NCJ Number
226160
Date Published
2009
Length
115 pages
Annotation
This report encourages and assists individuals and institutions committed to promoting and protecting human rights as they address corruption issues and collaborate more closely with anticorruption organizations.
Abstract
This report shows how links between acts of corruption and violations of human rights can be described accurately, and it distinguishes cases where acts of corruption imply human rights violations from cases where such links do not exist. The report begins with a discussion of the definition of "corruption," since the term is often loosely applied. The appropriate legal definition of "corruption" offered is "the list of acts criminalized by law under the heading (Corruption)." Based on this definition, the report then identifies the various acts that come under the general heading of "corruption." By reviewing the agreements that countries have reached in adopting international conventions, it is possible to develop a consensus on what are "corrupt acts." The report identifies and discusses the various acts of corruption defined by the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). It then examines where the human rights framework could add value to anticorruption efforts, with attention to the impact of corruption on the human rights of groups exposed to particular risks, including women and children. Next, the report examines more closely the ways in which corrupt practices may violate specific human rights and the protection of human rights of anticorruption advocates. The report concludes with an exploration of the possibilities of collaboration between human rights and anticorruption organizations. Recommendations are offered for human rights organizations that wish to address corruption as part of their efforts. A 92-item bibliography and appended selected corrupt practices and their impact on human rights