Kyiv, 9 December 2016 – How does corruption affect education, health, justice, democracy, prosperity and development? UNDP in Ukraine has joined the 2016 International Anti-Corruption Day, focusing this year on corruption as one of the greatest impediments to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by stealing money from where it is needed the most, leading to weak governance, less prosperity, less respect for rights, less provision of services and less employment.

In this framework, UNDP in Ukraine has organised several initiatives for the youth to raise their awareness about ethical behaviour, what is corruption and how to fight it in Ukraine - a signatory country of the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) since 2006.

To this end, UNDP in Ukraine partnered with EdEra project to develop an anti-corruption multimedia course for school students in grades 9-11 accessible online. The course package includes a scenario for teachers, a multimedia presentation to be shown to students during a lesson, a student worksheet, and a guide for teachers to help deepen their understanding of the corruption phenomenon.

In order to enable young generations to build a corruption-free future for Ukraine, the course reflects on real-life cases, emphasizing that choosing integrity over corruption can sometimes be very difficult and that one should be prepared for it. The course package has been handed over to the Ministry of Education of Ukraine for introduction in Ukrainian schools across the country, with an official start today at School №148.

"The Ukrainian youth today will run the country tomorrow. We must ensure that future generations of Ukrainian professionals know what they can do themselves to fight corruption and respond ethically when put in situations exposed to corrupt practices. Tackling corrupt behaviours at the source, before they even have had the chance to emerge within these young people, is the surest way to do that. It's the youth of this country who is going to fight corruption," explained Janthomas Hiemstra, UNDP Ukraine Country Director.

To stimulate critical thinking and encourage the youth to reflect on the importance of ethics and corruption-free conduct in daily situations, UNDP in Ukraine has also supported an anti-corruption video contest organised by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) for students to capture their perception of corruption on tape.

UNDP stands side by side with Ukraine in the fight against corruption and remains committed to provide any assistance necessary to support social and economic development in the country.