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Empowering People to Defeat Corruption
Developing Resilience, Virtues, and Skills
International Anti-Corruption Day - 9 December 2025
Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity
"Building on the campaign launched on International Anti-Corruption Day 2024, the 2025 campaign continues to highlight the role of young guardians of integrity as advocates, raising awareness about corruption and its impact on their communities. It will feature voices of tomorrow’s integrity leaders sharing insights on the links between organized crime and corruption, the key role of AI and emerging technologies, and the connection between corruption, peace and security, demonstrating why combating corruption is essential for a fair and secure future."
The Leadership Reset: Building Future Systems for an Ethical Africa. Webinar December 2025 at 10:00 am SASTA. This 90-minute online session explores how ethical leadership and systems thinking can strengthen institutions across Africa. Featuring a keynote by Prof. Dan Kuwali, a panel on behavioural pathways for integrity, and a practical mini-workshop, the event offers tools, insights, and shared foresight to help reset leadership systems for an ethical African future. Organized by RIAHSAH Co. Register HERE
Eleventh session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (the UN Anti-Corruption Conference) will take place in Doha, Qatar, on 15-19 December 2025 in Doha, Qatar. Note the 8 December update and resources from the UNCAC Global Civil Society Coalition to prepare for this Conference including its toolkit-guidance to prepare
International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime (the second annual one) and the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)--15 November 2925. "The 2025 campaign, 'Follow the money. Stop organized crime, highlights the cost of transnational organized crime and underscores the importance of tracing illicit financial flows to cut the lifeline of criminal networks. By targeting the profits of organized crime, we can disrupt operations, strengthen justice and return stolen assets to communities. Everyone, including Member States, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and individuals, is encouraged to take part in this year’s campaign. #StopOrganizedCrime"
Stronger Together: Justice for Victims of Corruption – A Common Roadmap to Advance Victims’ Rights in Corruption Cases--Thursday, 16 October 2025 at 16:00–17:00 (Vienna time). Online – Register here The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, Due Process of Law Foundation, Lawyers Without Borders, Proética, Tojil, and the UNCAC Coalition will present the roadmap along with our six key advocacy points resulting from collaborative efforts to advocate for the legal standing of NGOs in corruption cases. Between October and December 2025, five strategic events will anchor this roadmap. This is an open-ended initiative, and we warmly invite you to join the effort and help shape it over the coming year. The first event featured in this roadmap series will be: Fighting Grand Corruption and State Capture: Human Rights-Based Tools and Strategies, on 23 October 2025.
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons--30 July 2025. Theme: “Human Trafficking Is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation.” Informal Interactive Multi-Stakeholder Hearing (at the UN in New York (30 June 2025) as part of the preparatory process for the High-level meeting (September 2025) of the UN General Assembly on the appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons--Note that the deadline to apply is 25 May 2025--"Representatives from relevant non-governmental organizations (including NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC), civil society organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector are invited to register for the Informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing." Hopefully livestreamed also on UN WebTV.
UNCAC Civil Society Coalition news and updates (June 2025)--Featuring among many other important items the "UNCAC Implementation Review Group (IRG), and the Working Group on the Prevention of Corruption [convening] at the UN in Vienna next week [16-20 June] to discuss the future of the Review Mechanism" for the states parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption [UNCAC] and an "open letter urging governments to strengthen the UNCAC’s monitoring mechanism to enhance anti-corruption measures globally...signed by 370 civil society organizations (CSOs), anti-corruption experts, academics and other entities from 109 countries."
UNCAC Civil Society Coalition news and updates (May 2025)
OECD 2025 Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum (26-27 2025 March in Paris)
Renewing Nigeria's Anti-Corruption Agenda
Pathways for change and reflections on 25 years of policy
Wednesday 19 March 2025 (8.00 –12.30 GMT | 9.00 –13.30 WAT)
Chatham House and MacArthur Foundation--Abuja, Nigeria and Online Zoom
OECD Newsletter (February 2025) including a webinar Promoting Public Integrity in the MENA Region
We the People: The United Nations Whistleblowers: Whistleblowing and Retaliation in the United Nations (2024) by Caroline Hunt-Matthes. We have found this new resource to be very helpful--instructive and often disturbing--as it looks at the reality of organizational and leadership malfeasance including cover ups and retaliation in the UN system. We highly recommend it with the reminder (in line with the editor) that corruption is basically everywhere (not just in the UN) and there are many fine people and leaders within the UN system who are working sacrificially to make the world--and their organization--a better and safer place. We encourage you to read the insightful Introduction to this book by Grant Martin.
Curtailing Corruption: People Power for Accountability and Justice (2014). by Shaazka Beyerle. "How do citizens counter corruption and exact accountability from power holders?...Can bottom-up, citizen-based strategies complement and reinforce top-down anti-corruption efforts? Addressing these questions [the author] explores how millions of people around the world have refused to be victims of corruption and become instead the protagonists of successful nonviolent civic movements to gain accountability and promote positive political, social, and economic change." Free download HERE and several chapters in different languages HERE.
Transparency: How Leaders Create a Culture of Candor (2008). by Warren Bennis et al (2008). "In Transparency, the authors–a powerhouse trio in the field of leadership–look at what conspires against "a culture of candor" in organizations to create disastrous results, and suggest ways that leaders can achieve healthy and honest openness... [The authors] explore why the containment of truth is the dearest held value of far too many organizations and suggest practical ways that organizations, their leaders, their members, and their boards can achieve openness...See also Developing Character Strengths–Being the Leaders Our World Needs, Global Integration Update (March 2023)
December 2025
International Anti-Corruption Day - 9 December 2025
Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity
"Building on the campaign launched on International Anti-Corruption Day 2024, the 2025 campaign continues to highlight the role of young guardians of integrity as advocates, raising awareness about corruption and its impact on their communities. It will feature voices of tomorrow’s integrity leaders sharing insights on the links between organized crime and corruption, the key role of AI and emerging technologies, and the connection between corruption, peace and security, demonstrating why combating corruption is essential for a fair and secure future."
Inside a Scam Farm: The Person on the Line is Not Who You Think (July 2024—11 minute video)
“Scams are causing damage worldwide, and spreading rapidly thanks to rapid technological developments. Following the trail of scam victims forward leads to stories of immense suffering—and so does following the trail backwards to the scammers, who engage in large-scale human trafficking, torture and enslavement so they can profit on the loss of others. Who is behind this trade in lies and deceit? How do they perpetrate their crimes? And how can they be stopped?” (UNODC website)
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November 2025
International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime (the second annual one) and the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)--15 November 2025. "The 2025 campaign, 'Follow the money. Stop organized crime, highlights the cost of transnational organized crime and underscores the importance of tracing illicit financial flows to cut the lifeline of criminal networks. By targeting the profits of organized crime, we can disrupt operations, strengthen justice and return stolen assets to communities. Everyone, including Member States, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and individuals, is encouraged to take part in this year’s campaign. #StopOrganizedCrime"
John Brandolino: Making Our Digital and Physical Worlds Safer (five minute video and text)
“In 2024, with over 60 per cent of the global population connected to the internet, the digital sphere is expanding rapidly. This unprecedented digital expansion unlocks vast opportunities, yet it simultaneously unleashes escalating cybersecurity risks. As technology advances, so too do the sophisticated threats that jeopardize our digital safety. To navigate this complex landscape and safeguard our connected world, John Brandolino, the Director for the Division for Treaty Affairs at the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, explains why the new international UN Cybercrime Convention is vital for global peace and security. Learn more about the Convention." (UNODC website)
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October 2025
Stronger Together: Justice for Victims of Corruption – A Common Roadmap to Advance Victims’ Rights in Corruption Cases--Thursday, 16 October 2025 at 16:00–17:00 (Vienna time)
Online – Register here The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, Due Process of Law Foundation, Lawyers Without Borders, Proética, Tojil, and the UNCAC Coalition will present the roadmap along with our six key advocacy points resulting from collaborative efforts to advocate for the legal standing of NGOs in corruption cases. Between October and December 2025, five strategic events will anchor this roadmap. This is an open-ended initiative, and we warmly invite you to join the effort and help shape it over the coming year. The first event featured in this roadmap series will be: Fighting Grand Corruption and State Capture: Human Rights-Based Tools and Strategies, on 23 October 2025.
Fighting Grand Corruption--Transnational and Human Rights Approaches in Latin America and Beyond (Author: Naomi Roht-Arriaza, University of California, San Francisco)
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September 2025
Courage: Why Some People Act Despite Fear. Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association (September 2025). "How we can all build bravery like a skill using deliberate practice and feedback."
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August 2025
Two resource guides-webinars from Latin America
--Estrategias de monitoreo ciudadano en procesos penales contra la corrupción: ¿para qué y cómo observar? (20/08/2025)
--Guía de utilización del Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos en materia de lucha contra la corrupción (13/08/2025)
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June-July 2025
UN Human Rights Council Resolution (Fifty-ninth session, 16 June–9 July 2025)
Resolution on the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights
Bridging Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Efforts: A Guide for Anti-Corruption Advocates to Engage in the Universal Periodic Review Process (guidelines launched June 2025 by UPR.Info, and the UNCAC Civil Society Coalition
Church Integrity Systems: A Handbook--Anti-Corruption Efforts of Churches Need a Reset (2025)
Christof Stückelberger, GlobeEthics. Updated version of Corruption-Free Churches Are Possible (2010).
See also Corruption-Free Religions Are Possible (2021).
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May 2025
Character Counts--What Kinds of People and Organizations Do We Want to Be? Member Care Update (August 2014). This foundational Update addresses the faith-based member care and mission sector and the humanitarian sector yet is relevant across all sectors. This month we hold up the mirror to check out our character as it relates to our motivations, relationships, and practices...How accurate is what we see--and want to see? Recall that character along with competence and compassion are three core qualities needed for member care workers. Part One focuses on our personal character, emphasizing our capacity for self-deception plus what to do about it (five resources). Part Two focuses on leadership and organizational character and the importance for honesty, courage, and support in confronting hard issues (five resources).
We conclude the Update with three current resources from the humanitarian sector that illustrate how critical and diverse feedback--sharing concerns and suggestions in an open atmosphere--is helping to improve the sector's effectiveness. The freedom to give feedback is one of the greatest indications of an organization's and sector's health. Together, all the resources in this Update are meant to encourage us to further develop a crucial reflection of our character--our integrity-- by "telling ourselves and others the truth."
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April 2025
The Pope Who Knelt--How Francis Made the Church Feel Like Home Again
A Tribute to Pope Francis by Greg Monteclaro. This is a brief and moving reflection on the positive and enduring character qualities of Pope Francis and featured here in view of this year's GID theme on developing virtues.
The Name of God is Mercy (2016)--This book is based on an interview with Pope Francis. Chapter 7 is Sinners Yes, Corrupt No. See a summary of his 11 Nov 2011 homily related to this chapter HERE)
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March 2025
Snakes and Wolves--Dealing with Psychopaths and Manipulators
Selected excerpts and summaries from Snakes in Suits-When Psychopaths Go to Work (revised 2019) and In Sheep's Clothing--Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People (revised 2010)
Developing Character Strengths–Being the Leaders Our World Needs. Global Integration Update (March 2023). "In this Update...we feature Character, Virtue, and Leadership, an insightful conversation with Michael Lamb, the Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, organized by The Trinity Forum (17 February 2023--60 minute video). One of the main resources highlighted in this conversation was the research on Seven Strategies for Character Development. (Part One) We also share additional resources to help summon and shape character strengths...Note that this Update emphasizes character as being more dispositional than situational--yet without minimizing the role that social and environmental factors can have in influencing everything from pro-social to anti-social behaviors. (Part Two)
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February 2025
Speaking Truth to Abusive Power
Protecting Whistleblowers
Confronting Impunity and Retaliation
PETRA People Update (February 2025)
"This issue focuses on whistleblowers who with courage and integrity confront wrong doing and corruption--by themselves or with others--within their organizations, communities, and countries. It specifically addresses the need to protect authentic whistleblowers and to confront the impunity and retaliation that maintains (protects!) dysfunctional and deviant people and practices. The four featured resources include a new book on whistleblowing in the UN context, whistleblowing resources, a podcast on repentance, and definitions of integrity and corruption."
We the People: The UN Whistleblowers--Whistleblowing and Retaliation in the United Nations, edited by Caroline Hunt-Matthes (2025). We have found this new resource to be very helpful--instructive and often disturbing--as it looks at the reality of organizational and leadership malfeasance including cover ups and retaliation in the UN system. It is edited by a friend and neighbor whose story appears in the book too.
"The one thing that surprised me about Caroline’s story was the duration of her whistleblowing story...You tell an amazing story: 12 years in litigation. Your UN opponents want to wear you down, but you haven’t acquiesced” (page 6). We can definitely relate in our experience with parts of the Christian church and mission community! We highly recommend this book with the reminder (in line with the editor) that corruption is basically everywhere (not just in the UN) and there are many fine people and leaders within the UN system who are working sacrificially to make the world--and their organization--a better and safer place.
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January 2025
Whistleblowing--Responsible Practices for Healthy Organizations, Member Care Update (July 2018)
"Many of us are no strangers to the need to responsibly report wrongdoing--both to leaders inside organizations and to accountability bodies outside of them. But often nothing gets reported due to the lack of clear policies and/or the fear of retaliation--often via disguised discrediting, demotions, and dismissals. And occasionally there are whistleblowers who have questionable motives and/or frankly get their accusations/information "wrong."
So we ask: Does your organization have or need a whistleblowing policy--special guidelines and protections for staff to confront wrongdoing in an organization? Does your organization encourage an ethos of transparency and accountability in all that it does? How can you help your organization stay ethically healthy via relevant whistleblowing guidelines/policies? These are crucial questions that we encourage you to explore through the many resources in this Update. See also our resources in the Global Integrity section of our main MCA website."
International Whistleblowing Network and the UNCAC Civil Society Coalition
UNCAC Civil Society Coalition news and updates (June 2025)
Featuring among many other important items the "UNCAC Implementation Review Group (IRG), and the Working Group on the Prevention of Corruption [convening] at the UN in Vienna next week [16-20 June] to discuss the future of the Review Mechanism" for the states parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption [UNCAC] and an "open letter urging governments to strengthen the UNCAC’s monitoring mechanism to enhance anti-corruption measures globally...signed by 370 civil society organizations (CSOs), anti-corruption experts, academics and other entities from 109 countries."
From BBC--"Corruption" section-search--just a few of the many examples in the news of the various types of corruption and corrupted leaders and people and systems being confronted and prosecuted
21 May 2025--Former DR Congo PM sentenced to hard labour on corruption charge
Augustin Ponyo Matata is found guilty of his part in embezzling about $245m.
3 May 2025--Brazil social security minister latest to quit in major pension fraud scandal
Corruption Perception Index 2024 (CPI), Transparency International (published 11 February 2025)
See also CPI 2024: Highlights and Insights. The [CPI 2024] shows that corruption is a dangerous problem in every part of the world, but change for the better is happening in many countries. Research also reveals that corruption is a major threat to climate action. It hinders progress in reducing emissions and adapting to the unavoidable effects of global heating. The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories worldwide by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. The results are given on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean)."
"As corruption grows in scale and complexity, over two thirds of countries now score below the mid-point on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Corruption affects billions of people worldwide, destroying lives, undermining human rights and exacerbating global crises. It blocks real action where it’s needed most – and with autocrats on the rise and democracy weakening, the fight against it has never been more urgent." (quotes from the Transparency International website)
OECD Newsletter (February 2025) including a webinar Promoting Public Integrity in the MENA Region
Myanmar's Shwe Kokko: Inside a City 'Built on Scams' BBC (6 February 2025)
"The tall, shiny buildings which rise out of the cornfields on the Myanmar side of the Moei river are a sight so jarring you find yourself blinking to be sure you haven't imagined it. Eight years ago there was nothing over there in Karen State. Just trees, a few roughly built cement buildings, and a long-running civil war which has left this area of Myanmar one of the poorest places on earth. But today, on this spot along the border with Thailand, a small city has emerged like a mirage. It is called Shwe Kokko, or Golden Raintree. It is accused of being a city built on scams, home to a lucrative yet deadly nexus of fraud, money-laundering and human trafficking. The man behind it, She Zhijiang, is languishing in a Bangkok jail, awaiting extradition to China..."
The 11th biennial Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is scheduled to meet 14-19 December 2025 in Doha, Qatar. The Implementation Review Mechanism for the UNCAC is a major emphasis (member states' implementation of the UNCAC). Note also the UNCAC Civil Society Coalition's Parallel Reports about member states' implementation of the UNCAC as well as information about the UN's review process.
OECD 2025 Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum (meeting 26-27 2025 March in Paris)
UNCAC Civil Society Coalition news and updates (May 2025)
Informal Interactive Multi-Stakeholder Hearing (at the UN in New York (30 June 2025) as part of the preparatory process for the High-level meeting (September 2025) of the UN General Assembly on the appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons--Note that the deadline to apply is 25 May 2025--"Representatives from relevant non-governmental organizations (including NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC), civil society organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector are invited to register for the Informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing." Hopefully livestreamed also on UN WebTV.
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