International Anti-Corruption Day
By Dr Arvind Kumar
Rampant corruption afflicts almost all societies. 9th December is desgnated as International Anti-Corruption Day by the United Nations. The avowed objective of this decision is to raise people’s awareness of corruption and of the role of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it. All the member-states of the UN and competent regional economic integration organizations are urged to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to ensure its rapid entry into force. UNCAC is the first legally binding, international anti-corruption instrument that provides a chance to mount a global response to corruption.
International Anti-Corruption Day is a time for political leaders, governments, legal bodies and lobby groups to work together against corruption work by promoting the day and the issues that surround this event. On this day anti-corruption advocates organize events to engage the general public to effectively fight against corruption and fraud in communities. Some organizations hold special recognition ceremonies to pay tribute to people and projects that provide assistance to nations and communities in the battle against corruption.
Corruption is an issue that affects all countries around the world, including India. It can refer to the destruction of one’s honesty or loyalty through undermining moral integrity or acting in a way that shows a lack of integrity or honesty. Corruption undermines democracy, creates unstable governments, and sets countries back economically. Corruption comes in various forms such as bribery, law-breaking without dealing with the consequences in a fair manner, unfairly amending election processes and results, and covering mistakes or silencing whistleblowers (those who expose corruption in hope that justice would be served). Let’s pledge to combat corruption in all its manifestations.
