9 December 2015: The UN marked International Anti-Corruption Day under the theme ‘Break the Corruption Chain.’ The day aims to raise awareness on corruption and encourage governments, the private sector and the general public to change their attitudes towards corruption.
Corruption hurts poor people disproportionately, according to the Break the Corruption campaign, which is led by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The campaign aims to illuminate how corruption undermines democracy and the rule of law, erodes quality of life, contributes to human rights violations, distorts markets, and enables organized crime, terrorism and other human security threats.
“When corruption and bribery succeed the goal of fairness and equality fails; entire communities can be left without infrastructure, hospitals or schools…. Corruption also undermines vital tendering processes, damages industries and debases competition,” UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said in a statement. He called for ridding the world of corruption and bribery and achieving full compliance with the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the “disastrous impacts” of corruption on development, saying corruption diverts funds for education, heath and public services, exacerbates violence and insecurity and contributes to “dissatisfaction with public institutions, disillusion with government in general, and spirals of anger and unrest.” He urged the global community to reject corruption and embrace transparency, accountability and good governance to facilitate a better future for all.
UNDP Administrator Helen Clark called for breaking the culture of corruption and ensuring that “public institutions are trustworthy, that authorities are accountable for their decisions and actions, and that those engaging in corrupt action can expect to be subject to the rule of law.” Dragos Kos, Chair of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Group on Bribery, said “Corruption permeates—and facilitates—some of the most important global threats of our time, such as terrorism, climate change and the refugee crisis.” Kos called for a collective response to eradicate corruption, outlining efforts by OECD to share good practices and exchange effective methods of investigation.
Ban, Fedotov and others highlighted the importance of fighting corruption to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 16 on peaceful societies and effective institutions. Fedotov said corruption and bribery “are serious impediments to sustainable development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda throughout the world,” noting that these crimes “breach the essential trust between citizens and governments as well as businesses and consumers.”
Activities marking the day took place around the world, including in Bolivia, Colombia, Egypt, Guyana, Mexico, Panama, South Africa and Tunisia. Events included a flash mob, press meetings and conferences, and trainings. The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) hosted a cartoon contest to mark the day, which drew over 200 nominations from 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Colombian cartoonist Mauricio Parra was selected as the winning cartoonist for his drawing ‘Change Begins in the Head.’ [Break the Corruption Chain Website] [Anti-Corruption Day Website] [UNODC Press Release] [UN Press Release] [UNODC Executive Director Statement] [UN Secretary-General Statement] [UNDP Administrator Statement] [UNRIC Press Release] [OECD Statement] [UN Convention Against Corruption] [IADB Press Release]