International Anti-Corruption Day
Next: December 9, 2026
Honesty makes communities stronger.
The story
Where it comes from
On 31 October 2003 the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the convention's role in preventing it. 9 December was also the day the convention opened for signature at a conference in Mérida, Mexico. It entered into force in December 2005 and is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption treaty, with nearly every country in the world now a party.
How it's celebrated
The UN Development Programme and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime lead a joint campaign under the banner #UnitedAgainstCorruption, working with governments, businesses, civil society, women and young people. Anyone can mark the day by choosing honesty in small things: keeping fair accounts, refusing a bribe and speaking up when something is wrong.
Did you know
- The convention was negotiated in Vienna in 2002 and 2003.
- Malaysia signed it on 9 December 2003, the first day it opened for signature, and ratified it in 2008.
- The UN notes that corruption hits small businesses hard, because many cannot overcome the 'start-up costs' that bribes add.
Coming up next
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- International Universal Health Coverage Day · December 12, 2026