Today is International Anti-Corruption Day and there is a chance to put your signature to a petition against corruption. It only takes a minute.
The campaign is being run by Micah Challenge and I have pasted the letter from director Joel Edwards below.
The reality is that today over 1 billion people live on the edge of survival with poor sanitation, no healthcare and little chance of education. There are many causes for poverty but the single greatest obstacle to overcoming this crippling poverty is corruption.
That’s why we at Micah Challenge are part of EXPOSED, which we believe to be the first ever global campaign by Christians to stand for integrity and honesty in financial dealings in business, government and church. Corruption leads to injustice and broken relationships, while the Bible calls us to restore relationships with each other and with God.
Today I’d like to ask that you join us in calling on the leaders of the world’s powerful nations (the G20) to step up efforts to combat bribery and tax avoidance. Governments are already considering anti-corruption measures and we can encourage them to ensure tighter systems are in place to plug the holes in financial flows, making it harder for corrupt practices to flourish.
We really need your voice to help shine a light on corruption and protect the poorest in our world.
For many Christians around the world speaking out against corruption is not a safe option – Pope Francis himself was named a mafia target after making a strident assault on corruption and bribery during a recent Monday morning mass. But there are positive signs of hope. As Joyce Thong who heads up the Malaysian EXPOSED programme reported: ‘It is risky to speak out, and the problem of corruption is overwhelming but I have never seen the Church so receptive, so ready to act.’
The more we join together in speaking out to governments, the greater the impact we have. We need 50,000 signatures on our global petition by Christmas and are aiming for a million by June next year as we prepare to hand over our petition with a whole host of churches and NGOs. Please join your light and stand with thousands of others around the world. It only takes a minute to sign the petition, but your voice is important.
Just click this link.
[1] Interview with Daniel Kaufman, Global Governance Director, The World Bank Institute, “Six questions about the cost of corruption” 8 April, 2004
[2] Christian Aid report: ‘Who Pays the Price? Hunger: The Hidden Cost of Tax Injustice’ p.10
Posted by Dr Peter Saunders
CMF Chief Executive