UNIS/CP/587
6 November 2009
Corruption is a Crime Against Development, Says
New United Nations Campaign
VIENNA, 6 November 2009 (UN Information Service) - A campaign to raise awareness of the impact of corruption on development was launched today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) ahead of the International Anti-Corruption Day on 9 December.
Through a series of six posters and online material, the campaign highlights how corruption hinders efforts to achieve the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), obstructing people's access to education, health and justice, limiting their opportunity to prosper and undermining democracy.
The campaign slogan, Your NO Counts, calls on every person to take a stand against corruption.
The launch of the campaign comes as Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption - the only global, legally binding anti-corruption instrument - gather in Doha from 9-13 November to review its implementation. The convention has been ratified by over two-thirds of the 192 State members of the United Nations since its entry into force in 2005.
UNODC oversees the implementation of the Convention. It assists States Parties and signatories by helping them ensure judicial integrity, improve legislation, share good practices and develop strategies to fight corruption effectively. Together with the World Bank, it helps countries to prevent assets from being stolen and to recover stolen assets as part of the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR). In partnership with Interpol, and with the support of Austria, UNODC is establishing an International Anti-Corruption Academy.
UNDP tackles corruption in its efforts to enhance democratic governance, reduce poverty, achieve sustainable development and help countries reach the MDGs. This includes working to strengthen the capacity of public institutions to deliver services like water, health and education more efficiently and strengthening the role of civil society and the media as government watchdogs.
Outreach material and information about the campaign are available at: http://www.yournocounts.org
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For further information, please contact:
Walter Kemp
Spokesman and Speechwriter, UNODC
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5629
Email: walter.kemp@unodc.org
