Taking

action
against
corruption
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
BY YOUTH FOR YOUTH
Taking action
against
corruption
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
BY YOUTH FOR YOUTH
 Acknowledgements
© 2024, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime This publication was developed by the United Nations The publication also benefited from the valuable input
(UNODC) Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). of the UNODC Corruption and Economic Crime Branch
collectively and those who reviewed this publication,
Recommended citation: UNODC 2024. Taking action UNODC acknowledges with profound gratitude the
Kari Ann Lukas, Emilia Ruiz Martinez, Melanie Chabert,
against corruption: A step-by-step guide by youth for co-drafters of this publication and thanks them for
Daniela Sota Valdivia, Julia Pilgrim, Sabrina D’Andrea,
youth their expertise, time, and voluntary commitment and
Jennifer Sarvary-Bradford, Xiaohong Li and Brigitte
passion to this project and to anti-corruption in general:
The designations employed and the presentation of Strobel-Shaw.
the members of the UNODC YouthLED Integrity Advisory
material in this publication do not imply the expression
Board (2021-2023), namely, Uchkun Abduganiyev, Images: © p. 24: aestheticssofcrisis ; p. 25: Beth/flickr .; p
of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNODC con-
Esma Gumberidze, Max Amanu, Diana Amondi Pasha, 32: RedEscolas.
cerning the legal or development status of any country,
Tsenguunbileg Naranpurev, Eduardo António da Silva
territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning Information contained in this publication has been
Figueiredo, Elisa Orlando, Serana Ibrahim, Salahaldeen
the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. derived from a variety of sources, including but not
Alazaizeh, Isaiah Thomas, Tania Beatriz Bello Regalado,
limited to discussions with and among young people
Logman Osman Ahmed Alhag, Camila Florencia Tort,
globally and reviews of materials published in the
Rafael Oliviera Leite, Prekkshya Bimali, Kanhaiya Varsh-
Editing: Johnny Morgan popular press.
ney, Bui Y Nhi, Dexter Arvin E. Yang, Sylvain Obedi Kaindi,
Design and illustrations: Riddhi Vakil Kavisha Pillay, Aimé Ludovic Pêgdwendé Sawadogo,
Parrneh T. Mallobe.
UNODC acknowledges with gratitude those who have
The use, reproduction and dissemination of material in
contributed their time, expertise and experience at vari-
this publication is encouraged by UNODC. Except where
ous stages of the development of this guide.
otherwise indicated, content may be copied, download-
ed and printed for private study, research and teaching UNODC wishes to thank Roberta Falvo, Bianca Kopp,
purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or Leonardo Paradiso and Erick Ortega Rico for ensuring
services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement overall coordination and the substantive development
of UNODC as the source and copyright holder is given of the toolkit, for coordinating the work of the YouthLED
and that UNODC endorsement of users’ views, products Integrity Advisory Board members, content research
or services is not implied in any way. and review, and co-drafting of this publication.

The publication was not formally edited.

Contents
About the toolkit 2
Who wrote the toolkit? 2
Who is the toolkit for? 3
10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 4
01: Educate yourself 5
02: Pick a focus 9
03: Contextualize 18
04: Design 20
05: Be creative and innovative 23
06: Find allies 27
07: Be inclusive 29
08 Be safe 31
09: Educate others 31
10: Act! 32
Last tip: Assess and communicate your impact 37
What’s next? 39
About the
toolkit
If you are reading this, you are probably worried about
YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board Members 2022-2024 co-drafters of
this publication”

The 2022–2024 YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board com- As youth advocates for the anti-corruption work of
the way corruption is affecting your life, your commu- prises 25 young people from 25 countries. We are from the United Nations, it was often hard to get started.
nity, your country or your region, and you want to do The YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board is a Argentina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, the Democratic We realized that more insider knowledge needs to be
something about it. group of young people from all over the world Republic of the Congo, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, India, shared so that more young people can do their part,
and all walks of life. Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mongolia, Nepal, feel empowered and feel hopeful about a future that
Welcome to the YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board tool-
Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Portugal, South upholds the values of integrity and knowing what is
kit on how to take action against corruption, which we As a way of ensuring gender and regional
Africa, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Uzbekistan right and what is wrong. Barriers to youth engagement
hope will provide you with the inspiration to get started representation, the Board is composed of two and Viet Nam. and participation need to be demolished and this
on doing something to tackle corruption. We do not young people (a young woman and a young toolkit is our effort to make anti-corruption work more
have all the answers, but we hope, through this toolkit, man, aged between 18 and 30 at the time We advise UNODC on strategies to engage young
accessible to our peers.
to build a community of young advocates against of application) who are interested in youth people in effective and meaningful anti-corruption
corruption. efforts and we seek to increase youth involvement in
empowerment, integrity, ethics and anti-
the anti-corruption work of UNODC. This is how the idea WHO IS THE TOOLKIT FOR?
corruption, from each of the regions listed below:
WHO WROTE THE TOOLKIT? of the present toolkit took shape. We, as the first cohort This guide on how to develop an anti-corruption ini-
Central Asia, East Africa, East Asia, Europe, of the YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board, see the need to tiative has been developed by young people for young
Following a recommendation from the Youth Forum on collect and collate simple and easy-to-use tips so that
Middle East, Northern Africa, North and Central people. It is designed to inspire you to become an an-
“Countering Corruption through Collaboration: Youth more young people can become interested in and gain
America, Southern Africa, South-East Asia and ti-corruption advocate by providing short and simple
Perspectives and Engagement”, organized as a special knowledge about anti-corruption.
Pacific, South Asia, South America, West and tips to help you get started. If you are a young person
event to directly contribute to the special session of
Central Africa A 2022 survey conducted as part of the “Be Seen with little or no knowledge about corruption, anti-cor-
the General Assembly against corruption held in 2021,
Be Heard” campaign, launched by the Office of the ruption, youth works and the work of the United Nations,
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, revealed that and you are interested in becoming active in your com-
established the YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board in
“67 per cent of people believe in a better future, with munity, region or internationally by building your own
2022, within the framework of the Global Resource for
15-to-17-year-olds being the most optimistic about anti-corruption initiative, then this toolkit is for you.
Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment
(GRACE) initiative. this. Despite facing significant barriers, young people
Through the establishment of the YouthLED Integrity continue to work tirelessly to raise their voices on the Without further ado, let’s get down to it!
Advisory Board, the aim of UNODC is to provide a plat- issues they care about – youth political apathy is a
form for young people to discuss and contribute to the myth” 1. It is with this belief in mind that, after two years
anti-corruption work of UNODC and to strengthening the of participating in the YouthLED Advisory Board, we have
mainstreaming of youth perspectives for the purpose of decided to share what we have learned by engaging
finding efficient and sustainable ways to address global with other young people, to inspire and encourage
corruption problems. The establishment of the Board is them, because we also believe that a better future
a testament to the commitment of UNODC to finding infused with integrity is possible.
sustainable and forward-looking methods for tackling
corruption, in which the engagement of young people is
an intrinsic and inseparable part.
1The Body Shop in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary-
General’s Envoy on Youth, “Be Seen Be Heard: Understanding young
people’s political participation” (2023).

2 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth About the toolkit 3
 01: Educate yourself
The first step to start becoming active in the anti-cor-
ruption movement is learning about corruption and how
it affects us all. While it might feel overwhelming at first,
we hope that the information in this section can support
you in becoming familiar with the concept of corruption.
It provides a series of tips on how to educate yourself,
rather than an exhaustive list of available resources.

10 Steps to an
If you have a smartphone, a television or a radio or you
have had a look at the news, you might have heard sto-
ries or interviews about something called “corruption”.
These stories have shaken Governments, institutions,
organizations and private companies all over the world

Anti-Corruption
for years. It would be convenient to think of corruption
as something on our screens or in newspapers or at
the highest levels of Government, and far away from
us. Instead, it affects everyone directly. The negative
impact that corruption has is felt harder by the poorest

Initiative
and most vulnerable – the powerless of our world.
Corruption has existed since the beginning of time2
and, unfortunately, no country is free from it.
Let’s go step by step...

What is corruption?
After a lot of discussion, we have identified 10 steps that
we think are fundamental to ensuring that an anti- At present, there is no unified and collectively accepted
corruption initiative is impactful and safe. definition of corruption. Therefore, interpretations vary.3
However, there are usually three elements in a corrupt
You can use this guide in any order you want. While act:
the steps are organized chronologically, we also know
that we are all at different stages in our anti-corruption (a) Authority: someone has the power;
journey – so pick and choose the step that best fits your (b) Abuse: this someone abuses the power; and
needs.
(c) Benefit: this someone obtains undue benefit as a
We suggest you take some time to read the entire result of the abuse of power.
document. But also feel free to jump around to the
different sections as you see fit. Getting to the end is not The best resource, covering all types of corruption, is the
mandatory to start taking action! United Nations Convention against Corruption (which is
commonly referred to as UNCAC).
The 10 steps are a starting point and the knowledge
included in this toolkit is far from exhaustive. However, it The Convention against Corruption does not provide an
is a fairly comprehensive step-by-step guide to inspir- overarching definition of corruption. Rather, it defines
ing action without becoming overwhelmed. and classifies various acts of corruption both in the
public and private sectors as criminal offences. Notably,
the Convention has a far-reaching approach and vast
geographical coverage, which helps make it a unique,
holistic and comprehensive tool for responding to
corruption.
If you are interested in the specific forms of corruption
covered by the Convention, take a look at the table on
the next page.

2 UNODC, Knowledge tools for academics and professionals: Module

Series on Anti-Corruption. Module 1: What Is Corruption and Why

Should We Care? (Vienna).

4 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 5
 Types of corruption Did you know…that the United Nations International
Legislation
Convention against Corruption is the only organization
Bribery A bribe is the solicitation or offering of an undue advantage to a public official to global legally binding framework to prevent
persuade them to stop acting in their formal capacity. Both participants to the and counter corruption? Adopted in 2003, it
is almost universally applied, with 190 States Organization Inter-American
bribing process are committing an illegal act. For example, paying small amounts
parties. And this number keeps increasing! of American Convention against
of money to police officers to overlook traffic violations or offering gifts and money
States Corruption
to politicians in order to obtain information, pass a specific law, secure govern-
ment contracts or manipulate procurement processes. Remember, the person
with the power can be the one soliciting a bribe! The guardian of the Convention against Corruption is Council of the Convention on the Fight
UNODC, which provides a range of resources on the European Union against Corruption
topic of corruption. involving Officials of the
Embezzlement This form of corruption happens when a person entrusted with some form of
European Communities or
property or funds decides to keep it for themselves or to pass it to others, dam- UNODC launched the Global Resource for Anti-Cor-
Officials of Member States
aging the intended beneficiaries and in violation of the original purpose. A typical ruption Education and Youth Empowerment (GRACE)
of the European Union.
example of embezzlement is when a high-ranking public official appropriates initiative to promote the role of education and youth
public funds for personal purposes. empowerment in preventing and countering cor- Criminal Law Convention
ruption and to provide educational tools to different on Corruption
target groups (educators, academics, young people
and children). The goal of the GRACE initiative is to
create a culture of rejection of corruption among
children and young people by harnessing the power Organisation for Convention on
Abuse of functions This form of corruption could apply to situations such as patronage (the use of
of education and youth empowerment. You can learn Economic Co- Combating Bribery of
State resources to reward individuals for their financial support during election
more about this topic in an accessible way by visiting operation and Foreign Public Officials
campaigns); nepotism (preferential treatment of friends and relatives); clien-
the GRACE website. Of particular interest, and helpful to Development in International Business
telism (awarding jobs and other advantages for electoral support); and sextortion
understanding corruption and its different dimensions, Transactions
(the demand for sexual favours as a form of payment).
are the various modules developed by academics for
academics to strengthen anti-corruption, integrity and
ethics teaching at the university level, and the tools African Union African Union Convention
developed for young people. These include: on Preventing and
Trading in Corruption is often facilitated by intermediaries. An intermediary is a person with Combating Corruption
• UNODC, “University Module Series on Anti-Corruption”
influence power who uses their influence over public officials or authorities to obtain a ben-
efit for others. Here, the corrupt act is to trade one’s influence in exchange for an • UNODC, “University Module Series on Integrity and
undue advantage. Ethics”
Arab League Arab Anti-Corruption
• UNODC, “Youth Anti-Corruption Tools and Events”
Convention
There are also other internationally recognized laws
and international organizations that can support your
educational journey. Numerous international and
Illicit enrichment There is the suspicion of illicit enrichment when a public official lives a luxurious multilateral organizations have established common
life and owns assets and funds that they would not be able to afford on their civil frameworks to guide and enhance national anti-cor-
servant’s salary. This can also be applied to those who work in the private sector. ruption efforts. These frameworks consist of laws, rules, At times, corruption might be thought of in certain
regulations and resources that define corruption, gov- environments as the best way for “getting things done”
ern anti-corruption procedures and promote integrity when ethically superior choices are perceived as being
in the public and private sectors. They serve as refer- unavailable, flawed or too costly. This is a reality that
ences for Governments to reform policies and facilitate should not be ignored when advocating for a culture
cooperation between countries to combat transna- of integrity and zero tolerance of corruption. This mul-
tional corruption through conventions, agreements and tiplicity of understandings suggests that corruption is
Other related While corruption is often associated with economic crimes such as fraud and mon- recommendations. a multifaceted concept. Naturally, it covers a variety of
crimes ey-laundering, it is important to clarify that they are all different crimes. Not every actions by a variety of actors in a variety of contexts.
fraud is corruption and not every act of corruption involves money-laundering. Accepting that there are different understandings of
corruption and rising to this challenge of understanding
it can help us cultivate an integrated and multidis-
ciplinary understanding of the problem and ways to
address it.
The values behind an anti-corruption mindset are
integrity and a clear understanding of what is right
Fraud This refers to a broader category of crimes that involves some form of cheating
and what is wrong. Having integrity and behaving in an
and theft. While some forms of corruption fall within this category, there are other
ethical way means not only acting according to the law
forms of fraud that lack the corrupt element described above. For instance, tax 3 See the “What is corruption?” page of the website of the UNODC and national policy frameworks but going beyond this
evasion or the falsification of financial documents and data can occur without Corruption and Economic Crime Branch, available at [Link]/ by doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
the help of public officials or a private sector employee. Hence, there is no need to corruption/en/learn/[Link].
In fact, we can observe that some actions are legal but
bribe someone to commit these crimes.
4 UNODC, “Knowledge tools for academics and professionals: Module not ethical, while others are ethical but not legal. Having
Series on Integrity and Ethics. Module 12: Integrity, Ethics and Law” integrity also means understanding that corruption does
(Vienna). not have to be the norm and that having integrity and

6 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 7
behaving ethically means reflecting on what morality
means and sometimes going further than the law. We
encourage you to have a look at the UNODC module on
A good starting point to better understanding the
strength of the legal and policy system in your coun-
try is to have a look at the Mechanism for the Review
02: Pick a focus
ethics, integrity and law4 and to start reflecting on how of Implementation of the United Nations Convention Now that you have some knowledge of the topic, we
to act with integrity and in an ethical way in your daily against Corruption. Through this peer review process, would like to recommend that you pick a focus. This
will help you narrow the focus of your initiative, mak- In 2012, a family judge in Peru
life. coordinated by UNODC, you can assess the level of
ing it more impactful. In order to help you do this, you offered a mother fighting for
implementation of the Convention nationally.5
Now that you understand the core values needed for a custody of her son assistance in
can learn below about how corruption affects many
culture of integrity and you have a better understand- exchange for sex.
sectors and areas. Again, this isn’t an exhaustive list,
ing of what corruption is, as well as what regional and
but is designed to provide you with a starting point with
international mechanisms are in place to prevent and
regard to making connections. These topics have been
counter it, you might want to look at the context in your
selected by us, the members of the YouthLED Integrity
country.
Advisory Board, because we consider them of relevance
The first thing to do is to look up the state of affairs in to young people and the anti-corruption agenda.
your country when it comes to corruption, governance
Corruption and human rights The judge was tried using
and any other topics that you might be interested in.
anti-corruption legislation
It might be worth looking at the laws on corruption, Access to health care, education and clean water, and found guilty, but the
integrity and ethics in your country, because these and participation in political life may be restricted by conviction was rescinded
are the laws that protect you and regulate how your corruption, such as acts of bribery and embezzlement.6 because the request for
local authorities and national Government operate. Corruption is a barrier to the realization and enjoyment sex was made “subtly”.
To guide you on how to navigate the vast universe of of all human rights. It can be difficult for nations to ade- However, in a new trial, the
laws and rules that contribute to the development of an quately build and implement human rights frameworks judge was found guilty
anti-corruption framework, we have developed a set of when corruption undermines institutions. and was given a prison
questions below: It also important to note the positive connection sentence of eight years.16
between anti-corruption efforts and the protection of
human rights. Acting to prevent and counter corruption
helps to create an environment where human rights are
How to find out what the anti-corruption framework looks like in your country better protected, respected and promoted. Converse-
ly, upholding human rights can help anti-corruption
efforts.
1 Does your Government have an anti-corruption strategy? o Yes o No The conclusions reached during the discussion included
In the political declaration entitled “Our common the following:
commitment to effectively addressing challenges
• Corruption violates the core human rights principles
and implementing measures to prevent and combat
2 Does your Government have anti-corruption legislation? o Yes o No of transparency, accountability, non-discrimination
corruption and strengthen international cooperation”,
and meaningful participation.
adopted by the General Assembly at its special ses-
sion against corruption held in 2021, Member States • Corruption hinders access to basic services and
3 Does your Government have a freedom of information law? o Yes o No expressed concern about the negative impact that all human rights for the most vulnerable groups,
forms of corruption, including the solicitation of undue such as women and children, especially in rural or
advantages, can have on access to basic services conflict-affected areas. As a result of inequalities
and the enjoyment of all human rights, and recognize and intersectional discrimination7, corruption has
4 Does your Government have a law that protects whistle-blowers or people o Yes o No that it can exacerbate poverty and inequality and may a disproportionate impact on women, children,
who report corruption? disproportionately affect the most disadvantaged indi- migrants, persons with disabilities and persons
viduals in society, and pledged to prevent and combat living in poverty as they are often more reliant on
5 Where is integrity mentioned in the laws of your country? corruption and strengthen international cooperation in public goods and services, and as they have limited
a manner consistent with our obligations with regard means to look for alternative private services.
to and respect for all human rights, justice, democracy
• Corruption has a negative impact on access to
and the rule of law at all levels.
• Is judicial integrity and the independence of the judicial system o Yes o No justice, especially for the most vulnerable.
mentioned?
• Corruption restricts people’s opportunities to
“When there is corruption, human rights
participate in the design and implementation of
disappear”
• Is there a code of conduct for civil servants? o Yes o No public policies and programmes and deprives
- Olajobi Makinwa, Chief, Africa, United Nations people of the resources to seek accountability and
Global Compact reparations.

• Is there a code of conduct or/and a code of ethics for teachers and o Yes o No
In its resolution 21/13, the Human Rights Council
professors?
requested that the Office of the United Nations High
5
Commissioner for Human Rights organize a panel dis- See the Implementation Review Mechanism page on the website of
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, available at [Link].
6 Is the behaviour of private businesses in relation to corruption, integrity and o Yes o No cussion on the issue of the negative impact of corruption
org/unodc/en/corruption/country-profile/[Link].
ethics mentioned anywhere in a policy and the legal system in your country? on the enjoyment of human rights at its twenty-second
session, held from 25 February to 22 March 2013. 6 UNODC, “Knowledge tools for academics and professionals: Module
Series on Anti-Corruption. Module 7: Corruption and Human Rights”
• Is the integrity of businesses regulated in your country? o Yes o No (Vienna).

16Transparency International, “Breaking the Silence Around Sextortion:

The links between power, sex and corruption“ (2020).

8 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 9
In July 2021, the Human Rights Council adopted reso- Nevertheless, where does corruption in education come In general, corruption has an extremely damaging
lution 47/7, on the negative impact of corruption on In 2019, a regional governor from? Answering this question is, undoubtedly, a her- effect on society. In education, corruption has a
the enjoyment of human rights. In the resolution, the in Norway was found guilty culean task. Yet, one may say that some of the factors severe economic and social impact, which can be felt
Council decided to convene an intersessional panel of abusing his position and that contribute to the spread of corrupt practices in the immediately and in the long term. For example, corrupt
discussion on the challenges and good practices in the exploiting the vulnerability of the education sector are: schools and universities serve as a breeding ground
prevention of corruption and the impact of corruption three young male asylum seekers for corruption itself, by normalizing the acceptance
a) the high rate of return – people hope to use their
on the enjoyment of human rights in the context of the (the youngest was 17). of fraudulent practices at an early age of life and
educational degrees to have a comfortable life and/or
COVID-19 pandemic. The panel was held on 15 February replacing meritocracy with the “ability to pay”. Moreover,
The three individuals said they to get a well-paid job and they are therefore more prone
2022. corruption in the education sector contributes to the
believed their response to the to paying bribes or engaging in other corrupt practices
erosion of social trust and sabotages development by
More broadly, anti-corruption efforts and the pro- governor’s demands for sex in order to gain a formal qualification or improve their
undermining the formation of educated, competent
tection of human rights were recognized as mutually could result in them either being results; and
and ethical citizens and leaders10. Also, as touched on
reinforcing in resolution 47/7, on the negative impact deported or securing permanent
b) the low salaries of public officials and educators, the in the section on human rights, the consequences of
of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights, by residency.17
shortage of funds of educational institutions and the corruption are particularly severe for the poor and people
the Human Rights Council, in which the Council invited
lack of educational infrastructure in many countries8. in vulnerable positions, who, without the means to be
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Other causes that are also worth mentioning include educated, have little chance to escape a life of poverty
Human Rights and UNODC to exchange views in order
the lack of regulation and criteria, the existence of and marginalization.11 Therefore, corrupt practices will
to deepen understanding of the link between corruption
inadequate organizational structures and the lack of contribute to the repetition of this behaviour and the
and human rights.
channels for meaningful community involvement9. deepening of inequalities, hindering social mobility and
In its resolution 52/21, on the negative impact of the stopping society from evolving and flourishing.
In addition, while a legal framework might often be in
non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries
place, weak or inadequate law enforcement and weak
of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, the Human
institutional capacity to monitor and enforce the rules
Rights Council invited the Conference of the States Par-
remains a significant challenge.
ties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption
to consider ways of implementing the Convention that
take human rights into full consideration.
While we will cover more human rights and their con-
nection to corruption in this section, for more information Corruption in the education sector
on the link between the two, as well as an account of the Education is a major driver for professional, personal and Examples of corruption in the education sector
impact of corruption on individual human rights, take a social development, a fundamental human right and a
look at the UNODC “Module Series on Anti-Corruption – basic precondition for exercising many other rights and
Module 7: Corruption and Human Rights”. freedoms. Recognizing its importance, it is established Structural corruption in the Individual corruption in the
in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that education sector education sector
collective efforts must be made to ensure inclusive
Defining Intersectional Discrimination and equitable quality education and promote lifelong
According to the Council of Europe, intersection- learning opportunities for all (Sustainable Development Money lost to corruption will not be Undue churning out of degrees to gain
al discrimination occurs when two or multiple Goal 4). invested in the education sector institutional advantages
grounds are in existence simultaneously and inter-
Corruption is, nevertheless, one of the main obstacles
act in an inseparable manner, producing distinct Teacher recruitment and posting are Awarding of underserved pass marks
to the pursuit of this goal, by seriously threatening equal
and specific forms of discrimination. influenced by nepotism, favouritism, in exchange for favours (payment of
access to all levels of education and by compromising
its quantity and quality. Therefore, being able to iden- conflict of interest, abuse of power and bribers, sexual favours, etc.)
The concept of multiple discrimination recognizes
tify different corrupt practices in the education sector bribery, including sexual bribery
that discrimination can occur on the basis of more
than one perceived characteristic. and being conscious of its harmful effects is crucial to The quality of teaching is reduced and Payment of bribes and fraudulent
raising awareness of the importance of corruption-free children do not meet internationally “fees” for educational services that are
For example, a person who is discriminated on the
education. Thus, empowering and building the capacity recognized learning objectives supposed to be free
grounds of their ethnicity may be also discrimina-
of young people and other members of the educational
tion on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation or
community allows the development of anti-corruption
age, and so on. Such discrimination can, and often Corruption in procurement,
strategies in this area and beyond.
does, create cumulative disadvantage. embezzlement of funds and diversion of
funds deprives educational facilities of
In 1995, at the World Conference for Women,
much-needed resources and supplies
attention was drawn to the fact that age, disability,
social and economic status, ethnicity and race
can create particular barriers for women.
This led to the development of a framework for
recognizing multiple and coexisting forms of
discrimination, which became part of the Beijing
Platform for Action.

7Intersectional discrimination recognized by the 1995 World 17 BBC, “Norway ex-minister Svein Ludvigsen guilty of sexually abusing
Conference for Women asylum seekers”, 5 July 2019.

8UNODC, “Knowledge tools for academics and professionals: Module 9 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general com- 10 Transparency International, “Corruption in the Education Sector: An 11 Monica Kirya, “Education sector corruption: How to assess it and ways
Series on Anti-Corruption. Module 9: Corruption in Education” (Vienna). ment No. 13 (1999) on the right to education. Introduction” (2004). to address it”, U4, vol. 5 (2019).

10 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 11
Corruption and gender
Corruption and gender inequality are in many ways
closely connected. Traditionally, women were perceived A correlation may exist:
as being less corrupt because there were fewer instanc- In June 2009, the Corruption
es of women engaging in corrupt practices. However, and Crime Commission
this theory has been disproved as more research was in Australia opened
done into the power dynamics connected to gender an investigation into

Women in power
norms that underpin our society. Women are not less allegations that an
corrupt – historically they have simply had less power academic used his
in patriarchal societies.12 position to pressure
female students into sex in
However, gender equality and diversity can disrupt exchange for higher marks at
established, collusive networks, which are pre-domi- the university that they attended.
nantly male and, therefore, tend to benefit men more
than women. Several studies have concluded that The investigation concluded that the aca-
gender equality and the increased representation of demic engaged in serious misconduct under
women can improve transparency in organizations, the Corruption and Crime Commission Act
and that there is a mutually reinforcing relationship 2003 as he corruptly took advantage of his
Corruption levels
between gender equality and anti-corruption efforts. employment as a public officer to obtain a
benefit for himself by seeking sexual favours
Generally, women experience corruption and its effects
from a female foreign student in exchange
differently because of unequal and gendered power
for awarding her a higher mark in her mid-
relations. Typical manifestations include the limiting of
term examination.15
women’s access to public resources, information and
decision-making. Therefore, these circumstances rein-
It may exist because:
force social norms, cultural stereotypes and political Corruption reduces women’s Women in power reduce
disadvantages. opportunities corruption
Furthermore, corruption has a disproportionate
impact on women as a reflection of the biases in our
societies. For example, testimonies of sex being used
as a currency (sexual corruption) in corruption, where The reason for this may be:
someone forces or asks a vulnerable individual (often
Women’s inequality is deepened by To improve opportunities for career
a woman or a girl) to perform sexual acts in exchange
more negative impacts of corruption on advancement, women in power cut cor-
for services that should be accessed for free.13 Unfor-
those with less power, and also by intrin- rupt practices orchestrated by collusive,
tunately, these situations are not always recognized as
sically gendered forms of corruption, male-dominated networks.
corruption offences by the law, which makes it even less
such as demands for sexual favours as
unlikely that they are reported because of a culture of Women in power avoid corruption
the bribery currency.
victim-shaming and victim-blaming. When corruption because they face stronger incentives
affects the LGBTQI+ community, its incidence and Women observe public officers in cor- than men for clean management. They
impact are buried even further, because of laws that rupt systems broadly treating people are often socialised to be risk averse,
make same-sex relationships illegal. with less power in a biased manner. They and may face additional social sanc-
also anticipate being held to higher eth- tioning for ethical transgressions.
For an in-depth account of this topic, take a look at the
ical standards than men. Consequently,
UNODC module on corruption and gender14 and the To substantively represent women’s
women assume that they would face
UNODC publication entitled The Time is Now: Address- interests, women in power improve
unfair treatment if they were to seek
ing the Gender Dimensions of Corruption. delivery of public goods and services
more power, and so are put off trying.
in “women’s interests” policy domains,
Male-dominated networks that conduct which requires cutting corruption in
corrupt activities and control access those sectors.
to power discriminate against women,
keeping them out by various means
such as the use of masculine norms to
cement trust relationships.

For policymaking, this implies:

Where gender inequalities exist, Where gender inequalities exist,
cutting corruption may help women’s substantive empower-
reduce them ment may cut corruption
14UNODC, “Knowledge tools for academics and professionals: Module
Series on Anti-Corruption. Module 8: Corruption and Gender” (Vienna).
12UNODC, “Knowledge tools for academics and professionals: Module
15 Corruption and Crime Commission of Australia, Report on the
Series on Anti-Corruption. Module 8: Corruption and Gender” (Vienna).
Investigation of Alleged Public Sector Misconduct by Dr Nasrul Ameer Ali
13UNODC, The Time is Now: Addressing the Gender Dimensions of as a sessional academic employed by Curtin University of Technology Source: UNODC, The Time is Now: Addressing the Gender Dimensions of
Corruption (Vienna, 2020). (September 2010). Corruption (Vienna, 2020).

12 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 13
Corruption and climate change Corruption and disability inclusion These examples clearly prove that persons with disabil-
As illustrated in the Sustainable Development Goals, the Persons with disabilities are likely to feel less empow- ities can be severely and disproportionately affected
Corruption and misappropriation of climate
economy, the environment and society are intimately ered than other groups to stand up to corruption and by corruption and that as a result, even more resilience
funds in Malaysia
linked. Without a healthy environment, there cannot be act against it in its varied forms. This is because persons and drive is needed by persons with disabilities to fight
In 2022, the former prime minister of Malaysia was against corruption.
a healthy society and without a healthy society, there convicted for misappropriating millions from the with disabilities often have fewer choices, less informa-
cannot be a healthy economy. Hence, the protection of national development fund, which included funds tion, fewer resources and fewer opportunities to voice However, it is important to remember that persons with
the environment is the foundation of a well-function- designated for climate change mitigation efforts. their concerns, and they are often depend on others. disabilities can also be perpetrators of acts of corruption.
ing society and economy. In October 2021, the Human This understanding is crucial to avoiding discrimination
Rights Council adopted resolution 48/13, on the human The former prime minister was found guilty on all based on disability. According to the Convention on the
right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, counts, including abuse of power, money-laun- Rights of Persons with Disabilities, this discrimination is
Defining persons with disabilities and what these
in which the Council recognizes that sustainable devel- dering and criminal breach of trust, all of which “any distinction, exclusion or restriction on the basis of
definitions mean
opment, in its three dimensions (social, economic and relate to $10 million in funding that was deposited disability which has the purpose or effect of impairing
environmental), and the protection of the environment, into the account of the former prime minister from According to article 1 of the Convention on the
or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on
including ecosystems, contribute to and promote a former unit of the development fund. Rights of Persons with Disabilities (which is com-
an equal basis with others, of all human rights and fun-
human well-being and the enjoyment of human rights. monly referred to as UNCRPD), by persons with
Source: Reuters, “Explainer: Malaysia’s ex-PM Najib and the damental freedoms in the political, economic, social,
disabilities, we mean “those who have long-term
According to the United Nations, climate change is
multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal”, 23 August 2022. cultural, civil or any other field.”
physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impair-
affecting the global ecosystem and reshaping the ments which in interaction with various barriers As also discussed in the section on gender, persons
future of the entire planet. Severe weather events cited may hinder their full and effective participation in with disabilities and their assistants are often perceived
by Yale Climate Connections18 should serve as a dire Moving forward, we need to focus on the link between society on an equal basis with others”. as “better people” – people who, because of their cir-
warning to humanity. Given the urgency and scale of the climate change and anti-corruption and devise cumstances, have a higher moral standing. Therefore,
climate crisis, more countries are turning to adaptation Therefore, the term “persons with disabilities” is
appropriate and sustainable strategies to address it is often unimaginable for the public to believe that
and limiting loss and damage to cope with its impact, a clear indicator of the approach that should be
their intersections. Failing to address corruption in the persons with disabilities, their family members and pro-
including the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, used in relation to this group: people first and their
response to climate change not only weakens the fessionals working with and for them can commit acts
rising sea levels and climate-induced displacement. In disabilities after. However, having said that, this is
effectiveness of these actions but also erodes trust based on greed and other factors that are conducive to
response, corruption is often overlooked as an increas- not the only definition that is used. For example,
in Governments and threatens to exacerbate the corrupt behaviour. Put more simply, just like everyone
ingly prominent threat, which has the potential to stall, there are networks of persons with disabilities who
inequalities we see in the impact of climate change on else, persons with disabilities have positive and nega-
jeopardize and undermine the effective implementation prefer the term “disabled person”, such as the
high- and low-income countries. tive characteristics and aspirations.
of the climate agenda. European Network for Independent Living, which
uses the term in order to stress that people are With this information on corruption and disability inclu-
Corruption is an enabler of the climate crisis and forest being disabled by their environment. sion in mind, when you are in the process of developing
loss19. It hinders the actions of international commit- If you want to know more about corruption and your anti-corruption initiative, it is important that you
ments to mitigate climate change. For example, the climate change, we recommend reading the pay attention to whether the organizations that you are
lack of regulation makes carbon offset schemes, UNODC and World Bank Group paper: “Discussion reaching out to or with which you are partnering have
such as carbon credit markets, vulnerable to corrup- In terms of corruption that persons with disabilities
draft for the Conference of the States Parties to a legitimate and genuine interest in improving disability
tion. Corruption derails access to and the delivery of are vulnerable to, research shows that persons with
the Convention: Addressing the links between inclusion, rather than, for instance, using the cause to
climate finance, it hampers political and legal struc- disabilities are exposed to abuse by those that provide
corruption and the response to climate change”, promote personal economic benefits or using funds
tures, fuels biodiversity loss and it threatens the lives care (for instance, the embezzlement of funds intended
which was presented at the tenth session of the and resources originally allocated to this cause for
and livelihoods of environmental defenders and the to benefit persons with disabilities and extortion in the
Conference of the States Parties to United Nations personal gain.
most-affected people and areas. As such, tackling process of acquiring a disability certificate)21, and that
Convention against Corruption, held in Atlanta, they can be forced to bribe nursing staff to get their
corruption in the context of climate change is key to
Georgia, United States of America. entitlements in closed institutions where they are under
upholding the transparency and effectiveness of cli-
mate action, as well as to protecting the environment constant control and lack the ability to report such
and indigenous populations from vested interests and treatment.
criminal activities. Corruption linked to climate change Furthermore, the Committee on the Rights of Persons
and the environment can result from lack of financial with Disabilities, which oversees the implementation
transparency and can take the form of embezzlement of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Dis-
of funds destined for climate projects20. abilities, has observed that persons with intellectual
disabilities, persons with psychosocial disabilities and
children, people of senior age and women with dis-
abilities are particularly exposed to systematic and
structural discrimination. This discrimination can result
in greater exposure to corruption. Indeed, groups that
are more exposed to discrimination tend to suffer from
an above-average risk of falling victim to corruption,
whereby corrupt actors intentionally target them. Both
corruption and discrimination create and perpetuate
structural inequalities and are interconnected. Both
create circumstances in which persons with disabilities
are likely to be victimized and cut off from services and
resources necessary for their well-being.

18 Jeff Masters, “World rocked by 29-billion-dollar weather disasters in

2022”, Yale Climate Connections, 19 October 2022.
21Matthew Jenkins and Ellie McDonald, “Corruption and the equal
19UNODC, Rooting Out Corruption: An Introduction to Addressing the 20 UNODC and World Bank Group, “Addressing Corruption Risks to enjoyment of rights for persons with disabilities”, U4 Helpdesk Answer
Corruption Fuelling Forest Loss (Vienna, 2023). Safeguard the Response to Climate Change: Discussion Draft II” (2023). 2022, 29 April 2022.

14 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 15
Corruption and artificial intelligence Advancements in artificial intelligence are continually
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing our world at a reshaping our approach to combating corruption. For Want to know more about artificial intelligence
rapid pace, affecting how we work, learn and interact instance, emerging technologies such as blockchain and its role in fighting corruption?
with each other. One of the areas in which artificial and federated learning are being integrated with arti- Here are some resources that we have selected for
intelligence can make a positive contribution is the fight ficial intelligence systems to enhance the security and you:
against corruption. Over the years, we have seen how privacy of sensitive data used in anti-corruption activity.
Blockchain technology can provide tamper-proof and • Nils Köbis and others, “Artificial intelligence as
technology has contributed towards improvements in
transparent record-keeping, ensuring the integrity of an anti-corruption tool (AI-ACT) – potentials
transparency, how it has helped promote accountability
data used for analysis and decision-making. Federated and pitfalls for top-down and bottom-up
and how it has encouraged active civic participation in
learning enables collaborative model training across approaches”, academic paper, Germany,
our societies. If developed ethically and in accordance
multiple decentralized sources of data, preserving the February 2021.
with human rights standards and principles, artificial
intelligence will undoubtedly become a key tool for the confidentiality of individual data while still deriving
• Nils Köbis and others, “The promise and
anti-corruption movement. collective insights to identify corruption patterns. By
perils of using artificial intelligence to fight
embracing these cutting-edge technologies, we can
corruption” by Nils Köbis, Christopher”, Nature
How can we use artificial intelligence in the fight against foster even greater effectiveness and efficiency in our
Machine Intelligence, vol. 4, No.5 (May 2022),
corruption? anti-corruption endeavours, staying ahead of evolv-
pp.418-424.
There are several ways we can do this: ing challenges and safeguarding the integrity of our
societies. • Transparency International, “The Corruption
• Data analysis. Artificial intelligence algorithms Risks of Artificial Intelligence” (2022).
can be used to process large amounts of data, These interventions, if implemented correctly, will hope-
fully contribute towards reduced levels of corruption in • Vinay Sharma, “Can artificial intelligence stop
such as financial transactions or procurement
our society. However, it is important to remember that corruption in its tracks?”, World Bank Blogs, 15
information, to detect irregularities such as fraud
artificial intelligence is not a silver bullet in our fight November 2018.
or embezzlement. Moreover, using advanced
artificial intelligence techniques, such as anomaly against corruption – it must be used with other mean-
• Coalition for Integrity, Using Machine Learning
detection and network analysis, can reveal intricate ingful tactics and activities.
for Anti-Corruption Risk and Compliance
corruption schemes that might go undetected by While we recognize that the use of artificial intelligence is (2021).
traditional methods. advantageous in our efforts, we should insist that these
• Predictive modeling. Artificial intelligence can help technologies and algorithms are built in transparent
to develop predictive models, based on historical and accountable ways and that they are aligned with
data, that can be used to identify where corruption ethical values and human rights.
is likely to occur in certain sectors of society, and to Did you know that the insightful section you just read was
determine its impact. This will aid policymakers and crafted using artificial intelligence? Using artificial intel-
the public in developing preventative approaches, ligence in this toolkit not only showcases its potential in
enabling proactive measures to be taken to miti- addressing complex issues such as corruption, but also
gate corruption risks. underscores the importance of harnessing technology
• Whistle-blower support. Artificial intelligence for positive change. As you navigate through this toolkit,
chatbots can be developed, trained and used to remember that artificial intelligence isn’t just about
provide information to whistle-blowers on safe futuristic robots – it’s also about leveraging intelligent
processes when exposing corruption or resourc- systems to build a brighter, more transparent future for
es that they can access if they uncover or are all.
subject to malpractice. Additionally, leveraging While these topics are covered in the toolkit, we would
natural-language-processing capabilities, artificial like to ensure that you know that this is not an exhaustive
intelligence-powered systems can analyse vast list. For instance, other interesting interlinkages can be
amounts of text data to identify potential corrup- found in exploring corruption in sports, corruption in the
tion patterns within whistle-blower reports, thereby health sector, corruption in the private sector, etc. So,
facilitating more effective responses. if the topic you are passionate about is not here, don’t
• Education and awareness. Artificial intelligence panic, you can find more information through online
can provide the public with important information research and apply the other steps to your initiative as
on public processes and systems, thereby increas- appropriate.
ing knowledge about and reducing vulnerabilities
to corruption. Artificial intelligence-driven educa-
tional platforms can offer personalized learning
experiences for different demographics, helping
individuals understand the complexities of corrup-
tion and empowering them to take informed action
to combat it.

16 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 17
03: Contextualize HERE IS ANOTHER USEFUL TOOL FOR INTERVIEWS:
Now that you have learned about corruption and have
picked a focus, understanding some of the ways in
which corruption intersects with other themes, you are
Qualitative Interview
ready to contextualize the issue.
Time: 10 Min
Starting your journey towards fighting corruption may
feel like a hard task, especially based on your capa-
bilities and the time at your disposal. Nonetheless, we Tell me about.. Positive, negative, surprising experiences
want to remind you that every small action has the
power to generate significant change. It is important
to be creative and integrate your local languages and
culture into your anti-corruption initiative. The more
relatable and closer to the heart your idea is, the more
it will inspire other young people. Therefore, start by
contextualizing the issue.
In order to understand the way corruption is present
where you live or in the context you are the most inter-
ested in, you may be interested in examining how the
corruption issue you have chosen affects your commu-
nity, city, country or region. In this part of your journey,
you may wish to carry out some research on corruption
and your focus topic in your chosen context. If you Why?
decide to carry out desk-based research, you may wish
to look at local, national and regional media. You can
also carry out research by accessing local, national and
Let’s remember that there is no blueprint for carrying
regional databases: look at both government websites
out a political economy analysis and that organizations
and civil society, academia and international organiza-
and people may apply diverse approaches. Nonethe-
tion resources.
less, the approach is generally multidisciplinary and it
Another way to find more information and develop your uses both qualitative and quantitative data sets.
ideas is to ask people in your community. You can start
The most common elements are:
by talking to the people you trust – this is because cor-
ruption is a sensitive issue and it is important to handle • Stakeholder analysis. This is the mapping of groups
it carefully. If you decide to collect information from and their influence over policies or issues. A stake-
people through interviews, you should phrase the ques- holder analysis is a way of understanding whether
tions in a way that will provide you with the data you certain groups or actors are more likely to support Wishes & needs
are looking for. Make sure to keep track of what you are or oppose the change-management process.
learning in this process, because it will be necessary in
the development of your anti-corruption initiative. You • Analysis of the broad political context. This tool
can do this by asking people to record your exchanges helps us understand what the main factors of a
(make sure to always ask for consent), by taking notes political system are.
or by writing your reflections after each meeting. More • Analysis of formal and informal institutions. This
tips on how to formulate interview questions can be allows us to allocate power among formal and
found in the last section of the toolkit, “Last tip… don’t informal institutions in order to understand how
forget to assess and communicate your impact”. they influence the change-management process.
• Identifying and managing risks. This tool is helpful
What is a political economy analysis? And how to understand the potential impact of a policy or a
to use one project on various groups. Change-management
A political economy analysis22 is concerned with the processes may affect different socioeconomic
groups differently and can trigger tension, conflict Observations during the interview
interaction of and relationships between political
and economic processes in a society: the distribution and resistance to change.
of power and wealth between different groups and • For examples of political economy analysis, we rec-
individuals and the processes that create, sustain and ommend having a look at the U4 Anti-Corruption
transform these relationships over time. Resource Centre website and its resources.
Using a political economy analysis is a way to apply a
“close-up lens” to a specific context or problem. While
it might sound difficult, political economy analysis is
less about the skills and more about asking the right
questions.

22U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, “U4 Expert Answer – Political

economy analysis of anti-corruption reforms” (2009).

18 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 19
04: Design
Once you have developed a better understanding of
corruption related to your focus area in your chosen
context, you are ready to start planning your initiative.

1. The problem: Spend some time using what you Example: 3. Create a mind map about your plan: Using visual- • How can we put this idea into practice?
have learned to frame the issue that you have cho- Young people in my community do not understand ization tools can help you understand the practical-
• What kind of resources (time, manpower, etc.) do
sen to address. their role in the fight against corruption. They often ity of your idea. How will it work in practice? In order
you have?
feel disempowered and there is a general sense of to do this, you can answer a series of questions that
disillusionment towards change. Some people protect will help you reflect on what is possible and what is • What resources are already available?
corrupt individuals out of fear of retaliation or in the needed. These are just a few questions that can help
• Who do we need to involve?
hope that keeping their mouth shut will yield advantag- you design the details of your initiative, but there are
es. The result is that a lot of corruption that could be many tools available online to further support you. • Who can help us?
prevented continues to happen. This is especially true in One idea is to use the concept poster below, which
• What more do we need to know?
the spaces where young people spend their time, such is based on design thinking methodology.
as schools and universities. • What further research needs to be done?
• How much time do we need?

2. The solution: What is the solution to the problem? Example: Example:

Alone or in a group, dedicate some time jotting My idea is community monitoring in secondary schools Train young people in the three secondary schools
down your idea and how it can solve the problem and universities in my community. Have you ever that you have chosen on freedom of information
that you have identified. wondered how much money your school or university and community monitoring to help them monitor
receives and what it spends it on? Is it public or private school resources. Using the results of the community
funding? Are there other resources that are made monitoring exercise, support them in developing a
available to students, such as books and computers? communication and advocacy campaign to increase
How are they procured and managed? Can you identify transparency and accountability of school teachers
waste? Is there a way that the money could be spent and the school management and to involve more stu-
more efficiently? Is it important for the students to be dents in decision-making.
involved in monitoring and deciding how the money is
• Identify 20 to 25 students per school
spent?
• Develop a training methodology
Example: • Carry out the training
The target audience is students in three secondary • Support the monitoring by means of regular check-
schools in my community. The age of the students ins (perhaps through a WhatsApp group)
should be between 15 and 18 years.
• Lead three or more workshops to design the com-
munication and advocacy campaign based on the
results of the monitoring
This activity needs the expertise and assistance of a
trainer and a project coordinator. It needs access to the
schools and commitment from the school teachers. It
needs the students to be motivated.

Go deeper: what is design thinking?

4. Identify challenges and risks: It is important to Example:
Design thinking is a non-linear iterative process for start thinking honestly about what could go wrong The teachers and the school management may not
human-centred design. It is a way to collectively from the outset of an initiative. This means your an- like the call for transparency and this may result in
solve ill-defined and unknown problems by chal- ti-corruption initiative can be developed to mitigate retaliation. The students should be aware of their rights,
lenging assumptions and using creative solutions challenges that may arise. which should be a strong component of the training.
to prototype and to test.
In addition, with the help of the trainer and the project
coordinator, the students could seek support from the
local police, local religious leaders, the media, non-gov-
ernmental organizations or municipal leaders to help
them negotiate and motivate the school.

20 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 21
 05: Be creative and
innovative
Innovating for People Know that every effort to tackle corruption counts. Today, people don’t pay much attention to static
Just like any other major aspect of society, corruption and conventional content. With non-interactive and
Activity Template
evolves over time. And it can do so quickly and non-immersive tools and approaches, it’s almost
significantly. For this reason, anti-corruption measures impossible to truly engage people and evoke the emo-
must be flexible and innovative, and they must take tions you want. We need to be innovative to connect,
What is the concept called?
into consideration social change. Use arts, sports, educate and motivate our audiences and to help them
music, blogs, storytelling and any other creative understand our mission and make it theirs. There are
strengths to invest your anti-corruption campaign with various ways of using modern tools to achieve this goal,
the potential that you have at your disposal. including:

Creative tools Purposes Examples Target

Who is it for? What problem does it solve? What is the big idea?
Virtual reality and Fundraising Kiosks
augmented reality
Outreach Metaverse
Communication Augmented reality filters
Virtual reality innovation
Workshops on opportuni-
ties for people with visual
impairments
Illustrate how it works
Media Raising awareness Podcasts Young people of all
age ranges
Promoting causes Online streaming
Op-ed articles
Social media vlogs
Braille posts and acces-
sible content

Art Interpret, express and Tangible art pieces (i.e.

resolve conflicts sculptures)
Interpret, express and Comic books
address pressing
Music
issues
Why might it fail? What should we prototype How might we measure Films
and test? success?
Murals
Flashmobs
Photobooks

Trends Mainstreaming Fashion designs General public

anti-corruption
Viral Internet content
slogans, encouraging
public participation Audio code-poem
How will we make this happen?
competitions

Sport Generate physical and Fundraising tournaments

mental energy to drive
Marathons
action, creativity and
innovation Paralympic Games

22 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 23
Creativity and innovation in an offline setting Creativity and innovation in an online format –
As soon as you and any team member you may using social media
have recruited decide to move to an offline setting Considering that almost two thirds (62.3 per cent in
that involves an artistic approach, the ways you can 2024) of the world’s population uses social media25, it is
deliver your message are limitless. Today, graffiti, a great outlet to raise awareness of corruption among
street art, three-dimensional wall art and music are young people. Since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
major platforms that allow young people to share pandemic, the use of social networking platforms has
their voices, especially after political activists and increased and this scale presents many opportunities
artists such as Banksy and Shepard Fairey have found for communication. This makes a great case for using it
international fame. Not everyone may be able to take in your anti-corruption initiative.
this kind of action, but you can always use alternative
mural art forms (on walls, sidewalks, etc.) in your school, Brainstorming activity: Keeping up with current online
organization or activist group area. Always make sure platforms
to respect national laws and to have the necessary
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok
permits.
are currently the most used social media platforms26.
What does this mean in terms of developing your
Brainstorming activity: Why take an artistic approach anti-corruption initiative?
to combating corruption?
Visual communication can often be a great tool for Tip: When strategizing and sharing your voice, you
delivering ideas, conveying thoughts and sharing can use these platforms to target different demo-
messages (remember: “A picture is worth a thousand graphics. For example, you can research podcasts
words”). In a community, people are from different and similar online content on corruption on a range of
backgrounds, have different religions, have different In her powerful spoken-word poem “I AM CHANGE” , Damaris “Keep your coins, I want change”. Stencil by unknown (based on
Akhigbe from Nigeria talks about how young people can be the
platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,
the Banksy stencil). Photo: Beth/flickr.
gender identities, are from different races and have change they want to see in the world 23. Soundcloud, Spotify, Discord and YouTube.
different levels of education: this makes art more
accessible and a powerful tool to promote and share Tip: Let’s say that you would like to address the topic
ideas. of “gender dimensions of corruption” on social media.
You can make and upload a series of posters, cartoons,
Common forms of artistic activities include:
comic books, educational videos, vlogs, short music,
• Art exhibitions, flashmobs, music contests and films and op-ed articles to your Facebook, YouTube,
sports competitions Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok accounts in order to
raise awareness of the impact of corruption on gender
• Short film festivals, open mic events and movie equality. For example, you can explain important terms
nights used in relation to this topic (networking, patronage,
Also, ask yourself how you can implement your initiative clientelist behaviour, etc.) through a combination of
with creativity in line with the Sustainable Development social media trends to help deliver your message to
Goals. young audiences.

Always make sure to check your facts: avoid spread-

ing fake news!
Online safety is as important as safety in real life. In fact,
the two worlds are very much connected – something
that you do in the online world can have consequences
in your offline life. Therefore, considering your choices of
Mural painting by Shepard Fairey. Shepard Fairey (Obey) – Peace, words and weighing up the risks of an online interaction An art competition held in Kenya that brought young artists to-
2011 & The Birds, Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 gether to talk about corruption24.
by aestheticssofcrisis.
are key to avoiding putting yourself in danger. For more
ideas on how to keep safe, take a look at step eight
on being safe, where we dive deeper into this import-
ant topic when talking about sensitive topics such as
corruption.

23 UNODC, “Rule of Law Champion Damaris Akhigbe”, YouTube, video, 24 UNODC, Crime Congress 14, “In Nairobi, youth are talking about 25 Dave Chaffey, “Global social media statistics research summary 26 Ibid.
23 April 2020 corruption, crime prevention and good governance”, 11 December 2018. May 2024”, Smart Insights, 1 May 2024.

24 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 25
 06: Find allies
Creativity and innovation in a hybrid format Working together is fundamental to maximizing impact After you have done a stakeholder analysis, start reach-
and achieving results. Preventing and countering ing out to some of the stakeholders, forging partnerships
Adding an innovative twist, you can use augmented
corruption cannot be done alone. Acting against cor- and building alliances.
reality to make your artwork come alive and interact
ruption requires the efforts of like-minded individuals,
and engage with people. Ways of using augmented
companies and organizations in the public and the pri-
reality include: Finding high-level support for your initiative
vate sectors. Finding allies is important as this creates
a collective effort, amplifies the action and generates a It might be useful for certain activities to find allies in
• Immersive storytelling. To make the community
holistic and sustainable approach that has all the right prominent, trusted and respected public figures. This
better understand and emotionally connect to
attributes to make a lasting change in your community might mean different things in different communities
social issues, including corruption, you can imbed
and beyond. Seek and reach out to these stakeholders, and countries, but generally this can help open doors
videos on posters, two-dimensional murals and
increase your knowledge, enhance your capacity, pro- and achieve change faster.
graffiti.
vide support and boost your efforts. Ideas include finding an anti-corruption champion in a
• Interactive gamified campaigns. To engage with
A useful tool for getting started is a stakeholder analy- local or a national leader, such as a parliamentarian, a
and motivate social media users, you can use
sis. You may have already done this in relation to step city mayor or a religious leader. Similarly, depending on
gamification in a fun and convenient way.
three (on contextualizing your initiative). If not, map out your initiative, a teacher or a university professor, or a
• Augmented reality kiosks. You can set up augment- your stakeholders – it is important to know who the key leader or a representative of a parent-teacher associa-
ed reality kiosks for launching initiatives and driving players are that will help you achieve the goals of your tion may be facilitators and supporters. As we have said
engagement, using interactive quizzes and games initiative, or will reduce your chances of bringing about before, corruption affects everyone. Therefore, you will
in shopping centres, at events and at transport change. Using this power-influence grid will help you to be able to find people who are affected by corruption
hubs (airports and train, bus and metro stations). identify the individuals and organizations you need to and are similarly motivated to do something about it.
• Social newspapers and billboards. You can convert target to achieve change.
static printed communication material into interac-
tive and engaging content to better communicate Example: Interaction of augmented reality and technology.
and connect with your audience.
• Metaverse. In the metaverse, you can create an
ideal world and you can build a community that
gets stronger and stronger thanks to direct inspi-
ration and immersive peer-to-peer teaching and
e-learning practices.
• Augmented reality filters. Various face filter appli-
cations have imbedded quizzes, games, etc. that
can be used on social platforms to educate, inspire Keep Satisfied Manage Closely
and motivate people.

Tip: You can combine artistic works with technology,

LEVEL OF POWER
creating a storytelling e-book with choose-your-own-
adventure options. This means users can choose the
plot of the story while engaging with illustrations that
you designed.

Tip: How about designing a mini game on corruption?

This kind of innovation will increase engagement. Of

course, your financial resources may limit what you can A Choose Your Own Adventure series book and an e-book by
do, but there are lots of options in this section that do Edward Packard.
not cost much.

To conclude, it is important to remember that creativity

and innovation do not only mean using art and technol- Monitor Keep Informed
ogy. There are many ways to be innovative and creative
when it comes to resolving a problem. Further examples
are shared in step nine on educating others.

LEVEL OF INFLUENCE

26 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 27
Finding partners and teammates to design and
implement your initiative
You can do this by:
• Promoting the adoption of global anti-corruption
07: Be inclusive
Many young people around the world are fed up with standards and best practices, which can help
When designing your anti-corruption initiative, While inclusivity is a much broader concept than just
corruption and many young people are trying to do strengthen national legal frameworks and promote
remember to be inclusive and apply gender- and looking at human rights, gender and disability (for
something about it. Finding partners in your commu- integrity
human-rights-based approaches. The approach must example, taking into consideration the unique perspec-
nity, region and country (and internationally) may help
• Providing access to resources, expertise and be intersectional. It must reconcile a vast range of tives and needs of indigenous populations), here we
amplify your cause, foster creativity and diversity, and
support that can enhance the effectiveness of aspects and identities and include all groups equally are focused on disability inclusion, with the hope that
bring in extra resources. The easiest step is to reach
youth-led initiatives and meaningfully. it will be a good starting point to stimulate your cre-
out to friends and family, but reaching out to other
ative thinking on the incorporation of diversity in your
youth groups in your community or region is a good • Facilitating cooperation and partnerships between Having a human-rights-based approach to corrup-
anti-corruption initiative.
step too. Make sure to share your ideas with them in youth and like-minded organizations across bor- tion means designing your initiative in a way that it is
your message and ask them to meet up to talk about it ders, promoting a global community united against focused on prioritizing human rights holders (meaning When it comes to disability inclusion, enhancing the
more. They could have important and useful skills and corruption individuals), while demanding that duty bearers (i.e. agency of persons with disabilities and ensuring their
perspectives to enrich your ideas. Governments) respect, protect and fulfill their inherent meaningful inclusion in decision-making processes is
Civil society organizations have a key role to play
obligations. the way to go. If we believe that persons with disabili-
in promoting international cooperation and raising
Learn from others ties are people just like everyone else, then we need to
awareness among local actors of their importance in We know that addressing corruption with a gender-sen-
accept that they know their own needs better than oth-
Do not reinvent the wheel. Find out if there are other the fight against corruption. By engaging with global sitive and a human-rights-based approach is complex.
ers. As such, for example, persons with disabilities have
young people or youth groups that are doing or have networks and aligning their initiatives with international You can start by having a look at the UNODC briefing
to be the ones who voice their needs and concerns, they
done something similar. You can reach out to them to standards, young people can contribute to building note “Mainstreaming Gender in Corruption Projects/
have to be the ones who are consulted when treatment
learn from their experiences and avoid duplication and more transparent and just societies. Programmes” or the UNODC publication The Time is
is to be discussed, services are to be provided and
making the same mistakes. Now: Addressing the Gender Dimensions of Corruption.
funds are to be disbursed, and they must be the ones
Generally, the aim of these approaches is to guaran- who employ and manage their assistants.
Build partnerships to expand resources tee the fair distribution of opportunities, equal access
The main slogan of the Convention on the Rights of
Joining forces can also mean joining resources. In Persons with Disabilities is “nothing about us without
order to be effective and sustainable, an initiative may us” and corruption affects persons with disabilities just
need seed funding. Looking for partnerships may be a According to the UNODC briefing note on as, if not more, than everyone else. As such, we should
good way of tapping into existing resources or even of mainstreaming gender in corruption projects and actively promote inclusive and accessible learning
developing the trust and ambition needed to do joint programmes, there are no gender-neutral inter- environments for persons with disabilities who may be
fundraising. Fundraising could also be done by seeking ventions when the ultimate goal is to improve interested in learning about corruption and obtaining
individual donations from community members, friends the lives of all people, women and men, girls and skills and developing mindsets that are aimed at
and family who believe in your cause and want to con- boys, as well as individuals of different bodily rejecting it in all its forms. If we believe that persons with
tribute. Nonetheless, a lot can be done without financial characteristics, diverse sexual orientation and/or disabilities have real-life experience in being victims of
resources. Therefore, assess your start-up needs first diverse or plural gender identities. corruption, then we must empower them and enable
and only fundraise if strictly necessary. them to use this experience to combat corruption.
An effective way of dealing with this delicate topic in an
And after that, you can go global! to public services and goods, and respect for human efficient and inclusive way is to engage persons with
Corruption is a pervasive problem that affects the social, dignity and freedom without any form of discrimination. disabilities at the inception of your anti-corruption ini-
economic and political fabric of societies worldwide, In practical terms, you can have an active role in the tiative. You should consider collaborating with persons
with particularly significant consequences for countries fight against corruption and the promotion of human with disabilities in order to access a source of expert
in the Global South. In an increasingly interconnected rights, gender equality and disability inclusion by: advice and substantive expertise, so that they can pro-
world, those engaging in transnational crime and vide consultations, advice and training, and so that they
corruption exploit legal frameworks and trade infra- • Raising awareness of the complex nature of the can play a part in the implementation of your initiative.
structures, making it a pressing global challenge that relationship between corruption and human
rights, gender and disability with your peers and Moreover, involving young persons with disabilities
requires collective action.
colleagues during the first stages of the design of an educational
International cooperation is crucial to meeting this activity has the added value of allowing you to learn
challenge, as it facilitates the sharing of knowledge, • Advocating for the human rights of victims of about the priorities of the disability community in your
best practices and resources between countries and corruption, especially minorities and vulnerable city, country and region when it comes to combating
organizations. For young anti-corruption advocates, groups, and for the need to provide effective rem- corruption.
leveraging global cooperation networks is essential to edy to victims
Another idea is for persons with disabilities who are par-
amplifying their anti-corruption efforts and to having a • Promoting transparency, accountability and par- ticipating in your initiative to be taught by able-bodied
meaningful impact. You can take policy requests linked ticipation to prevent everyday acts of corruption, trainers and vice versa, with the aim of building mutual
to your initiative abroad by sharing what you have especially when connected with the protection and respect and creating intergroup learning experiences
learned. promotion of human rights that benefit all participants. This should be considered
• Strengthening anti-corruption legal frameworks when addressing all topics, including anti-corruption
from a bottom-up perspective education and civic engagement.

• Breaking the chain of corruption and exposing the

detrimental effect corruption has on all human life,
including on the respect for and the safeguarding
of human rights.

28 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 29
 08: Be safe
Disability inclusion is essential to upholding human Generally, where corruption thrives, human rights are
rights, to sustainable development and to peace and weak, whereas where corruption levels are low, we find
security. We must uphold and safeguard the promise higher levels of respect, protection and enjoyment of
of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group human rights across all generations. For instance, it
to “leave no one behind” and work together to promote is stated in the Amnesty International Report 2022/23
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with that there were at least 50 cases in which human rights
and for persons with disabilities, because only in this were violated in relation to anti-corruption activism
way can we recognize that protecting and strengthen- in its reporting period27, while in the Global Analysis
ing the rights of persons with disabilities is a gateway 2022 report from Front Line Defenders, the killing of 401
for a more just world and is an investment in a better human rights defenders from 26 countries is recorded,
common future that is stronger and more resilient to with reference to at least 15 cases of the criminalization
corruption for everyone’s benefit. of individuals acting against corruption. Unfortunately,
many anti-corruption activists are tracked by groups
involved in corruption and other crimes and there is
The following is a tool that you can use to create an anti-corruption event that is inclusive of persons with disabilities.
always a risk of being targeted, in terms of arrest, defa-
mation, detention, harassment, repression, torture and
even murder.
How to make an event accessible to and
As such, it is always essential to be aware of your envi-
inclusive of persons with disabilities ronment and what it means in terms of anti-corruption
Inclusivity is necessary to create an open and safe sions, participatory creative activities etc. This involvement, and to act in a manner that guarantees
space for persons with disabilities to take part in will only benefit from further conceptual con-

09: Educate others

your physical, mental, personal and professional safety
and contribute to your activities. Preparation and sultation with the participants with disabilities and that of your loved ones.
transparency are integral to making your initiative themselves: for instance, when having blind
inclusive. The following are easy-to-follow tips: attendees, offering vision and speed-oriented In this regard, the most important advice is to be aware
ice-breakers may foster a sense of exclusion. of the laws that protect you. Countries that have rati-
• When announcing your call for participants, you You have done your research and have come up with
fied the United Nations Convention against Corruption
should clearly invite applications from persons • Consider sending the learning materials in a strategy. You are ready to educate others about your
should be doing their best to implement articles 33 and
with disabilities and clarify any special assis- advance to the participants. Blind and partially idea.
34 on the protection of victims of corruption and on the
tance and support that you can provide, and sighted persons may prefer going through protection of those who report corruption (e.g. whis- If your initiative is a communication or awareness-rais-
provide a space for applicants to request any them using screen-reading software. Movie tle-blowers). Check your national laws and the legal ing campaign, then you are all set. If communicating
special needs. Many persons with disabilities screenings with subtitles may work well for a advice and protection that is provided by anti-cor- about corruption and its negative impact is not the
could be discouraged from applying if they deaf person, but would create difficulties for the ruption authorities and civil society organizations in main goal of your anti-corruption initiative, educating
assume they would be discriminated against or blind and partially sighted, as someone would your country (for example, Transparency International others should still be an important part of your initiative.
if their needs would not be catered for. have to simultaneously read the subtitles and Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres, which usually
describe the video content. have reporting channels and pro-bono lawyer networks It is important to promote solidarity and build support
• After launching your call for participants, you for your approach and related activity. Present your
could consider reaching out to networks or • Trainers and organizers should familiarize available, and the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers
in Africa, which offers an encrypted email service for strategy to stakeholders, peers, colleagues, friends and
communities of persons with disabilities to themselves with the basic rules of etiquette of family members to raise awareness of your initiative
inform them of your project and to ask them to communicating with a person with a certain whistle-blowers and guidance and support on how to
behave safely). and to encourage participation.
share your call and spread the word to relevant type of disability. For instance, a trainer should
networks and potential participants from their address a blind or partially sighted participant Furthermore, it is important to tell your family about your Remember to communicate clearly and convincingly.
communities. by name during the group discussion, as interest in anti-corruption. Establish a network of profes- To build support, you need to convince audiences of the
simply looking would not draw their attention. sionals, including journalists and lawyers, whose work goals of your initiative and why it is important in the fight
• If you find out that persons with disabilities against corruption. Use interesting visuals, compelling
Verbalizing visual content being presented is focuses on the protection of civil liberties. Avoid acting
will attend, connect with them and ask them case studies and facts and evidence to encourage
also important and will help make the person alone or implementing initiatives that identify you as an
about their specific needs without assuming stakeholders to support your initiative. Take a look at
feel included. individual threat – rather operate as a group of actors
they necessarily need any special assistance. step five to get ideas and tips on how to encourage cre-
Find out in advance if they need sign language • Adjust the training space for everybody’s needs. against corruption. Collective action means the costs
for corrupt actors to punish and deter anti-corruption ativity and innovation in your anti-corruption initiative.
interpretation, a palantypist, materials in Braille, Remember, people should be put before the
personal assistance, physically accessible beauty of design. Remove any equipment and policies are higher. Remember to give regular updates and feedback to
space (for instance, an elevator, a ramp or a other barriers that may hinder free movement those who are funding your initiative and participating
bathroom) or any other assistance that may of a person in a wheelchair. Offer a pre-training and collaborating in your work. It is important to keep
require prior preparation and financial expense. or short orientation-in-space visit for a blind stakeholders in the loop as you proceed with your ini-
You can try to request emergency funding to person. tiative. Provide updates on the initiative and regularly
cover the costs related to reasonable needs. If communicate your achievements.
• Be ready to receive feedback on the acces-
you don’t have the funds, discuss low or no-cost
sibility of the process and recommendations
alternative measures with the participants.
on how to make improvements. Offer persons
• Prepare to make the learning activities inclusive: with disabilities safe space to provide such
you are encouraged to start with getting-to- feedback. Ensure that the post-project survey
know/ice-breakers activities, then maybe (if one is being conducted) is in an accessible
consider movie screenings, thematic discus- format.

27 Amnesty International, Amnesty International Report 2022/23

(London, 2023).

30 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 31
10: Act!
Now it is time to act and implement your anti-corruption Road map to strengthening the role of non- Helping persons with disabilities fight
initiative! governmental actors in the fight against corruption in Nigeria
This chapter includes a series of examples of successful corruption The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities in Nigeria carried
initiatives – ones that sparked our imagination and that YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board members, together out an awareness-raising project in collaboration with
should be easy for you to replicate. We hope the infor- with other young people, took part in a one-year con- ActionAid, UK Aid and the Centre for Communication and
mation provides you with the motivation, knowledge sultation process with non-State actors in Asia, Europe Social Impact in the states of Kaduna, Kano and Lagos.30
and inspiration for your anti-corruption initiative. Again, and South America on how to strengthen the role of The purpose of the project was to educate persons
this is not an exhaustive list. There are many more non-State actors in the implementation of the United with disabilities about how they are disproportionately
examples available that are not included here. Nations Convention against Corruption. affected by corruption, in particular in relation to their
rights to health care, education and other services.
The outcome of the process was a youth statement (the
Educational institutions worldwide are developing first of its kind) and a recommendation, made by the Another objective of the project was to track relevant
tools to uncover, denounce and combat corruption, Government of the United States of America, for a road government programmes in order to generate data
and to promote integrity, transparency and map to strengthening the role of non-governmental that could be used to help inform persons with disabil-
accountability as foundational social values. An actors (young people, academia and civil society) in ities about programmes and benefits that they may
example is the RedEscolas AntiCorruption programme the fight against corruption (also the first of its kind) at qualify for and be entitled to. The Centre also provided
in Portugal, which could serve as an inspiration for the tenth session of the Conference of the States Parties training on how to lodge complaints about corruption in
creating your own network at your school or university to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the public sector to persons with disabilities.
or in your community. The programme is being held in Atlanta, United States, in December 2023. 28
developed by All4Integrity. The third edition of the
Tools for persons with disabilities who are
programme is now running (2023 to 2024) and involves
59 schools (50 from Portugal and six from Angola, “I am a Woman against Corruption” initiative in victims of crime
Brazil, China, France and Mozambique). Indonesia In the European Union, the non-governmental human
In 2014, the Corruption Eradication Commission in Indo- Policy guide for national anti-corruption rights organization Validity is developing practical tools
The main aim is to promote a sense of public space and
common good among young people, as well as trust nesia and the Government of Australia launched the authorities on meaningful youth engagement in for people with disabilities who are victims of crime in
and empathy for local and central institutions, in the “Saya Perempuan Antikorupsi” (“I am a Woman against anti-corruption work order to help ensure that they can participate actively
process of raising awareness and changing behaviours Corruption”) initiative in Indonesia. in criminal justice processes. 31
The Independent Commission Against Corruption
that favour the sharing and deepening of a culture of In 2012, the Corruption Eradication Commission con- (ICAC), UNODC and the International Association of
integrity in the country. Any school can apply to the ducted a survey that revealed that only four per cent of Anti-Corruption Authorities have collaborated to devel- Civic monitoring in Italy
programme, helping young people to become actors parents teach honesty to their children. It also showed op a policy guide to help anti-corruption authorities to Since 2016, Gruppo Abele and Libera have been sup-
and drivers of change. By engaging in these efforts, that mothers are the primary source of moral educa- meaningfully engage young people as an anti-corrup- porting the action of young people in Italy who want to
schools can be awarded with a “Digital Seal” and an tion for children. Based on the results of the survey, the tion force.29 monitor what is happening in their communities and
“AntiCorruption Ambassador” certificate. initiative was formed and given the objective of training bring about change.
Members of the YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board and
25 women (mothers, teachers and women activists) to the ICAC Ambassadors programme were involved For example, in 2018, a group of young people inter-
promote anti-corruption education. The scope of the throughout the development of the guide, helping viewed local people in Erbé, Italy, raising awareness of
project was subsequently expanded to include women shape its content and structure and providing feed- the presence of organized criminal groups in the area.
in law enforcement and other modern and traditional back and ideas. This is an example of meaningful youth After the interviews, the young people visited (by bike!)
professions, who were tasked with identifying the reform engagement in anti-corruption. properties confiscated from organized criminal groups,
needed to better address the corruption problems in
which are now publicly owned, and demanded to use
their work institutions. To date, the initiative has around
Making freedom of information laws accessible them for community needs.32
1,600 participants and covers 34 provinces in Indonesia.
to persons with disabilities in Pakistan Gruppo Abele and Libera are partners of the European
The success of the initiative, and its innovative meth-
In 2019, non-governmental organization Transparency project “You Monitor”. Check out the You Monitor Toolkit
ods for countering corruption, has been recognized
International Pakistan conducted an awareness-raising – it provides a step-by-step guide to monitoring and is
by law enforcement agencies in Indonesia. These
campaign for persons with disabilities as part of an available in a range of languages.
methods include the use of gamification to promote
anti-corruption values, capacity-building sessions effort to improve access to information, services and
and awareness-raising activities. As a result, the ini- resources for this group. Subsequently, over 60 persons
tiative has become a globally recognized independent with disabilities in the Toba Tek Singh district have used
organization that is empowering women to act against freedom of information requests to secure disability
corruption. certificates.

Red Redescolas Anti Corruption programs in Portugal | Final

Ceremony of the 2ND Edition of RedEscolas | June 8, 2023

32Confiscati Bene, “Estate Liberi! - Monitorando Bene, Erbè VR 2018”,

29 UNODC, Independent Commission Against Corruption and 30 Upright for Nigeria, “Campaign Communication Strategy” (2020) YouTube, video, 21 May 2024.
28 See the website of the tenth session of the Conference of the States International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, Policy Guide for
Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, available National Anti-Corruption Authorities on Meaningful Youth Engagement 31Validity, “Voices for Justice: Communicating with Victims of Crime 33 Integrity
Action, “Integrity clubs in schools: A how-to guide (accord-
at [Link]/unodc/corruption/COSP/[Link]. in Anti-Corruption Work (2023). with Disabilities”. ing to young people)” (2022).

32 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 33
MoMoEU: More Monitoring action in the EU In conclusion, the creation of the Mission highlights the Coding4Integrity hackathons Perhaps it would be helpful to spend some time learning
value of international legal frameworks in combating how the legal entities needed to organize these activi-
The “MoMoEU: More Monitoring action in the EU” project Do you have a special knack for technology? If you do,
corruption and impunity, while also demonstrating ties were founded. Look for laws, lawyers, law students
was founded by eight European civil society organiza- consider digital innovation as your gateway to a mean-
the essential role of young anti-corruption champions and non-governmental organizations that will provide
tions, which have created an educational website on ingful social enterprise to preventing corruption and
in these efforts. The successful collaboration between information on a pro-bono basis to non-law students
the topic of civic monitoring based on the premise of sparking positive change. The UNODC Coding4Integrity
the Organization of American States, the Govern- on the legal steps needed to create these entities.
offering simple explanations, activity proposals and youth anti-corruption hackathon project could inspire
ment of Honduras and young advocates, guided by you.
interactive digital resources (including two escape Furthermore, you could volunteer at a social enterprise
these frameworks, has contributed to more effective
games). The digital resources are designed for 15 to focused on technology and innovation. Perhaps you
anti-corruption efforts and provided valuable support Coding4Integrity is aimed at educating young software
25-year-olds and have been translated into seven lan- could do an internship at a start-up hub to learn about
and protection for the next generation of changemak- developers and tech enthusiasts about corruption, the
guages. Check out the resources on the website. different projects and see how to customize your own
ers committed to building more transparent and just United Nations Convention against Corruption and
anti-corruption idea. What if you contribute to a cus-
Integrity clubs societies. how technology can provide new ways to increase the
tomer protection agency (public or private)? Find out
participation of young people in efforts to counter and
With integrity clubs, young people can monitor issues how you can develop a set of skills attractive to the
prevent corruption. Participants also get the chance to
in their schools, such as problems with water and sani- YOUNGO: a youth non-governmental develop their own technological solutions to real-life
tech industry, such as knowledge of user experience,
tation, teacher and student attendance and behaviour, organization for climate change programming and website design.
corruption problems.
the accessibility of the school facilities and the lack of YOUNGO is the official children and youth constituency Finally, remember that regardless of how you start your
basic supplies (desks, blackboards, etc.). Some clubs During the hackathons, young coders learn about key
of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate initiative, isolating yourself from society puts you at a
have expanded the scope of their activities by looking at topics directly from UNODC representatives and experts
Change. YOUNGO is a vibrant, global network of children disadvantage. To be an innovator, you need ideas and
services and infrastructure projects in their community, from national anti-corruption authorities. They also get
and youth activists (up to 35 years) as well as youth resources. Yes, an individual can have an idea, invest in
taking the impact of monitoring outside the classroom the opportunity to build technical agency thanks to a
non-governmental organizations, which contributes it, launch it, promote it, measure its results and evolve
walls. network of partnerships with information and commu-
to shaping intergovernmental climate change policies it. However, this isn’t the norm. Usually, developing an
nications technology companies and entities.
and strives to empower young people to formally bring idea in this way involves a group of stakeholders, each
Check out also the Integrity Action guide to integrity
their voices to the processes of the United Nations Keep up to date with the GRACE initiative for information with different roles. The potential for collective action
clubs in schools.33 It can help you find the inspiration for
Framework Convention on Climate Change. on future Coding4Integrity hackathons. Want to do and strong partnerships to increase social value for the
establishing a successful integrity club in your school.
For example: motivate other young people to get more? Why not create a similar event in your commu- good of all parts of society is significant and you should
YOUNGO is focused on the following areas:
involved in monitoring. nity? Challenge yourself to take on a more active role. make use of this.
• Awareness, knowledge and capacity-building

Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption • Collaboration, cooperation and networking
How does a Coding4Integrity Hackathon look like?
and Impunity in Honduras • Policy, lobby and advocacy
The Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption • Youth action ONLINE
and Impunity in Honduras was established by the BOOTCAMP CODING
Organization of American States and the Government COMPETITION
of Honduras and is an example of the positive impact Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP
that international cooperation and the adoption of The Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP is the official
anti-corruption legal frameworks can have on the fight youth engagement mechanism of the United Nations D

Kno
against corruption. Environment Programme (UNEP), including in relation to (Du
rin

ev
negotiations involving the United Nations Environment g

el
pm

we
co
The Mission is playing a crucial role in empower-

o
m
Assembly and other processes and activities related to

tio
en

ld
ing young people to fight corruption by providing a a t

ea
ge

pe ar
UNEP.
platform for collaboration, technical assistance and

Id

tit de
n

w
tr

io
sf &

an
capacity-building. An example is the OAS Fellowship The group brings together young people from different er d f
m o l lo
on Open Government in the Americas – a leadership regions, ethnicities and economic backgrounds and en w
to i n g
programme on transparency and citizen participation inspires them to act locally, nationally and internation- rs
hi
p)
that ran between 2015 and 2017. ally on environmental conservation and environmental
governance based on the interests of young people. PRESENTATION OF
The Fellowship sought to create a network of 25 young DISTANCE
leaders who would act as agents of change, bringing HELP-DESK WINNING SOLUTIONS
together the next generation of young leaders of public United International Federation of Youth for
sector affairs, civil society and the private sector in Water and Climate
Honduras. The programme was aimed at offering them The United International Federation of Youth for Water
a space for reflection, debate and exchanging knowl- and Climate is the official youth constituency of the
Source: GRACE initiative.
edge and experiences on issues of open government. Water and Climate Coalition, which is hosted by the
The network linked participants from these sectors to World Meteorological Organization. The role of the
generate innovative proposals that addressed the chal- Federation is to ensure the active participation of
lenges in Honduras relating to corruption prevention, young people in high-level water and climate policy
transparency, accountability and citizen participation. negotiations. Its activities include empowering young
Information on the programme’s activities, partners, people through water and climate education, capacity
participants and projects is available in The OAS Fellow- development, active engagement, global mobility, gov-
ship on Open Government in the Americas: Impact and ernance and resource mobilization. Access to water is
Learning Report 2015–2017. another area that is vulnerable to corruption.

34 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth 10 Steps to an Anti-Corruption Initiative 35
Fair Play: Music with a Message Youth engagement in the National Security
Fair Play is a global music contest organized by Trans- Strategy of Ghana
parency International, the International Anti-Corruption The National Security Strategy of Ghana contains a
Conference and JM International. It is aimed at sharing policy initiative to involve young people in the National
the voices of those affected by corruption and providing Peace Council, the National House of Chiefs, civil soci-
a global platform for young artists to express them- ety organizations and religious organizations for the
selves through music and arts. Fair Play has reached purpose of enhancing national unity and cohesion,
over 10 million people (about half the population of the maximizing youth potential for socioeconomic develop-
state of New York) from over 90 countries through 400 ment and strengthening peace and security in Ghana.
LAST TIP:

Assess and
music videos since 2010.

Arcadia Earth Youth Against Corruption in Lebanon

Youth Against Corruption is a youth-led initiative in
Arcadia Earth is an immersive environmental art exhibit Lebanon aimed at contributing to controlling and
in New York City that uses augmented reality to spread preventing corruption in more innovative and efficient

communicate
awareness about the impact of climate change. As ways through social innovation, collective intelligence
visitors wander through the rooms filled with immersive and entrepreneurship.
installations, such as one made of 44,000 plastic bags
(the amount used in New York state every minute before Lebanon has lost a lot because of young people who
the plastic bag ban), the augmented reality headsets underestimate the impact they can have on the future
that they are wearing bring the installations to life, of their nation. This is why the principal aim of Youth

your impact
teaching them environmental facts. Against Corruption is to inform young people about cor-
ruption and to inspire them to have their own opinions
on national challenges, so that they can make informed
Anti-Corruption Film Festival
sociopolitical choices and take action towards more
The Anti-Corruption Film Festival was established by the sustainable development. The vision of the initiative is
Corruption Eradication Commission in Indonesia, the to create a global movement of young people who dare
United States Agency for International Development and to break the corruption chain locally and globally.
Management Systems International in 2013. The event When developing a campaign or designing an initiative
consists of filmmakers, students and communities who that is aimed at achieving change, it is important to
strive to encourage public participation in eradicating Personal experience of YouthLED Board member
always take stock and reflect on your achievements,
corruption through creative industries and film media. Isaiah the challenges you have faced and your ability to meet
“Growing up I always heard about the work of the your objectives. By being willing to pause, reflect and What?
Speak Up United Nations to maintain peace and prevent conflict assess, you will help improve your strategy, maximize
through the protection of human rights laid out in the your wins and learn from your losses.
The Joint Commission “Speak Up” programme is aimed Charter of the United Nations. When I started university, I
at helping health-care organizations, public health decided to get more involved with the United Nations to Here are some tips to help you assess the impact of
agencies, ministries of health and others improve the support the prevention of needless human suffering by your work: Quantitative
quality and safety of patient care. The goal is to help volunteering my time and gaining deeper insight into Which?
• Create a framework that outlines the targets you
patients and their advocates actively participate in the various agencies and programmes in the United need to achieve in order to meet your objective
their care. Nations system. This was made easy due to the active
social media presence of the United Nations, often • Assessing targets can be based on both quantita-
Since 2002, the programme has reached people in
cross-posting opportunities and events among the tive and qualitative data
more than 70 countries and received numerous awards.
Resources include easy-to-read infographics and ani- United Nations system entities. • To get qualitative data, regularly engage with cam-
mated videos on anti-discrimination, new parenthood, paign/project partners and participants to get their When?
Through this online engagement, I came across youth
safe surgery, mental health and preventing serious conferences such as the Youth Forum on countering feedback on performance and progress through
illness. corruption organized as a special event of the special surveys and interviews
session of the General Assembly against corruption in Here is a simple framework to get you started on
Youth for Peace International 2021. At this event, 850 young people from 122 countries designing your quantitative and qualitative questions:
Youth for Peace International is a youth-led peace- gathered online to discuss the effect of corruption on Where?
young people and how the international community The “how” and “why” questions can be used to extract
building organization that envisions a peaceful world qualitative analysis, providing more analytical informa-
of empowered individuals and sustainable societies. can better empower youth to actively engage in and
help lead the design of future anti-corruption efforts. tion on your initiative.
Based in Delhi, India, the organization’s work is focused
in three areas: capacity-building, ground action and Since then, I have become more involved in advocacy
advocacy. The link between corruption and the Youth, in policy processes related to climate change with
Peace and Security Agenda is explored in step 2 on YOUNGO and championed food system transformation
picking a focus. at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in
2022, where the first-ever Children and Youth Pavilion
was hosted, as well as advocating for youth inclusion How?
in the inaugural Forecasting Healthy Futures Global
Qualitative
Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.”

Why?

36 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth Last tip: Assess and communicate your impact 37
Here are some tips to ensure effectiveness of your • Plan for monitoring, evaluation and learning
interviewing process: moments. There is no fixed timeframe for how often
this should be done. It should be done regularly and
• It is important to develop trust with interviewees and
not only at the end of the initiative. Mid-term review
to put them at ease. Interviewees can feel pressure
processes are fundamental to ensuring that the ini-
to corroborate your assumptions to ensure they
tiative is adaptable. This should be an agile process
will continue receiving your support. As such, you
of learning and adapting your strategy based on
should make it clear that the interview is a key
your assessments.
learning moment (to improve the performance of
the anti-corruption initiative) and that complete • Collecting feedback can help you learn and
honesty and transparency is fundamental to improve your upcoming actions. It can also
improving follow-up actions. motivate you and your team and support you in
raising awareness of what you have achieved with
• As well as interviewing individual participants, you
partners, donors and international actors, as well
should also collect quotes and commentary relat-
as with your Government. Using the results of your
ing to the anti-corruption initiative and any related
analysis to position yourself as an anti-corruption

What’s
anecdotes. Always ask for permission to use the
champion in your community, country and region
quotes and commentary (as well as photos).
can amplify your impact moving forward, and can
• It is important to decide if you are going to use support you in empowering yourself and others to
open-ended questions or closed questions. Each follow your cause – therefore, achieving the change
type of question has a purpose. Generally, closed you envisioned.

next?
questions help you understand how many people
• Writing blog posts and articles (both online and
who participated in your initiative enjoyed the
offline) can be a good way to raise awareness
experience, while open-ended questions give you
of your impact. Participating in conferences and
more details about why they enjoyed it.
online events can be a good means of sharing best
• It is important to avoid using leading questions. practices in your network. Finally, social media is a
Leading questions are questions that contain very useful tool when it comes to communicating
the answer inside them and therefore, they can your impact and doing advocacy and follow-up
Change doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is a cycle
influence the opinion and the response of the work based on your anti-corruption initiative.
and big changes may be visible only in the long term.
interviewee.
Don’t forget to focus on the small wins as well, on the
• Try to keep the interview process independent. way individuals are positively affected by what you are
Ideally, the person gathering the data should not be doing. This will help you keep motivated.
part of the group of organizers, so they can maintain
Make sure to check in on your mental and physical
an independent position. Nonetheless, with limited
health and make time for rest and recharging your
resources this might not be possible. Therefore,
batteries.
encourage everyone involved to always challenge
their own biases and personal attachment to the Remember that you cannot achieve change alone
anti-corruption initiative. – you have to rely on others. Build a community and
collectivity around you in order to maintain momentum
• Using quantitative data means recording import-
and find motivation when you are running low.
ant numerical data (i.e. the number of policy
submissions, the number of community interviews, We’re sure this isn’t goodbye. If you have made it to the
the number of legal applications and the number of end of the toolkit, you should know that we are here to
people who participated). support you. Reach out to us by regularly checking the
GRACE news page or emailing us at: unodc-grace@
• Design the indicators in a way that leads to impact.
[Link] and we can continue this conversation.
A good example of quantitative indicators can
be found in the Sustainable Development Goals We may not eradicate corruption in our lifetime, but
framework. Each goal has a set of indicators together we can shift mindsets away from corrupt
that are used to measure progress. Please note practices and towards ethics, integrity, accountability
that they are very broad as they are applied to a and transparency, and make the world a better place!
global context but can be narrowed down to your
specific anti-corruption initiative. But remember,
quantitative data do not tell the full story. Always
pair qualitative information with quantitative data
or do a qualitative analysis of the data collected.
• A good way to decide between quantitative and
qualitative data is to use mixed methods: quan-
titative data collection methods coupled with
qualitative analysis. This is more likely to provide the
full picture.

38 Taking action against corruption | A step-by-step guide by youth for youth What’s next? 39
 Taking action against corruption
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE BY YOUTH FOR YOUTH
PUBLISHED: 2024
Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 500,
1400 Vienna, Austria Tel.: (+43-1) 26060-0,
Fax: (+43-1) 263-3389

[Link]