December 9 is International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD), a global opportunity to reflect on ways to address corruption and its impact on society. The 2024 theme, ‘Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity’, continues into 2025, highlighting the important role young people play in strengthening accountability, transparency, and trust. This year’s campaign focuses on the role young people play in driving change, championing accountability, transparency, and ethical leadership.

In 2003, countries across the world came together to endorse a landmark treaty – the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). In the years since, 191 parties have ratified the Convention, highlighting a near-universal commitment to good governance, accountability, and sustained political resolve.

Corruption is recognised as a serious crime that undermines social and economic progress everywhere. It affects peace and security, it limits democratic participation, weakens public services such as health and education, contributes to environmental harm, restricts opportunities in work and sport, and reinforces barriers to gender equality and justice. As the United Nations observes, corruption “undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development, and contributes to government instability.” Addressing corruption is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Working to prevent corruption strengthens democratic systems, improves the effectiveness of institutions and supports more equitable and resilient communities. Importantly, progress depends on collective effort. Individuals, organisations and governments all have a role in promoting integrity and contributing to a safer, fairer and more accountable society.

The role of youth in fighting corruption

The ongoing theme, Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s integrity highlights the important role young people play in fostering a culture of integrity. With their energy, creativity and commitment to fairness, they are not only the leaders of tomorrow but also active contributors to the policies and practices taking shape today. Youth also often encounter its effects – through schools that lack resources, limited job opportunities, reduced access to healthcare or barriers that make civic participation more difficult. These experiences narrow opportunities and can weaken confidence in public institutions.

The 2025 campaign builds on these realities by supporting young people to articulate how corruption affects their lives and their communities. Over the past year, young writers from around the world have described the practical and personal consequences they face, revealing the extent to which corruption shapes access to education, work, wellbeing, and justice. Their contributions demonstrate why addressing corruption is essential for fairness within and across generations.

Youth-led organisations and informal networks continue to show how advocacy, technology and community engagement can support stronger accountability. This year’s campaign acknowledges these efforts and provides further opportunities for younger people to contribute. They will also be able to present their perspectives directly with global leaders at the eleventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption in Doha in December 2025 – an important step in ensuring that those who will inherit the long-term impacts of today’s decisions are included in policy discussions.

Australia’s efforts and the youth perspective

In Australia, efforts to prevent corruption continue to evolve. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), alongside state-based integrity bodies such as Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), remains central to identifying and addressing corruption. Public trust in institutions is influenced not only by these oversight mechanisms, but also by ongoing engagement with younger Australians, who increasingly expect transparency and ethical leadership.

Education and awareness-raising are essential to building a culture where integrity is valued. Supporting younger people with the knowledge, tools and opportunities to contribute helps deepen public understanding of corruption and its impacts, and encourages generational participation in building safer, more accountable institutions.

Taking action on IACD 2025

International Anti-Corruption Day is an invitation to individuals, organisations and communities to take meaningful action. Young people are key to these efforts, but everyone has a role to play in creating an environment where integrity is the norm. On International Anti-Corruption Day 2025, you can:

• Raise awareness: Share information about corruption impacts, using digital platforms, community discussions and educational settings to highlight why preventing corruption matters. Conversations that draw attention to these issues help shift public expectations about fairness and accountability.
• Support organisations working to prevent corruption: Volunteering with groups dedicated to strengthening integrity contributes to the broader goal of promoting transparency, both locally and globally.
• Promote transparency and ethical practice: Advocate for open decision-making in public institutions and workplaces. Championing integrity helps create systems that are more resilient to misconduct.
• Report corruption when it occurs: Take a stand against corruption by reporting any unethical conduct through appropriate channels.
• Understand anti-corruption laws: Deepen your knowledge of anti-corruption laws and conventions. Being informed about your rights and responsibilities is vital in the fight against corruption.

IBAC’s IACD 2025 webinar

This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day IBAC webinar focuses on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector. AI offers tools to detect and prevent corruption, but it also brings integrity risks if misused. The event will feature insights from experts across Victoria’s integrity landscape, including, IBAC, the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office and the Department of Government Services. Speakers will explore how AI can be used ethically and how to safeguard against the misuse by both public servants and external actors.

For more information and to register, click here.

Conclusion

IACD 2025 is a reminder that integrity is not a single initiative but an ongoing commitment shared across generations. By engaging young people, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring technologies such as AI are used responsibly, societies can better protect fairness and trust. This collective effort is essential to building systems that serve communities transparently and justly, now and into the future.

Resources

• Artificial intelligence in the Victorian public sector (IBAC webinar)
• Eleventh session: Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UN)
• International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 (UN)
• United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UN)

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CourtHeath acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to Elders past and  present, and to the ongoing living culture of Aboriginal people.

A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria.

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