REFUGEES, CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Resumo

Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict, persecution, or other forms of violence or instability. Being a vulnerable population, they often face significant obstacles in their search for safety and protection, including lack of access to basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter, as well as discrimination, exploitation, and violence. Addressing corruption and protecting human rights are essential components of providing effective and sustainable solutions for refugees. It requires a concerted effort by governments, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to promote transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, and to ensure that the rights and needs of refugees are respected and protected. Corruption (which can take many forms, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and money laundering) can hinder the ability of refugees to access the protection and assistance they need. The main example is, perhaps, the situation of corrupt officials that demand bribes from refugees in exchange for documents, permits, or other essential services. This can leave refugees vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and make it harder for them to access basic necessities (namely health, education or housing). In addition, corruption can also undermine human rights by eroding the rule of law and enabling the abuse of power by government officials. This can result in violations of the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and other fundamental rights. Having in mind this general situation we will go through some particular refugee crisis to check differences and patterns of human rights undermined by corruption. We will close our presentation identifying the main challenges (and possible ways for solutions) in the fight against corruption within the protection of human rights of refugees. They include the lack of transparency and accountability (mainly in the allocation of resources or decision-making processes), the limited resources to implement effective anti-corruption measures, the political instability (that makes it difficult to ensure that human rights are protected and that resources are allocated fairly), the lack of trust in institutions responsible for protecting the rights of refugees, and the cultural barriers (such as the common perception that giving bribes or using connections to secure advantages is normal).