Geneva: The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the “already devastating” effects of corruption, the President of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Ambassador Omar Zniber, said in Geneva on Monday. The diplomat, who chaired an expert seminar on the promotion and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights in anti-corruption efforts in the context of recovery from the coronavirus disease pandemic, stressed that this global health crisis highlighted the vulnerabilities of our societies, particularly in the most marginalized communities, where corruption exacerbates poverty, inequality, and the denial of basic services.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Ambassador Zniber emphasized that corruption continues to be a significant challenge that hampers societal progress. He noted its particularly harmful effects on women, young people, and vulnerable populations, as it aggravates inequality and reduces private investment, undermining markets, employment opportunities, and econ
omies. For the President of the HRC, this seminar “reminds us that the impact of corruption is not just a matter of politics or economic management but is indeed, at heart, a human rights issue.”
In response to these challenges, the HRC remains committed to enhancing understanding of the relationship between corruption and human rights. Ambassador Zniber reiterated the necessity for states to engage in corruption prevention and adopt effective anti-corruption frameworks to protect civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. He further insisted that combating corruption requires more than legal measures; it demands political will and the engagement of all societal segments. Protecting the rights of civil society, whistleblowers, anti-corruption activists, journalists, and legal professionals is crucial to ensuring a safe and conducive working environment.
Ambassador Zniber, who also serves as Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, reaffirmed that promoting all
human, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights equally has been a key focus during Morocco’s presidency of the HRC. He highlighted the importance of addressing the interconnections between climate change, food security, health, and human rights, as well as the effects of new technologies and the digital divide on fundamental human rights. These issues are intrinsically linked to the theme of corruption, underscoring the multifaceted nature of these challenges, he concluded, urging collaboration with international financial institutions to combat corruption.