The United Nations (UN’s) International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) is annually observed across the globe on 9th December to raise awareness on the impact of corruption on governance, development and public trust.
Theme:
2025 Theme: “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”
Focus: The theme emphasizes the power of young people in fighting corruption and shaping a more transparent, fair, and accountable future.
Exam Hints:
- What? International Anti-Corruption Day 2025
- When? 9 December 2025
- 2025 Theme: “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”
- 1st Observance: 9 December 2005
- Purpose: Raise awareness on corruption’s impact on governance, development, and public trust
Background:
Adoption : The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the UN Convention against Corruption in 2003, designated the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as its secretariat, and later declared 9 December as IACD to raise global awareness.
Entry: The Convention came into force in December 2005, with 190 parties committing to its obligations, including India, which ratified it on 9 May 2011.
1st Observance: The first-ever IACD was celebrated on 9 December 2005.
Commitment: The day emphasizes a pledge to uphold integrity, reject corruption, and promote transparency, reinforced by the slogan “Your NO Counts,” highlighting individual responsibility.
Events 2025:
2024–25 Campaign: The campaign continues from 2024, emphasizing youth advocacy on corruption’s links to organized and economic crime, peace and security, governance and service delivery, and promoting youth-led insights on technology-driven anti-corruption tools.
UN GCNI: on 9 December 2025, the UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI) hosted the Business Integrity Conclave 2.0 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, focusing on the theme “Cultivating Integrity in Business & Supply Chains Through Collective Action”.
CoSP11: The Eleventh Conference of the States Parties (CoSP11) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) will be held in Doha, Qatar, from 15–19 December 2025.
CPI 2024:
Topped by: Denmark topped the Corruption Perceptions Index 2024 for the seventh consecutive year with a score of 90, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).
India’s Rank: India, sharing its score and rank with Gambia and Maldives, dropped to 96th place with a score of 38, down from its 2023 position of 93rd with a score of 39.
Anti-Corruption Laws and Policies in India:
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988: Defines corruption and penalizes public servants and bribe givers.
Benami Transactions Act, 1988: Prohibits benami (proxy) transactions to combat illicit wealth.
Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002: Targets money laundering and related financial crimes.
Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013: Addresses corruption grievances and ensures public accountability.
Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014: Protects individuals reporting corrupt practices, promoting transparency.
Black Money and Tax Imposition Act, 2015: Curbs black money and imposes taxes on undisclosed assets.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023: Replaces the IPC, modernizing provisions related to corruption and bribery.
Enforcement Mechanisms and Policies:
- Central Vigilance Commission (CVC): Supervises anti-corruption measures and investigations in government departments.
- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Handles high-profile corruption cases at the national level.
- State Anti-Corruption Bureaus: Investigate corruption cases at the state level, ensuring accountability among state officials.
About United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
Director General (DG)- Ghada Fathi Waly (Egypt)
Headquarters – Vienna, Austria
Established – 1997
