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Image: UNOCD
A year ago the UN marked International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) by launching a two-year campaign titled Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity. Today sees the second instalment of that initiative come into play, highlighting the vital role young people play in the fight against corruption.
Just days later, the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP11) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption takes place in Doha, Qatar. Here the world’s youth will have the opportunity to present their appeals directly to world leaders, urging them to support a future where they can thrive free from corruption.
One of the CoSP11 themes is Generation of integrity: Educating and empowering youth, which aims to promote anti-corruption awareness and integrity building through education, meaningful youth engagement, and capacity development of the next generation.
The importance of youth inclusion becomes clear when considering that nearly a quarter of the world’s population – 1.9-billion – comprises young people. “A decade ago, the international community acknowledged a simple truth – peace is impossible without the meaningful participation of young people,” says Felipe Paullier, UN assistant secretary-general for youth affairs. “Today, that role is even more clear. Integrity and anti-corruption are central to a stability agenda that directly impacts the youth peace and security framework.”
In 2025, young people around the world vented their anger with unemployment, corruption, crime, and other frustrations. Throughout the year, youth were key participants in protests in numerous countries, with motivations ranging from ill-considered government spending and neglected public services (in Morocco) and corruption and nepotism protests leading to a social media ban (in Nepal), to better wages and pensions (in Peru). Other countries affected by youth-led protests include Kenya, Indonesia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Madagascar, and Mexico.
In three cases – Madagascar, Nepal, and Indonesia – the government was ousted. Here is a testament to the power of the youthful spirit for change, and ample reason why it must be nurtured.
“Corruption knows no borders, and neither does young people’s resistance and determination around the globe. They are showing the world that we are united against corruption for a more equitable future,” says Transparency International (TI).
Best placed for change
Yet, says the UN, young people remain at the heart of the fight against corruption. “Deeply affected by its consequences, they are uniquely positioned to uphold ethical standards in their communities and challenge corruption at every level. By listening to their voices, supporting their leadership and ensuring they have a meaningful seat at the table, we empower youth to strengthen accountability, uphold integrity and help build corruption-resilient institutions.”
And this is the core aim of this year’s IACD and the Uniting with Youth Against Corruption initiative.
“Shaping tomorrow’s integrity requires governments, businesses, educational institutions, civil society, and young people to unite for a shared purpose: a future where corruption no longer blocks opportunity, undermines progress or erodes trust and where integrity guides the way forward.”
In 2024 the UN held a global essay competition focusing on corruption and youth challenges and the 1 300 submissions, says the organisation, “revealed that young people feel they are often the first to face the consequences of corruption … These barriers stifle their personal growth, limit engagement in decision-making and erode trust in justice, institutions, and the rule of law.”
His family was a victim of pervasive corruption in Kenya, writes Immanuel Mwendwa Kiilu. “My brother David, a bright and promising student, was repeatedly asked for bribes by teachers in exchange for passing grades, a common practice in many schools. The education system, which should have been a ladder out of poverty, became another barrier.”
He shares his experience of joining a women-led bead and jewellery enterprise, begun as a way to fight back against poverty and corruption. “Each bead strung was an act of defiance against the forces that sought to keep us down. These women were not just making jewellery; they were reclaiming their agency, their right to dream, and their place in society. I joined them, drawn by the sense of purpose that permeated their workshop, where the air buzzed not with despair, but with the quiet determination to forge a better future.”
The initiative grew to the extent that people from different walks of life began to purchase the jewellery, he says, “not just for its beauty, but for what it represented: hope, resilience, and the fight against corruption. The proceeds from our sales were reinvested into the community, funding education for children like my brother, healthcare for the sick, and small businesses for those who dared to dream.”
What started as a simple craft had become a powerful tool for social change, says Kiilu, a means of empowering the very victims of the corrupt system that had tried to suppress them. And importantly, it became a catalyst for a movement of young people who began to organise, mobilise resources, and demand a seat at the table in decision-making processes.
Leave no-one behind
Education plays a central role in cultivating a culture of integrity from an early age, says the UN. “It shapes a generation that resists corruption, embraces fairness and ethical behaviour, and is equipped to contribute to more secure, accountable and transparent societies.”
Youth-focused activities and initiatives around the world, such as the recent Ngeke! Festival which encouraged young musicians to join up and showcase their anti-corruption songs and which culminated in a vibey music fest held at Johannesburg’s Constitution Hill, speak to young people on a level which resonates with them. This is what the UN means when it says that securing a safe future for all “depends on empowering and meaningfully including the next generation in anti-corruption efforts, harnessing emerging technologies, and strengthening governance and institutional systems that uphold transparency and accountability.”
It also requires robust protections for those who courageously speak out and report wrongdoing, the UN adds.
In terms of emerging technologies to fight corruption, these include artificial intelligence and blockchain and, says the UN, the youth are leading this digital charge, “using their skills as innovators, developers, and engaged digital citizens to create solutions that increase transparency, broaden access to information, and enable secure, anonymous reporting for whistle-blowers.”
Other strategies such as enhanced international cooperation to combat organised crime and illicit financial flows will help to ensure the appropriate use of public money, while the private sector also has a big role to play in promoting ethical business practices and ensuring fair opportunities and access to decent jobs for young people.
“Corruption steals opportunities from everyone, but for young people, that means their future is on the line. On this International Anti-Corruption Day, we stand together with young people around the world to demand bold action from governments to eliminate corruption,” concludes TI.
