UN Launches Portuguese Anti-Corruption Tools for CPLP Youth
LISBON – Education is the primary weapon in the global fight against corruption, leaders declared today as the United Nations and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) launched a major new educational initiative in Lisbon.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) officially released the Portuguese-language version of its GRACE initiative—the Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment. These tools, now accessible to millions of students and teachers across the Lusophone world, aim to instill a culture of integrity long before financial crimes can take root.
‘The Cancer of Society’
“Corruption is the cancer of society,” said Bianca Kopp, coordinator of the GRACE initiative. “We need all young people to understand why corruption is harmful, what its consequences are, and why we must all be part of the efforts to prevent and combat it.”
The GRACE initiative operates on three pillars: education, empowerment, and building connections between global organizations and local communities. By translating these pedagogical tools into Portuguese, the UNODC aims to provide tailored resources for students across all school cycles, helping them navigate complex issues regarding ethics, civic responsibility, and the rule of law.
Building a Culture of Integrity
CPLP Executive Secretary Maria de Fátima Jardim emphasized that the battle against systemic graft cannot be won through legal mechanisms alone. “Prevention begins… above all in education, ethics, and civic duties—in schools, universities, and the formation of participatory citizenship,” she said during the opening session at the CPLP headquarters.
Brigitte Strobel-Shaw, Head of the UNODC’s Corruption and Economic Crime Section, noted the staggering economic toll of the issue, stating that corruption costs nations billions of dollars annually while eroding public trust. “When children and young people adopt values such as justice and responsibility, it creates a culture of integrity capable of resisting corruption from the ground up,” she added.
A Divided Landscape
The urgency of the initiative is underscored by the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Within the CPLP, only Cape Verde (62/100) and Portugal (56/100) maintain “clean” scores above 50. The remaining member states continue to struggle with lower rankings, including Timor-Leste (45), São Tomé and Príncipe (43), Brazil (35), Angola (32), Guinea-Bissau (21), Mozambique (21), and Equatorial Guinea (15).
Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, whose nation currently holds the CPLP presidency, praised the investment in the “ethical conscience of new generations” as a vital step toward sustainable development.
The CPLP, which celebrates its 30th anniversary on July 17, represents nine nations: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste. This new partnership with the UN marks a significant milestone in the organization’s commitment to building more transparent and inclusive democratic societies.
Image: Pexels – Hugo Magalhaes
