Indian social activist and anti-graft crusader among 12 recognized for defending transparency, ensuring accountability.
The Biden administration has named Indian social activist and anti-graft crusader Anjali Bhardwaj for a newly instituted International Anticorruption Champions Award for individuals engaged in combating corruption in their countries.
The 12 individuals recognized for the award, including Bhardwaj, “have worked tirelessly, often in the face of adversity, to defend transparency, combat corruption, and ensure accountability in their own countries,” secretary of state Antony Blinken said announcing the award Tuesday.
Bhardwaj, is a co-convenor of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI) and a founding member of Satark Nagrik Sangathan.
Her activism helped drive the Right to Information Act 2005, the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011, The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and the Grievance Redress Bill among other legislation in India.
Biden Administration, Blinken said, “recognizes that we will only be successful in combating these issues by working in concert with committed partners, including courageous individuals who champion anticorruption efforts and countries working to fulfill their commitments to international anticorruption standard.”
“As President Biden has emphasized, our commitment to truth, transparency, and accountability is a mission that we must live at home and exemplify abroad,” Blinken said commending “the dedication of these 12 brave individuals to these same ideals.”
“They inspire us and so many of their counterparts pursuing these ideals around the world,” he said noting, “The United States enforces one of the most robust anticorruption frameworks in the world.”
The US was “the first to criminalize foreign bribery and, in partnership with foreign counterparts, have recovered and returned more than $1 billion in stolen public assets in the past two years alone,” Blinken said.
“We use a range of tools to promote accountability for corrupt individuals, combat impunity globally, and engage in multilateral fora to fight corruption and strengthen citizen engagement,” he said.
“We will defeat corruption by implementing sound reforms consistent with international anticorruption commitments; developing transparent, accountable institutions; and empowering citizens, journalists, and civil society organizations to help defeat this global threat to security and democracy,” Blinken said.
Others recognized for the award are from Albania, Ecuador, Micronesia, Guatemala, Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, The Philippines, Sierra Leone, and Ukraine.