2019 Vietnam Youth Integrity Survey (YIS 2019) Supporting values and practices of integrity young Vietnamese (for reference) +21*'8&38%/,6+,1*+286( 1+¬;8Ҩ7%Ҧ1+Ӗ1*ĈӬ& In the framework of the Transparency International TABLE OF CONTENTS (TI) Vietnam Strategy 2016 - 2020, this report was PDGHSRVVLEOHZLWKWKH¿QDQFLDOVXSSRUWRI&DQDGD Fund for Local Initiatives Vietnam - CFLI Vietnam and the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam. The views EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................... 1 expressed in this report are the author’s alone and 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................. 7 are not necessarily the views of the funders. 2. KEY FINDING ................................................... 9 2.1 Youth Values and Attitudes Authors: Vu Ngoc Anh, Christian Levon, Nguyen Thi towards Integrity ......................................... 10 Kieu Vien Perceptions of the concept of integrity ....... 10 'DWDFROOHFWLRQDQG¿HOGVXUYH\,QGRFKLQD5HVHDUFK (Vietnam) Perceptions of the importance of integrity .. 15 Design: Luck House Values ......................................................... 17 Acknowledgements: We would like to thank everyone 2.2. Youth experiences and behaviours ............ 22 who contributed to the research and preparation of this report, in particular expert reviewers, Dr. Experiences with corruption ....................... 22 Hoang Tu Anh, Dr. Vu Cong Giao, Conrad Zellmann, Willingness to engage in corruption ........... 25 Xavier Depouilly and the colleagues at Towards Transparency. Every effort has been made to verify &RPPLWPHQWWR¿JKWFRUUXSWLRQDQGSURPRWH the accuracy of information contained in this report. integrity ....................................................... 28 All information was believed to be correct as of August 2019. The authors cannot accept responsibility for the 2.3. Shapers of youth’s integrity ....................... 33 consequences of the report’s use for other purposes Sources of information ............................... 33 or in other contexts. Integrity education ...................................... 36 3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 39 Cover photo: Towards Transparency 4. METHODOLOGY ............................................. 42 ISBN: …………….. © 2019 Towards Transparency. All rights reserved. 4.1. Sample design ........................................... 43 4.2. Questionnaire review ................................. 44 Transparency International (TI) is the global civil 7KH¿HOGZRUN ............................................. 44 VRFLHW\ RUJDQLVDWLRQ OHDGLQJ WKH ¿JKW DJDLQVW corruption. Through more than 100 chapters 4.4. Limitations of the survey ............................ 45 worldwide and an international secretariat in Berlin, 5. REFERENCES ................................................. 46 Germany, TI raises awareness of the damaging effects of corruption and works with partners in 6. ANNEXES......................................................... 49 government, business and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to tackle it. ANNEX 1: KEY SAMPLE PARAMETERS ............ 49 www.transparency.org ANNEX 2: THE QUESTIONNAIRE ...................... 51 7RZDUGV7UDQVSDUHQF\ 77 LVD9LHWQDPHVHQRQSUR¿W consultancy company founded in 2008 to contribute WR WKH SUHYHQWLRQ RI DQG ¿JKW DJDLQVW FRUUXSWLRQ ,Q 0DUFK77EHFDPHWKHRI¿FLDO1DWLRQDO&RQWDFW of Transparency International (TI). TT’s vision is a Vietnam free of corruption where people enjoy social justice, accountability and transparency in all aspects of life. TT’s mission is to reduce corruption in Vietnam by increasing demand and promoting measures for transparency, accountability and integrity in government, business and civil society at large. www.towardstransparency.vn 01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Vietnam Youth Integrity Survey (YIS 2019) 1 “We cannot always build the future for our youth, 50 per cent male and 50 per cent female and came but we can build our youth for the future” from both urban and rural backgrounds. (Franklin D. Roosevelt) We hope that the survey results will be used as timely inputs for the government, education institutions, Corruption remains a serious problem in Vietnam parents and civil society to address what could be despite continued efforts and strong determination of called the integrity dilemma of Vietnamese youth. the Communist Party and the government of Vietnam By this phrase we refer to the most salient feature to eradicate corruption. A noticeable corruption RIWKHVXUYH\¿QGLQJVWKDW\RXQJ9LHWQDPHVHRI effect seen worldwide is the public loss of trust in the to 30 age group have strong values and aspire to government, especially by youth. Integrity, according live in a society that promotes and rewards integrity, to Transparency International (2009), means yet they face more corruption in their lives, and are “behaviours and actions consistent with a set of more willing to engage in it because they believe that moral or ethical principles and standards, embraced it is necessary. Over the last decade, young people’s by individuals as well as institutions, which create awareness of integrity initiatives has remained low a barrier to corruption”. It is a learned behaviour, and unchanged. This situation points to an integrity therefore promoting and exercising integrity needs crisis among young people. As they rationalize to start from education. It needs to become a social corrupt behaviour because of the circumstances they norm that is championed by society and nurtured from ¿QGWKHPVHOYHVLQWKHUHLVDULVNWKDWFRUUXSWLRQQRW an early age. Thus, understanding youth perceptions integrity, is established as the norm in Vietnam. toward integrity, their attitudes and actions when IDFHGZLWKFRUUXSWLRQLVSLYRWDODVD¿UVWVWHSWRZDUGV building a society of integrity. Youth are the main foundation for a country. They MAIN FINDINGS represent the future of society, which they shape through their attitudes and behaviours. Transparency Paradoxical conception of integrity and International shows that young people know that associated values corruption is wrong, that they are willing to report At the conceptual level, and similarly to YIS 2011 and on and expose corruption, and that they aspire to ¿QGLQJVWKH surveyed live in societies that are fair, transparent and rooted large majority of youth have a good grasp of the concept of integrity, with in integrity. However, societies make it increasingly clear views on what they consider right and wrong. GLI¿FXOWIRU\RXWKWROLYHXSWRWKHVWDQGDUGVRILQWHJULW\ Yet, youth and have to when governments, education institutions, parents when face moral dilemmas weigh their values against challenges, personal gains and other role models fail to promote an environment or advantages for themselves and their family, they of integrity. would be willing to compromise their integrity There is little research on youth perceptions toward principles. In particular, corruption and integrity in Vietnam, where more than ؘ 98% of youth surveyed consider a person of half of the population is under the age of 30 (Vietnam integrity to be someone who never accepts GSO and UNFPA, 2016). In an effort to address this nor gives bribes and 96% of them agree that a shortcoming, Towards Transparency (TT)’s Youth person has integrity when he/she never breaks a Integrity Survey (YIS) explores what integrity means law (under any circumstances). to young people and how they experience and react to (corruption. The survey, conducted in 2011 and 2014, ؘ However, more than half of youth surveyed (52% is now in its third edition, and is one of the primary say that a person could be lying and cheating efforts by TT to contribute to promoting integrity and and still have integrity, if it could help resolve addressing corruption in Vietnam. GLI¿FXOWLHVIRUWKHPVHOYHVRUWKHLUIDPLO\ (ZDVFRQGXFWHGIURP ؘ A substantial portion of youth surveyed (37%7KH¿HOGZRUNIRUWKH<,6 October 2nd to December 2nd, 2018. It surveyed does not perceive petty corruption to be 1,175 youths (aged 15-30) and 465 adults (aged 31- problematic, while 16% of youth believe that one 55) as the adult group in 12 representative provinces has a greater chance of success in life if he/she is across the country. Respondents were approximately ready to lie, cheat, break laws and act corruptly. 2 Vietnam Youth Integrity Survey (YIS 2019) Youth understand that corruption is Youth willingness to engage in corruption harmful to all facets of life and society is on the rise but are poorly informed about anti- ؘ Approximately a third of young people surveyed corruption regulations and integrity are willing to engage in unethical or corrupt building initiatives practices to gain an advantage for themselves (e.g. to pass an exam, apply for a document, get ؘ Nearly all youth surveyed believe that corruption into a good school or get a job). and lack of integrity is harmful to their generation the economy (95%) and the development ؘ Worryingly, the number of young people who show ,(96%) of Vietnam (97%). willingness to engage in corrupt transactions (except for applying for a document) increased in ؘ But more than three quarters of them (81%) report 2018 compared to the 2011 and 2014 YIS results. having no or very little information on integrity For example, as Figure 1 below shows, in 2018, and anti-corruption rules and regulations. almost half of youth (49%) are willing to take ؘ The proportion of youth reporting having no decisions that violate integrity in order to get into LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ WKLV WRSLF VLJQL¿FDQWO\ LQFUHDVHG a good school or company,