Fighting corruption is a global concern because corruption is found in both rich and poor countries, and evidence shows that it hurts poor people disproportionately. It contributes to instability, poverty and is a dominant factor driving fragile countries towards state failure.

 

Governments, the private sector, NGOs, the media, and citizens around the world are joining forces to commemorate the International Anti-corruption Day and renew their commitments to collectively combat corruption. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are at the forefront of these efforts.

 

The 2015 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) campaign, observed every 9th of December, focuses on how corruption undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to human rights violations, distorts markets, erodes quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. The theme of this year's Anti-corruption Day Campaign is "Break the Corruption Chain". For more information, campaign materials, fact sheets, and links, visit: http://www.anticorruptionday.org.

 

In Ukraine, the persistence of widespread corruption was one of the main issues fuelling the EuroMaidan protests late 2013. Corruption has been deep-rooted, comprehensive and systemic in all areas of public and economic life and accompanied by mediocre efforts to address it due to poor quality legislation, low capacity of duty bearers, and a culture of impunity and disempowerment.

 

The new Ukrainian government has prioritised comprehensive reforms in the area, including through July 2014 decree on combatting corruption and a subsequent package of anti-corruption legislation developed together with civil society. These include the establishment of a National Council for Anti-Corruption Policy, a National Anti-Corruption Bureau and a National Agency for Corruption Prevention. The Anti-Corruption Policy for 2014-2017 provides a medium term action plan for anti-corruption work. Observers comment that anti-corruption is one of the areas where progress can be seen, although the tasks ahead remain significant.

 

The local IACD campaign through approaching various target groups from different regions of the country created awareness of the problem of corruption in varied spheres and emphasized the significance of active participation in fighting against and preventing corruption. The involvement of regional representatives contributed to the general idea to cover as many people as possible from all over Ukraine.

 

In the framework of the IACD campaign, UNDP Ukraine organized several meetings with former La Paz mayor Roland MacLean-Abaroa for over 100 students and civic activists to discuss corruption at the municipal level, as well as supported students' flash mob aimed at raising awareness about corruption.

 

Moreover, UNDP-nurtured regional-level CSO leaders (known as hubs) from various parts of the country conducted a number of events devoted to what everyone can do to promote integrity, or at least avoid being part of corruption enrooted into all spheres of life.

 

Rivne Hub held a lecture on corruption issues and broadcasted one of the Docudays UA Festival films for local students. In addition, volunteers handed out over 1,000 flyers in the streets and disseminated them through the media, encouraging people to fight against and report corruption.

 

Perechyn Hub organized the art contest for over 50 school students and exhibition of their works. This contest was followed by anti-corruption film screening and a discussion on how to break the corruption chain.

 

Kherson Hub conducted an IACD slogans writing workshop, during which the participants took part in a creative group process of making one-liners by a special creative text writing method that Loesje has developed. Volunteers and participants of the creative session placed posters with slogans around the city and posted them to social media, inviting Kherson citizens to join the IACD campaign through downloading, printing, and sticking slogans near their houses.

 

Chernihiv Hub broadcasted and discussed the JÁMA / MY HOME documentary (directed by Jiří Stejskal), a story of common people refusing to accept the dictate of the seemingly almighty developers, with local students.

 

Dnipropetrovsk Hub conducted the "No bribery!" campaign, when volunteers, local officials, and civil society activists encouraged people to sign a declaration "I am a person that does not take and give bribes". In addition, flyers on corruption issues and the ways of overcoming it were distributed.