# Gender URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/gender-and-corruption Type: Priority topic Published: 2020-03-12 Updated: 2021-03-08 --- A person’s gender affects their experiences of corruption in many ways. It can have an impact on how likely they are to pay or take a bribe, which forms of corruption they might face, and how they perceive and act upon them. Intersections between gender and corruption *Externally hosted content may include ads. These aren't endorsed by or reflect Transparency International's views.* While people across all genders, ages and races may encounter corruption, it hits poor and vulnerable groups the hardest, and women are often among them. Corruption hinders progress towards gender equality and presents a barrier for women to gain full access to their civic, social and economic rights. In societies where women are traditionally the primary caretakers for their families, they are often dependent on public services like health or education. This makes them more vulnerable to certain types of bribery at the point of service delivery. Corruption itself can take gender specific forms. Sexual extortion, or sextortion, is one of these practices, where sexual favours are the currency of the bribe demanded. While evidence shows that women are disproportionally targeted, men, transgender and gender non-conforming people are also affected by this form of corruption. But women are also part of the solution and have an important role to play in anti-corruption. They can contribute to improve accountability and integrity systems and build governance frameworks that are more responsive to their needs. Involving women in public life, including but not limited to anti-corruption and the design of gender responsive and gender sensitive anti-corruption policies is an important step in this direction. ## What are we doing? As a global movement, we are committed to mainstream gender in our programmes and operations. We are advocating for the inclusion of gender perspective in the formulation of anti-corruption policies around the world ![A dense group of people demostrating on a street. One person in the center of the scene is holding a sign that says "sextortion is a crime"."](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/gender-sextortion.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) Photo: Javier Villaraco / Transparency International We collect and analyse data on the relation of gender and corruption, and use them as a basis for our recommendations to policy makers. Through our [Advocacy and Legal Advice centres](https://www.transparency.org/en/advocacy-and-legal-advice-centres) in over 60 countries, we encourage people to report sextortion and other forms of gendered corruption. We call on global leaders to : - Collect, analyse and publish gender disaggregated data on the differentiated impact of corruption on men and women; - Recognise and effectively address sextortion as a form of corruption; - Promote women’s participation in public, economic and political life. Mainstream gender sensitive approaches in all anti-corruption work. ## Find out more about our work ### News [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=gender-and-corruption&type=newsPost) ## [On your marks, set... Stop sextortion in sport](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/sextortion-sport) News • 23 May 2022 The sport sector is alarmingly vulnerable to sextortion, and sport organisations must urgently address the factors that drive and cover up this abuse. ## [Double harm when corruption meets discrimination](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/double-harm-corruption-discrimination-sdgs-leave-no-one-behind) News • 06 July 2021 We listened to the experiences of corruption among people facing discrimination and uncovered some disturbing patterns. ## [COVID-19 makes women more vulnerable to corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/covid-19-makes-women-more-vulnerable-to-corruption) News • 21 September 2020 ## [Anti-corruption response to COVID-19 must include women](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/anti-corruption-response-to-covid-19-must-be-transparent-and-include-women) News • 10 June 2020 ### Publications [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=gender-and-corruption&type=publication) ## [Annual Report 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/annual-report-2025) Publication • 17 July 2026 In 2025, Transparency International pursued its mission to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society. ## [Corruption Perceptions Index 2023](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-perceptions-index-2023) Publication • 30 January 2024 The Corruption Perceptions Index scores 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. ## [Corruption through a Gendered Lens: Asia and the Pacific](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-through-a-gendered-lens-asia-and-the-pacific) Publication • 22 November 2023 This paper presents findings from a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) with participants from four Asian and Pacific countries: Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. ## [On your marks, set... stop! Understanding and ending sextortion in sport](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/marks-set-stop-understanding-ending-sextortion-sport) Publication • 23 May 2022 The sport sector is particularly vulnerable to sextortion. This report explores the causes of this problem and how to tackle it. ### Projects [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=gender-and-corruption&type=project) ## [Accountability in Asia Pacific](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/accountability-in-asia-pacific) Project ## [All 4 inclusive service delivery Africa (ISDA)](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/inclusive-service-delivery-africa) Project We seek to address corruption-related barriers and improve access to education and healthcare services for women, girls, and other groups at risk of discrimination in five target… ### Blog posts [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=gender-and-corruption&type=blogPost) [## Addressing Sexual Corruption in Rwanda's Higher Education Institutions Annie Healion 25 November 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/addressing-sexual-corruption-in-rwandas-higher-education-institutions "Addressing Sexual Corruption in Rwanda's Higher Education Institutions") [## Amplifying women's voices in the fight against corruption Mageda Esolyo 12 September 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/amplifying-womens-voices-in-the-fight-against-corruption "Amplifying women's voices in the fight against corruption") [## Women's History Month: Discover four courageous women fighting against corruption Transparency Int'l 30 March 2023](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/womens-history-month-discover-four-courageous-women-fighting-against-corruption "Women's History Month: Discover four courageous women fighting against corruption") [## Benefiting people and the planet: Why we must prioritise gender in anti-corruption and climate efforts Transparency Int'l 04 November 2022](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/we-must-prioritise-gender-in-anti-corruption-and-climate-efforts-maldives-zambia-brazil "Benefiting people and the planet: Why we must prioritise gender in anti-corruption and climate efforts") ### Press releases [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=gender-and-corruption&type=pressRelease) ## [Organization of American States: Fighting inequality and discrimination requires decisive action against corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/organisation-of-american-states-fighting-inequality-and-discrimination-requires-decisive-action-against-corruption) Press • 05 October 2022 ## Explore all priorities - [Asset recovery and the theft of public money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/asset-recovery-and-the-theft-of-public-money) - [Business integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/business-and-corruption) - [Climate crisis](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/climate-crisis) - [Defence and security](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/defence-and-security) - [Dirty money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/dirty-money) - [Extractive industries](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/extractive-industries) - [Foreign bribery enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/foreign-bribery-enforcement) - [Gender](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/gender-and-corruption) - [Grand corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/grand-corruption) - [Health](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/health-and-corruption) - [Judiciary and law enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/judiciary-and-law-enforcement) - [Land corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/land-corruption) - [Political integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/political-integrity) - [Public procurement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/public-procurement) - [Right to information](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/right-to-information) - [Sustainable Development Goals](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/sustainable-development-goals) - [Whistleblowing](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/whistleblowing) Asset recovery and the theft of public money Business integrity Climate crisis Defence and security Dirty money Extractive industries Foreign bribery enforcement Gender Grand corruption Health Judiciary and law enforcement Land corruption Political integrity Public procurement Right to information Sustainable Development Goals Whistleblowing