to contracts at the expense of efficient ones. This will lead to the shut-down of quality businesses, poor workmanship among corrupt business and reduced productivity and output.

The corrupt do not care about the welfare of others! Therefore, they will plunder public funds in order to make themselves rich. Funds which are meant to benefit a lot of people will end up in the hands of a few, thus increasing income inequality. Corruption increases income inequality and poverty through lower economic growth, biased tax systems favoring the rich and well connected; poor targeting of social programs such as important community projects. Corruption erodes the trust communities have in the public sector to act in their best interest as there is loss of goods and services.