Why doesn’t the eradication of global mega-corrupt feature prominently on the list of SDGs?
Is it an oversight or a deliberate act? Throughout the world corruption is the number one cause of underdevelopment and the number one enemy of economic justice. It is the root of all the evils that undermine infrastructural development, health, education, innovation, governance, social justice, rule of law and most importantly universal values such as truth. This is how institutions are weakened. The Panama papers and the West Africa leaks offer ample evidence about the profundity of this rot, and yet it is obscured in the SDGs instead of being among the main issues. I am just wondering why that is.....What do you say?
SDG16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) means to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development; provide access to justice for all; and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; the fifth of its 10 or so targets is about (public) corruption and bribery.
Specifically, 16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
- 16.5.1: Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials, during the previous 12 months
- 16.5.2: Proportion of businesses that had at least one contact with a public official and that paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials during the previous 12 months
While SDG16 is assuredly not about "global megacorruption", a definition of which would have to be provided, decisive action toward the above-mentioned targets across the many countries that subscribed to the SDGs should help.
I think on the contrary all the SDG's are indirectly tools to fight against corruption. It does not need to be mentioned as a separate SDG because it is coined in all the other SDGs. For example, quality and free access to both Primary and Secondary School education in Africa is still a major issue for government's to provide its citizens not because they do not have resources, but solely because of embezzlement and selfish ambitions of most government officials. Budget allocated for education is minimal and mismanaged in most cases. If governments can structure strict honest supervisory committees with the focus of providing quality education, there will be no corruption. That is, if the efforts and finances are invested towards ensuring the accomplishment of the goal, all individuals who might or have misused government funds will be sanctioned and excluded.
I think the non-realization of some SDGs is just because of the lack of political will. Some governments have and are condoning certain corrupt supposed high officials to misuse state funds. If governments can act like South Korea wherein the President was impeached and imprisoned even though she was not directly involved in the theft, I think it will serve as a deterrence and warning for future presidents and the public. Contrarily, Mugabe left the seat without an impeachment, that is a clear example of disregard of the rule of law. If the rule of law is enforced to achieve specific international obligations like the SDGs which indirectly uplifts the status of the country, then corruption will be compelled to die a natural death if strong policies are enacted.
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