A study reveals that while most residents of Uzbekistan are willing to report corruption, they fear the consequences of doing so.

The survey involved 503 respondents from 14 regions of Uzbekistan.

According to the study's findings, respondents primarily understand corruption as bribery and nepotism. More than 50% of respondents consider abuse of power and nepotism as manifestations of corruption, while less than 40% associate it with giving expensive gifts. Most people do not view gifts as corruption, seeing them as a sign of gratitude.

Receiving bribes (88.4%) and giving bribes (68.4%) are condemned by the majority; however, small gifts for quality service are perceived as normal. 22.4% of respondents do not condemn the act of giving a bribe if it was done out of necessity.

Women are more lenient towards those giving bribes, while men are more lenient towards those receiving them.

Respondents identified the most corrupt sectors as healthcare (56.4%), education (especially higher education - 39%), and local government (25.6%).

The sectors most affected by corruption include road safety (27.2% of men, 18.4% of women), law enforcement (26.8% of men, 18.8% of women), road infrastructure (21.6% of men, 12.8% of women), and the construction industry (23.6% of men, 13.2% of women).

Residents of rural areas more frequently identified road infrastructure as the most corrupt sector - 22.2% compared to 12.8% in urban areas.

Only a few of those who witnessed corruption cases reported them to anti-corruption authorities. 74.8% of respondents are willing to report corruption cases, including 82.2% who are willing to use electronic platforms or mobile applications for this purpose. 12% of respondents believe that reporting corruption is wrong.

Willingness to report corruption is slightly higher among men (79.2%) compared to women (70.4%). However, women (85.2%) showed a greater willingness to use a portal or mobile application to report corruption.

The main reason people do not report corruption is fear of negative consequences for themselves - 48.6%. Other reasons include the belief that it is useless and that no one will pay attention (24.8%).

Another 20.4% do not know where to report, and 19.8% gain personal benefits from corruption.

13.8% noted that they give money and gifts voluntarily as a sign of gratitude, while 7.4% do not realize that this is an illegal act.

Respondents believe that concepts such as "suyunchi" (reward), "to'yona" (wedding gift), and "rahmat" (gratitude) are entirely voluntary and represent respect and support. People note that they "give from the heart" to ease their difficulties.

“For example, if you need to pay a fine of 10 million sums, and you agree with the inspector and pay 2 million sums. Where are the 10 million sums and where are the 2 million sums, think about it,” replied one respondent from Tashkent.

64% of respondents trust the agencies fighting corruption, 28% do not trust them, and 8% were uncertain.

Urban residents have slightly higher trust in the media (20.3% vs. 13.7% among rural residents) and bloggers (17.3% vs. 14.1%) regarding anti-corruption efforts.

Rural residents are more likely to trust the Anti-Corruption Agency (21.4% vs. 15% among urban residents).

People with disabilities include the Anti-Corruption Agency, the media, and bloggers among the organizations they trust the most in the fight against corruption.

Less than 5% of respondents stated that they do not trust anyone.

Local institutions, such as local governments and community councils, were identified as the least trustworthy entities.

The authors of the study recommended eliminating conditions that create fear of reporting corruption cases. Specifically, they suggest:

Addressing gaps in legislation that hinder the acceptance of anonymous reports and ensuring confidentiality for those reporting corruption;

Expanding mechanisms for digital public reporting;

Increasing legal literacy and public awareness of the negative consequences of corruption by clarifying its harm. Stopping the spread of public opinion that corruption benefits both parties.

Creating an online portal for reporting corruption with an intuitive interface, guarantees of confidentiality and security, feedback, and reference information. Involvement of the government, as well as the media and digital channels, in its operation.

Additionally, it is recommended to enhance the accountability of government agencies in combating corruption and strengthen the immunity of public officials.

As noted in the study, it is also necessary to increase the transparency of judicial processes, implement a monitoring and control system for corruption in key ministries, and ensure transparency in decision-making, financial transactions, and procurement processes.

Among other recommendations are the establishment of channels for reporting corruption accessible to various population groups, supporting civil society as an intermediary between citizens and law enforcement in investigating corruption cases, improving the process of handling corruption reports, and protecting whistleblowers.