(August 28, 2009) Faith leaders and relief agencies have urged the United Nations
to fight the corruption that compounds poverty. Corruption and poverty mutually reinforce
injustice whilst undermining equitable economic growth and sustainable development
- according to faith-based development agencies and faith leaders who have written
to UN Secretary General. The letter to Ban Ki Moon comes as a working group of signatory
countries meet in Vienna ahead of the Conference of State Parties later this year.
The statement, from CAFOD, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Tearfund and the Australian
Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, said: "We are putting pressure on the UN and world
leaders to step up the fight against corruption. They said, “The diversion of public
funds, loss of investment and the reduction in tax revenues hits the poorest and most
vulnerable hardest.” “Put simply, corruption is at the heart of people’s experience
of poverty,” they said. According to them corrupt practices constitute an insurmountable
barrier to high-quality education, affordable healthcare and decent livelihoods. The
opportunity and hope for so many in society is stolen by corruption, they said.