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Other bodies frequently make reference to good governance, corruption, illicit financial flows and public services in the course of their work. These selected thematic reports by Special Procedures mandate holders and Treaty Bodies relevant to good governance and corruption are available below.

The most recent work has been undertaken by the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights and the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee.

Corruption and truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence

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A/80/17516 July 2025Transitional justice and economic, social and cultural rights - report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence

Judicial corruption

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A/72/14025 July 2017Report of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers devoted to the issue of organised crime and its impact on the justice system
A/HRC/35/319 June 2017Report of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers identifying corruption, judicial accountability and the independence the justice system among the specific issues of concern for the mandate
A/67/30513 August 2012Report of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, addressing two aspects of the phenomenon of corruption: judicial corruption; and combating corruption through the judicial system

Arbitrary detention and corruption

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A/HRC/10/2116 February 2009Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Protection of reporting persons

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A/70/3618 September 2015Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression on the right of access to information, on the protection of sources of information and on the protection of whistle-blowers

Human rights defenders working against corruption

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A/HRC/49/4928 December 2021Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. At the heart of the struggle: human rights defenders working against corruption

Corruption and prevention of torture and other ill-treatment

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A/HRC/40/5916 January 2019Report of the Special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
CAT/C/52/220 March 2014Seventh annual report of the Subcommittee on prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Corruption and the right to health, in particular mental health

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A/72/13714 July 2017Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

Business and human rights

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A/HRC/44/4317 September 2020Connecting the business and human rights and the anti-corruption agendas. Report of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
A/HRC/35/3325 April 2017Best practices and how to improve on the effectiveness of cross-border cooperation between States with respect to law enforcement on the issue of business and human rights: Study of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises

The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights

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A/HRC/52/4530 December 2022Non-binding set of practical guidelines for efficient asset recovery
A/HRC/52/3423 December 2022International financial obligations, digital systems and human rights
A/HRC/31/6115 January 2016Final study on illicit financial flows, human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
A/HRC/28/6010 February 2015Interim study on illicit financial flows, human rights and the post-2015 development agenda
A/HRC/25/527 May 2014Final report on the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin on the enjoyment of human rights
A/HRC/22/4221 February 2013Interim report on the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin on the enjoyment of human rights

Extreme poverty and human rights

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A/HRC/50/3819 April 2022Non-take-up of rights in the context of social protection. Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
A/HRC/44/4019 November 2020The parlous state of poverty eradication Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

Reports by the Advisory Committee

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A/HRC/36/529 August 2017Progress report on the impact of flow of funds of illicit origin and the non-repatriation thereof to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights
A/HRC/28/735 January 2015Final report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on the issue of the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights
A/HRC/26/4214 May 2014Progress report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on the issue of the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights

Reports by the former Sub-Commission on the Prevention and Protection of Human Rights

  • Reports by the Special Rapporteur on corruption and its impact on the full enjoyment of human rights
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A/HRC/11/CRP.118 May 2009Second Progress Report
E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/1825 June 2005First Progress Report
E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/237 July 2004Preliminary Report
E/CN.4/Sub.2/2003/1814 May 2003Working Paper
  • Reports by the Special Rapporteur on the question of the impunity of perpetrators of human rights violations (economic, social and cultural rights)
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E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/827 June 1997Final Report
E/CN.4/Sub.2/1994/1122 June 1994Preliminary Report

Recommendations of human rights mechanisms

Joint Statement on “Corruption and Human Rights” (31 May 2021)

  • General comments of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
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E/C.12/GC/2622 December 2022General comment No. 26 on Land and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
E/C.12/GC/2410 August 2017General comment No. 24 (2017) on State obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the context of business activities
  • General comments of the Committee of the Right of the Child
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CRC/C/GC/1617 April 2013General comment No. 16 (2013) on State obligations regarding the impact of the business sector on children's rights
  • General comments of the Human Rights Committee
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CCPR/C/GC/363 September 2019General comment No. 36 - Article 6: right to life