Virtual Network by UNDP on how to measure SDG16

By: V-Dem Staff
Nov 06, 2015


The Network was designed to provide input to the United Nations Statistical Commission’s Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) and the Praia Group on Governance Statistics. The work of the Network has resulted in a report: “The Indicators We Want – Virtual Network Sourcebook on Measuring Peace, Justice and Effective Institutions”. It is a top-notch global monitoring framework which explores in detail additional supplementary indicators to the main global framework adopted by UNDP for use in national settings.

In total the sourcebook lists 60 V-Dem indicators that could be used to track progress on achieving different aspects of the goal.

On target 16.5, aiming to “substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms”, six V-Dem indicators are proposed by the network: executive (the head of state, the head of government, and cabinet ministers) bribery and corrupt exchanges, executive embezzlement and theft, bribes to the judiciary, corrupt activities in the legislature, public sector embezzlement and theft and public sector corrupt exchanges.

In the figure below, we present the first indicator for Central Asia, Southern Africa and Southern Europe. In the 1980s both Central Asia and Southern Africa score a two, on a scale that runs from 0 to 4.  This means that executive bribery and corruption took place during this period but its occurrence was unpredictable. Individuals dealing with the executive found it hard to predict when an inducement would be necessary or not. The score of 3 for Southern Europe suggests that these acts occurred occasionally but was not expected in the region during the same period. This is still the case in the Southern Europe recent years. In Southern Africa corrupt practices by the executive seem to get worse over time. In recent years, bribery and corruption happens more often than not in dealings with the executive, as indicated by drop of the score close to 1. A similar, downwarding trend also occurred in Central Asia where corruption by the executive is routine and generally expected nowadays.