International Anti-Corruption Day occurs annually on December 9, established by the United Nations to raise global awareness about corruption’s detrimental effects on development, democracy, and human rights . The day promotes collective action among governments, businesses, civil society, and citizens to foster integrity, transparency, and accountability. For 2025, while the official UN theme awaits confirmation from the UNODC, emerging emphases highlight unity against corruption and its links to human dignity. Every year on 9 December, the world marks International Anti-Corruption Day, a reminder that corruption undermines democracy, weakens institutions, and hinders sustainable development. Carrying forward the values of awareness and engagement, each International Anti-Corruption Day focuses on a specific global theme. The 2025 theme will be designated by the United Nations closer to the observance date. In past years, themes such as “Uniting the World Against Corruption” (2023) have encouraged joint efforts for honesty and transparency. In 2025, the global campaign around the day emphasizes youth engagement and technological leverage. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), young people — who face disproportionately the consequences of corruption such as reduced educational and job opportunities, have a crucial role in building a future based on integrity and fairness. Emerging tools like AI, blockchain, and digital transparency platforms are being highlighted as part of this year’s global efforts: not only to detect and prevent corrupt practices, but also to empower citizens and whistle-blowers. The broader vision behind the day is that integrity is not just a moral ideal but a cornerstone of sustainable development, fair governance, human rights and equal opportunity. International Anti-Corruption Day was designated in recognition of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on October 31, 2003. The first International Anti-Corruption Day was observed in 2004.Corruption affects all countries but can be particularly damaging in developing regions, undermining trust, increasing inequality, and limiting access to education or opportunities.
The day invites all populations, including students, to explore corruption’s impact and make proactive choices for transparent societies. In fact, ccorruption is also an industry the index of which fluctuates on the scale of low average and high. Once index reaches the favorable heights, people get relief. Worldwide, India is known for her long nurtured values of truth, purity, honesty, dedication, un-selfishness, renunciation, sacrifice and contentment. In society, there was no place no place for greed, selfishness as people believed that ‘God has created everything for man’s need but not for his greed.’ In society everyone believed in truth, beauty, goodness and placed always country and countrymen first. The long nurtured values with the passage of time became topsy-turvy, greed and selfishness respectively took the place of contentment and selflessness. The greedy politicians and bureaucrats disturbed the peaceful environment of country. India ranked 96 out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2024 as its overall score dropped a point to 38.Whether it is bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, extortion, kickbacks, money laundering, fraud, or conflict of interest, corruption undermines the rule of law, democracy, and economic development.India is known for her long nurtured values of truth, purity, honesty, dedication, un-selfishness, renunciation, sacrifice and contentment in the world. There was no place for greed, selfishness in the society because it was believed that ‘God has created everything for man’s need but not for his greed.’ Every one, irrespective of his position in the society, believed in truth, beauty and goodness. They always placed country and countrymen first and never fished in the troubled waters. But with the passage of time the long nurtured values became topsy-turvy, greed and selfishness took the place of contentment and selflessness respectively. The never ending greed of our politicians and bureaucrats brought the country on the crossroads from where these two ways parted from each other permanently. Jammu and Kashmir, Muslim majority region in India is the most corrupt region in the country due to many reasons. Since 2019, 90 top officers were named in corruption cases disclosed via RTI. It is a serious issue, as in Islam, the Quran strictly prohibits any form of corruption. We know term fasad or corruption and other words that have similar meanings to the word fasad, have been mentioned in the Quran nearly 50 times. For example, in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 11, it was mentioned “And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers.” Additionally, according to Al-Ashfani, the word salah which has the opposite meaning of fasad is also mentioned in the Quran nearly 150 times. What this indicates to the Muslim scholars is that the Quran promotes the values of transparency, integrity and prohibits all types of corruption and mischief.
“In an increasingly regulated world, the global landscape for combating bribery and money laundering demands a unified, proactive, and cooperative approach from all entities.”
In Islam, fighting bribery (rashwah) and corruption (fasad) are considered an integral part of the teachings of the Quran and hadith. The Holy Quran prohibits “devouring/misappropriation of the property of others” in Surah An-Nisa, verse 49 and Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 188 which is a broad concept that subsumes such other offences as fraud, hoarding, theft, and gambling. The Quranic injunctions also condemn those who are in positions of power who spread corruption among people through nepotistic practices and oppressing others as in Surah Al-Qasas, verse 4 and Surah Al-Fajr, verse 10-12. Generally, people try to live honest life but ignore their responsibilities. We see an officer very honest but his team not so. As India approaches the 2025 observance, efforts are underway to align global anti-corruption calls with domestic governance and business reforms. The UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI) is organising a major event, Business Integrity Conclave 2.0, on 9 December 2025 in Mumbai under the theme “Cultivating Integrity in Business & Supply Chains Through Collective Action”. The Conclave aims to gather business leaders, regulators, civil-society representatives, academia, and youth to build actionable frameworks for transparent supply-chains, ethical procurement, and responsible corporate governance. For India, as the nation seeks to scale up manufacturing, services, and global trade, such initiatives are critical. Clearly defined integrity practices, transparency in procurement and supply chains, and accountability can foster investor confidence, encourage fair competition, and reinforce social trust.
The 2025’s Anti-Corruption Push Matters as Youth engagement: (i) with a large young population, the 2025 campaign underscores that inclusion of youth is not optional, it is essential. Their digital fluency and stake in future opportunities make integrity-building part of long-term societal health. (ii) Tech-enabled transparency: As governance and commerce become more digital and global, reliance on technology (AI, block chain, e-governance) can help prevent corrupt practices. 2025 sees this as a key lever. (iii) Integrating business & governance reform: For economies like India’s, where growth intersects with complex supply chains, regulatory frameworks, and diverse stakeholders, embedding ethics and accountability in business is critical to sustainable growth. (iv) Global solidarity and cooperation: Corruption is transnational. Major initiatives on Anti-Corruption Day 2025 stress cooperation across borders, civil society, private sector, and youth globally, reminding that the fight against corruption is shared. On this day Citizens, Institutions Should Watch For: (a) New awareness efforts — seminars, online campaigns, youth-led protests or pledges emphasizing transparency and integrity. (b) Policy and institutional reforms, strengthening oversight bodies, updating procurement and supply-chain norms, encouraging corporate governance reforms. (c ) Broader adoption of digital tools, e-governance, transparent public procurement, whistle-blower protections, blockchain or AI-driven audit & compliance systems. (d) Public-private collaboration, involving businesses, civil society, academia, and government to institutionalize ethics and social accountability. In conclusion, International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 is not just a symbolic annual event. It reflects a global consensus: that fighting corruption must evolve with changing times — youth inclusion, digital tools, corporate governance, and collective action. For India, initiatives like Business Integrity Conclave 2.0 offer an opportunity — not just to reaffirm commitments, but to translate them into concrete reforms that strengthen democracy, boost equitable growth and protect citizens’ trust in institutions.
Global Anti-Corruption Legal Frameworks: Key 2025 developments strengthen corporate liability worldwide, with the EU advancing unified anti-corruption laws that impose criminal responsibility on companies for offenses like public and private bribery, including foreign acts, alongside fines based on global turnover. The US Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) complements the FCPA by criminalizing foreign officials’ bribe demands, expanding enforcement to both sides of transactions and heightening due diligence requirements for businesses. Singapore’s Corporate Service Providers Act mandates stricter licensing, client checks, and oversight to curb bribery and money laundering .National and Regional Advances India’s Prevention of Corruption Act enforces bribery in public and private sectors, shifting the burden of proof to the accused and holding firms accountable for prevention failures, with ramped-up investigations signaling robust 2025 enforcement. The UK’s Bribery Act maintains global reach, prosecuting companies without adequate procedures and imposing unlimited fines or up to 10 years imprisonment .Australia’s Combating Foreign Bribery Act, effective 2024, expands anti-bribery regimes with guidance on compliance programs featuring risk assessments and whistleblower protections.
( While Dr Bilal A Bhat is Professor & Head (Agri. Econ & Statistics, FOA at S K University Of Agriculture Sciences & Technology Kashmir SKUAST-K, Srinagar, J&K, Nazia Fayaz is a freelancer. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this articles are those of the authors and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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