good governance practices for the protection of human rights

IV.
COMBATING CORRUPTION
Corruption may be defined as the abuse of entrusted public power for private
benefit. While good governance refers to the exercise of authority through political
and institutional processes that are transparent and accountable and encourage
public participation, corrupt governance fails to offer citizens adequate
and accurate information about government and policies, curtails the public’s
opportunities for participation, violates the public’s right to be informed about
government activities and procedures, and compromises the right to political
participation. Thus, corruption weakens the accountability of State officials, reduces
transparency in the work of State institutions and allows human rights
violations to go unpunished.
Corruption has a negative impact on the realization of basic rights. Corrupt practices
divert funding aimed at social services. In this manner, corruption undermines
the Government’s ability to deliver an array of services, including health,
education and welfare services, which are essential for the realization of economic,
social and cultural rights. Corruption particularly affects the poorest and
most marginalized, who greatly depend on public services. Corruption also discriminates
in the access to public services in favour of those able and willing to
offer bribes.
Corruption can weaken democratic institutions both in new and in longestablished
democracies. Corrupt public officials fail to keep the interests of
society in mind when taking decision, leading to a loss of public support for
democratic institutions. In such situations, people become discouraged from
exercising their civil and political rights and from demanding that these rights
be respected.
In countries where corruption is pervasive in the administration of justice, the implementation
of a country’s laws as well as efforts to reform them are impeded by
corrupt judges, lawyers, prosecutors, police officers, investigators and auditors.
Such practices compromise the right to equality before the law and the right to
a fair trial. They especially undermine the poor’s access to justice, because they
cannot afford to offer or promise bribes. Importantly, corruption contributes to a
culture of impunity, since illegal actions are not consistently punished and laws
are not consistently upheld.
Strategies to combat corruption share a great deal with human rights principles.
In particular, anti-corruption initiatives stress the importance of transparency and
accountability, putting emphasis on the right to request and obtain information
from State officials, as well as on the importance of providing information in an
easily accessible and understandable manner.
The cases presented in this chapter illustrate anti-corruption efforts that have
relied on human rights and good governance principles, such as accountability,
transparency and inclusion, and have had a positive impact on the protection of
human rights. They present a variety of strategies and tools:
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