Asia - 2020

From bribes to the use of personal connections, from vote-buying to sextortion, corruption takes many forms in Asia.

In our latest Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) – Asia, citizens are well aware of the corruption across the region: 74 per cent of the 20,000 survey participants believe that government corruption is a big problem in their country, and 1 out of 5 people who used public services in the previous 12 months paid a bribe.

As one of the largest surveys on corruption and bribery in the region, for the first time the GCB Asia sheds a light on vote-buying around elections, sextortion or the abuse of power to obtain a sexual benefit or advantage, and the use of personal connections in accessing public services such as health care or education.

The region was brutally but unequally hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences, and some countries are still suffering from these crises.

Despite the economic and political pressure, the threats to freedom of expression and the fear of retaliation, an overwhelming majority of people believe that ordinary people can make a difference in the fight against corruption. This offers a glimmer of hope and a powerful tool in the hands of reform-minded governments, businesses and civil society.

With close to 20,000 participants in 17 countries across Asia, this Global Corruption Barometer - Asia presents the largest, most detailed set of public opinion data on people’s views and experiences of corruption and bribery in the region.