Fostering youth-inclusive political processes for integrity and anti-corruption
On December 9, 2024, the world commemorated the International Anti-Corruption Day with the theme, “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.” This holds special significance given that our world is home to 1.9 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24. It’s the largest youth generation in history, living predominantly in developing countries.
This year’s campaign reinforces the Pact for the Future, which recognizes that youth and future generations are vital agents of positive change and it provides an important opportunity to build the trust and engagement of this young generation in political systems and decision making. The median age of national leaders is 62 although half of the world population is under 30. A recent report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) found that only 2.8 percent of parliamentarians are aged 30 or under. To support a future of integrity and accountability, we need deliberate efforts to ensure that young people take their places now rather than later in political processes and decision making.
Youth, like other groups, are victims of corruption, which undermines their opportunities, rights, and future. This affects their access to education, job prospects, and extra-curricular activities, as well as public services and the justice system. As a result, young people are often unable to reach their full potential, facing extreme poverty, limited basic services, and a lack of respect for their fundamental rights. Youth movements have played a vital role in demanding justice and good governance, building sustainable economies, and bringing climate change to the forefront of international policy discussions. Young people are powerful forces for promoting integrity and combating corruption, and they need to be supported.
Young people are pivotal in fostering technological advancement and innovation, due to their adaptability, creativity and, often, their affinity for digital tools and new technologies. Tech-savvy youth are leveraging innovation to create tools that expose and report corrupt practices. Young innovators are spearheading the fight against corruption using AI, blockchain, and social media.
However, as pointed out in a recent UNDP report, despite their demographic significance, young people face significant challenges in engaging in political and civic activities. They remain largely excluded from formal political processes and civic engagement — not due to a lack of experience, but primarily because of economic, legal and socio-cultural barriers. This exclusion is further exacerbated by a mutual lack of trust between youth and political leaders or institutions, perpetuated by laws, cultural norms, and community practices that implicitly or explicitly hinder youth participation.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) strongly believes that fostering young people’s political participation goes beyond increasing numbers. As recognized in the Pact for the Future, youth must be empowered as agents of change by ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making processes at all levels, from local to global.
This is the first step in ensuring youth-inclusive processes for integrity and anti-corruption.
Secondly, to empower youth to take on leadership roles in anti-corruption efforts, effective collaboration between youth organizations, governments, development partners, and other stakeholders is critical. This requires increased investment in youth participation.
Finally, leveraging technology and equipping young leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge can also be transformative. For example, youth-led anti-corruption initiatives using open data and technology—including monitoring systems and blockchain—can significantly enhance transparency, improve oversight, and strengthen corruption reporting mechanisms, fostering more accountable and transparent societies.
