When we talk about human rights, we envision a world where every person is free to pursue human development through access to education, healthcare, and justice. We imagine an equal world where all people are afforded the same opportunities and enjoy the same freedoms to pursue self-development.
This is based on the fact that 195 countries have adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which outlines the freedoms and inalienable rights that every person should enjoy. As a result, this warrants a commitment by states to respect, observe, and protect these rights. However, for billions of people globally, this remains an abstract concept. The achievement of human rights and freedoms is not hindered by a lack of laws and regulations but by corruption.
Defined as the "abuse of entrusted power for personal gain", corruption is on the rise, if Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index is anything to go by. In its 2025 report, Transparency International reported a global decline from 43 in 2024 to 42 over the past decade. While corruption is often defined and framed as a financial crime, this framing doesn’t show the full picture of its impact.
It undermines the fundamental responsibility of states to provide essential services to their citizens, including education, health, food, access to justice, and security. When public officials embezzle funds, this is not a simple, unethical act. It takes away from a mother’s life, a child’s future, and their citizen’s right to personal development. This is particularly the case when it comes to the right to health.
While corruption is often defined and framed as a financial crime, this framing doesn’t show the full picture of its impact. It undermines the fundamental responsibility of states to provide essential services to their citizens.
The right to health is essential to human life, as it enables the enjoyment of other rights. General Comment 14 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) requires states to ensure high-quality provision of health services, as well as economic and physical accessibility. The attainment of the highest quality of mental and physical health is undermined by corruption through mismanagement of funds, procurement fraud, pilferage of medical supplies, administrative corruption, and informal payments.
This further exacerbates quality health services as funds and medical supplies intended for improving health outcomes are diverted to serve vested interests. Cases of corruption in the health industry continue to be documented despite the implementation of frameworks and policies by governments and international organisations.
Most recently, the Czech Republic, for example, had 16 suspects charged by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) with subsidy fraud allegations, money laundering, corruption, and damaging the European Union’s (EU) financial interests.
This goes to show that despite legislation at national and international levels, corruption continues to evolve while more public officials continue to prioritize personal interest before those of the public whom they are supposed to serve.
When public officials embezzle funds, this is not a simple, unethical act. It takes away from a mother’s life, a child’s future, and their citizen’s right to personal development.
But perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic as a health emergency demonstrated the true impact of corruption on the right to health. In Peru, ‘Vacunagate’ exemplified systemic corruption and abuse of power by the political elite, who prioritized their interests over vulnerable groups. Between October 2020 and January 2021, about 500 doses of experimental vaccines, intended for clinical trials, were secretly administered to political elites.
At the time, Peru had yet to receive the vaccines, and frontline workers, especially healthcare workers, were still at great risk. This disregarded the national priority of placing medical personnel, the police, and other essential workers for the vaccine since they were exposed to much greater risk than the politicians.
The health emergency during the COVID -19 pandemic saw misappropriation of funds and high procurement irregularities undermining access to quality health globally. In the UK, about 28 high-risk awards, worth £4.1 billion, went to suppliers with significant connections to those in the party of government at the time.
Harmful, corrupt practices continue to disproportionately entrench inequalities, with women, children, migrants, persons with disabilities, and persons living in poverty suffering the most. To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3, aimed at ensuring good health and well-being for all people, governments must implement policies to curb corruption in the healthcare sector.
Eliminating corruption goes beyond conventions, frameworks, and establishing legislation. It requires strengthening the implementation of anti-corruption measures.
International agencies have recommended guidelines, frameworks, and policies for governments to fight corruption in the health sector. For instance, the WHO provides the Good Governance for Medicines (GGGM) policy initiative, intended to drive transparent, accountable administrative procedures in the pharmaceutical sector.
It also drives policy dialogue on good governance in pharmaceutical systems. Further, the European Union (EU) recently adopted the Anti-Corruption Directive, intended to prevent, detect, and prosecute corrupt practices among member states. The directive provides coherence in the interpretation of corruption offenses, closing loopholes that would be exploited due to different national legislations.
Additionally, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) recognized corruption as a human rights violation in its 59th session, requiring state parties to strengthen corruption prevention measures, particularly for vulnerable groups.
While human-rights-based approaches in anti-corruption policies are essential, eliminating corruption goes beyond conventions, frameworks, and establishing legislation. It requires strengthening the implementation of anti-corruption measures, assertive political will, strict enforcement, and consistent collective action from all stakeholders.
Evalyne Awuor Otieno is a Masters Student in Public Policy. As part of the STAND x Human Rights Center collaboration, she contributes thoughtful writing on a range of human rights related issues, bringing academic insight and a strong commitment to justice, equality, and social change to her work.
