International Anti-Corruption Day History

International Anti-Corruption Day seeks to raise awareness of corruption and its negative impact on societies. Corruption involves an abuse of entrusted power by dishonest or unethical conduct that leads to personal gain. No country in the world is entirely corruption-free, however some countries and regions are less affected than others. The Corruption Perceptions Index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption around the world and states that over 68% of countries in the world have a serious corruption problem. These problems fuel devastation by promoting human trafficking, political instability, environmental destruction, and terrorism.

International Anti-Corruption Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 in an effort to highlight the negative impact of corruption on economic development and government stability. It is celebrated annually on December 9, a celebration that also showcases the role of the UN's Convention Against Corruption in preventing further corruption.

Top 6 Facts for International Anti-Corruption Day in 2026

• The United Nations estimates that every year, $1 trillion is paid in bribes worldwide while an estimated $2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption.
• According to the World Economic Forum, corruption increases the cost of doing business by up to 10% on average.
• The private sector plays a critical role preventing and combating corruption as companies can implement high standards of integrity in their business practices.
• In the year 2020, It is estimated that corruption costs developing countries $1.26 trillion per year.
• In Malaysia, the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, reportedly deposited $681 million into his personal account that was originally earmarked to be invested in attracting foreign investors and boosting its economy.
• Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) covering 175 countries reveals that more than two-thirds score less than 50 points on a scale, where 100 is fully clean of corruption and 1 is the very opposite. In short, most countries that were covered are deemed corrupt.

In the News and Trending in the US for International Anti-Corruption Day

Top things to do in the US for this observance

• Spend time reading and researching the Panama Papers problems which exposed corruption of high-standing politicians and companies worldwide.
• Raise awareness on social media by using the hashtags #BreaktheChain, #InternationalAnti-CorruptionDay and #EndCorruption.
• Watch a movie about the dangers and destructiveness of corruption. Some suggestions are: Ramanaa (2002), Internal Affairs (1990) and Training Day (2001).
• Read a book about the perils of corruption. Some suggestions are: Capital Corruption, Thinking About Political Corruption and From Watergate to Whitewater.