Empowering Youth in the Fight Against Corruption

How can we expect a just and fair society when corruption infiltrates everyday life, diverting resources, silencing voices, and limiting opportunities? Corruption directly affects young people by reducing their access to education, employment, and participation in decision-making. Therefore, governments, local actors and civil society are called to involving and empowering youth in the fight against corruption.

Nevertheless, young people are not just passive victims of corruption; they are also at the forefront of demanding integrity and accountability. Youth-led movements have successfully monitored government expenditures, tracked the distribution of educational supplies, and organized community discussions to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of corruption.

“Youth-led movements can push authorities to adopt legal and institutional reforms to strengthen anti-corruption frameworks. Youth also bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions, using technology and digital platforms to reshape the anti-corruption landscape”,

stresses Aroua Ben Ammar, Public Service Advisor from Tunisia, who participated in the Integrity and Anti-Corruption training in 2024. Trust between public institutions and young people are essential pre-requisites, she continues.

Empowering young people to become integrity leaders requires equipping them with the right knowledge and tools, is one way to increase trust. By strengthening their capacity, youth-driven initiatives effect real change by focusing on embedding integrity in education, fostering ethical decision-making, or promoting transparency through public dialogue and policy engagement.

Strengthening youth leadership in integrity through localised initiatives

Many alumni of The Hague Academy’s course on Integrity and Anti-Corruption become changemakers; actively working on initiatives to combat corruption. Some of their initiatives include:

• Developing integrity education materials for high schools and universities to raise awareness of corruption’s impact on society.

• Integrating integrity and ethical values (such as responsibility and honesty) into standard curricula from an early age to prevent unethical behavior before it becomes normalised.

• Providing ethical leadership training for young people to build their capacity to stand up against corrupt practices.

• Involving youth in decision-making and public policy processes to enhance transparency and accountability, ensuring their perspectives shape governance.

• Promoting role models who act with integrity and inspire others to do the same. Public figures who exemplify ethical behavior can have a lasting impact on young people’s values and decision-making.

• Educating on moral dilemmas, encouraging youth to analyse ethical challenges and consider the impact of their decisions. Understanding ethical complexity helps young people develop a moral compass.

• Organizing “integrity cafés,” informal events where youth from diverse backgrounds can discuss societal issues and understand the importance of integrity in preventing corruption.

Managing gifts and gratuities in the public sector: Best practices from Tunisia

Aroua Ben Ammar has been working on establishing a gifts and gratuities management system for civil servants, since completing the course. Her primary focus has been raising awareness about the risks of offering or accepting gifts and how they compromise neutrality.

Furthermore, she has facilitated knowledge exchange aorund best practices for managing gifts and gratuities in the public sector by organising a panel discussion among MENA countries during an international conference on December 9th to celebrate International Anti-Corruption Day.

“Raising debate, whenever the momentum is conducive, on the risks behind offering or accepting gifts and gratuities and how it can jeopardise the neutrality of civil servants is the progress made so far.”

Learning to lead with integrity

To further empower youth in the fight against corruption, The Hague Academy for Local Governance offers a course on Integrity and Anti-Corruption. This programme provides young leaders with the tools and knowledge they need to foster transparency, accountability, and ethical governance in their communities. By equipping youth with practical strategies and fostering a global network of integrity champions, the course helps ensure that young people remain at the forefront of the fight against corruption.

Sources:
Transparency International
World Economic Forum
Our World in Data
Local Governance Integrity Principles and Standards
Transparency International – Youth and Corruption
Transparency International – Youth Engagement Strategies