I. Introduction 1

II. The Impacts of Corruption on Human Rights 3

1. Conceptual Links Between Corruption and Human Rights 4

2. Nature and Scope of the Negative Effects of Corruption on the Enjoyment of Human Rights 5

2.1 Corruption’s direct negative effects on the enjoyment of human rights 7

2.2 Corruption’s indirect negative effects on the enjoyment of human rights 7

2.3 Corruption’s remote effects on the negative enjoyment of human rights 7

3. Negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of specific human rights 8

3.1 Right to an adequate standard of living 8

3.2 Right to food 10

3.3 Right to social security 11

3.4 Right to health 12

3.5 Right to education 13

3.6 Equality and non-discrimination 14

3.7 Right to a fair trial and an effective remedy 15

3.8 Right to political participation 16

3.9 The right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment 17

4. Negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights by specific groups of rights-holders 18

4.1 Women and girls 19

4.2 Children 21

4.3 Older persons 22

4.4 Migrants 23

4.5 Persons with disabilities 24

4.6 LGBTQI+ persons 24

4.7 Persons deprived of liberty 26

4.8 Indigenous Peoples 27

4.9 Racial, Ethnic, Religious, or Linguistic Minorities 28

4.10 Persons living in extreme poverty 30

5. Human Rights Violations linked to Systemic Corruption 31

III. Human Rights Obligations and Corruption 32

1. Obligation to respect human rights 32

2. Obligation to protect human rights 33

3. Obligation to Fulfil 34

IV. Human Rights-Based Approach to Anti-Corruption 36

1. Advantages of a Human Rights-Based Approach 37

2. Integrating human rights-based and criminal law approaches 38

V. Global Institutional Roles in Addressing Corruption and Human Rights 40

1. Human Rights Council 40

2. Human Rights Council Mechanisms 42

2.1 Universal Periodic Review 42

2.2 Special Procedures 42

3. Human Rights Treaty Bodies 43

4. United Nations Convention against Corruption and its Conference of State Parties 46

VI. Role of Corruption Litigation in Protecting Human Rights 51

VII. Responsibilities of Businesses in Combating Corruption 55

1. The Private Sector and the Corruption-Human Rights Nexus 56

1.1 Corporate Responsibility regarding Corruption-related human rights violations 57

1.2 Corporate Due Diligence and the Prevention of Corruption 59

VIII. Using a Human Rights Based Approach to Fight Corruption 60

1. Securing the rights of human rights defenders and the media 62

2. Safeguarding human rights when addressing corruption 64