Kenya’s National Youth Forum on Corruption| Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity 

Introduction

In recent years, young people have shown a strong commitment to change and have taken an inclusive approach to shaping political, justice, and climate actions globally. This year, Kenya witnessed a youth-led protest, known as the Gen Z protest, where young people took to the streets to demonstrate against the Finance Bill 2024 and to demand enhanced integrity, and accountability of government and political leadership. Through this action, the youth once again demonstrated their ability to be powerful catalysts for change.

Building on this momentum and the upcoming International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) on December 9, themed “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity”, UNODC’s Africa Anti-corruption Hub, The Youth Cafe in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Kenya (NYC),  is planning a forum for young people in Kenya to educate them on key anti-corruption priorities and accountability actions, share experience and propose innovative solutions  to promote transparency and accountability of government institutions in Kenya. 

UNODC, as the custodian of UNCAC, provides technical assistance to member states in the implementation of the Convention and recognizes the vital role that young people play in promoting the implementation of UNCAC through prevention, education and awareness and reporting subsequently building a culture of lawfulness and integrity. UNODC has developed several youth-focused programs, such as the GRACE initiative, which provides young people with platforms to express their ideas and concerns about integrity, ethics, and anti-corruption, ultimately integrating them into anti-corruption efforts and global policy dialogues.

The UN is giving increasing attention to corruption as an obstacle to the youth’s empowerment and opportunities. The Political Declaration by the UN General Assembly Special Session on Corruption held in 2021 recommends educational and research initiatives promoting the role of the youth in fighting corruption. 

In 2022, the Secretary-General advanced the UN’s commitment to youth by launching the UN System-wide strategy on youth, “Youth 2030: The UN Youth Strategy,”. Subsequently, in 2023, UNODC through the GRACE initiative formed the African Youth Anti-corruption group, composed of young people from various African countries. This group collaboratively developed the African Youth Anti-corruption 2030 Vision that outlined five key priorities that are affected by corruption in Africa. These priorities were presented to their national leaders, urging them to collaborate with the youth to achieve their vision by 2030. One of the priorities relevant to this forum is Priority III, which focuses on weak governance. It calls for member states to classify corruption as a crime under the UNCAC, ensure youth representation in leadership and active participation in governance, and protect individuals of integrity in both the public and private sectors.

Kenya has recorded significant milestones in ensuring that young people have access to education and training, as well as opportunities to associate, be represented and participate in political, social, economic and other spheres of life; and to access productive engagement. To facilitate productive engagement, Kenya established the National Youth Council (NYC) as an elaborate platform to effectively coordinate youth-related interventions and include young people in the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of these initiatives. Additionally, the National Youth Policies, including the Kenya Youth Development Policy, aim to improve the quality of life for Kenyan youth by empowering them and promoting their participation in economic and democratic processes, as well as in community and civic affairs. 

Participants in the forum will discuss and share their experiences, and propose innovative solutions to combat corruption, such as secure channels for reporting and measures to protect young whistle-blowers from retaliation. 

Proposed Objective

The main objective of the forum is to provide a platform for meaningful dialogue between youth, policymakers, and development partners on governance and integrity, ultimately developing actionable youth-led strategies for enhancing integrity and accountability.

Proposed format 

This one-day conference will be held at the UN Complex in Gigiri, targeting approximately 200 participants, including youth from universities, youth networks, youth-led organizations, the National Youth Council, Integrity clubs, EACC and the Ethics Ambassadors’ Network (EAN) in Kenya. The conference will feature keynote speeches and panel discussions, aiming to draft sustainable solutions to promote accountability and anti-corruption interventions. Follow-up actions will include the adoption of a youth proposal and the presentation of the proposal during the National commemoration of IACD 2024 on 9th December. 

Expected Outcomes

• A Kenyan Youth Action proposal on Integrity, developed by youth participants, policymakers, and partners, aimed at promoting ethics, integrity and accountability in Kenya.

• Strengthened partnerships between youth, government institutions, and civil society organizations in promoting transparency and accountability.

• Submit the summary of the action points raised during the forum to the National Youth Council and UNODC GRACE - YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board, which ensures that youth perspectives are integrated into anti-corruption efforts initiative.