9 December 2025, Banjul, The Gambia – The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) joins the global community in commemorating International Anti-Corruption Day, a moment to reaffirm our collective commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law across the African continent.
Corruption remains one of the most pervasive obstacles to Africa’s democratic governance, development, and the enjoyment of human rights. It undermines public trust, weakens institutions, fuels inequality, and diverts vital resources away from essential services such as education, healthcare, and justice. For many citizens, especially women, youth, and marginalised communities, corruption directly threatens their daily livelihoods and limits their ability to fully participate in governance processes.
This year’s commemoration, under the global theme “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”, reinforces the urgent need for collaboration between governments, civil society, independent oversight bodies, the media, and citizens. The ACDHRS continues to champion these multisectoral efforts through advocacy, capacity-building, human rights education, and support to defenders working to expose corruption and strengthen accountability systems.
We commend African countries that have taken steps to enact or reinforce anti-corruption laws, empower integrity institutions, and promote open governance. However, much more remains to be done. We call on all African governments to:
- Ensure the independence and resourcing of anti-corruption bodies.
- Guarantee protection for whistleblowers, human rights defenders, and journalists who expose corruption.
- Promote transparent public procurement, open budgets, and access to information.
- Uphold regional and international frameworks such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the UN Convention against Corruption.
- Involve civil society and citizens meaningfully in monitoring governance and public service delivery.
As an organisation committed to advancing democracy and human rights, the ACDHRS reiterates that combating corruption is not merely a governance issue; it is a human rights imperative. Every act of corruption jeopardises the dignity, equality, and freedoms that citizens are entitled to enjoy.
On this International Anti-Corruption Day, we urge all stakeholders to strengthen their resolve, stand together in solidarity, and take bold, sustained action to eradicate corruption in all its forms. A transparent, accountable, and corruption-free Africa is possible, and together, we can achieve it.
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