In a reference to the people's revolutionary movements against corruption in West Asia and countries like India, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has asked nations to join forces in fighting the "cancer of corruption" which he says breeds inequality and injustice.
Ban, in his message on the occasion of 'International Anti-Corruption Day', observed annually on December 9, said the poor and vulnerable sections of society may be "marginalised" by corruption, but they cannot be "silenced".
"In events across the Arab world and beyond this year, ordinary people have joined their voices in denouncing corruption and demanding that governments combat this crime against democracy.
Their protests have triggered changes on the international scene that could barely have been imagined just months back.
In India, social activist Anna Hazare's months-long anti-corruption crusade not only saw massive support across the country but was applauded by people worldwide.
Ban said everyone has a "responsibility to take action against the cancer of corruption," which afflicts all countries, undermining social progress and breeding inequality and injustice.
"When desperately needed development funds are stolen by corrupt individuals and institutions, poor and vulnerable people are robbed of the education, health care and other essential services," the Secretary General said.
He urged all governments that have not yet done so to ratify the UN Convention against Corruption, which he called a "powerful" tool in the fight against the scourge.
He also called on businesses to adopt anti-corruption measures in line with the convention, noting that the private sector, too, stands to gain from effective action.
"On this International Anti-Corruption Day, let us pledge to do our part by cracking down on corruption, shaming those who practise it and engendering a culture that values ethical behaviour," Ban said.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, no country, region or community is immune to corruption, which is a "serious crime that can undermine social and economic development".