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Human dignity (n): Human dignity refers to the intrinsic worth and respect that every individual deserves simply by being human. It is the foundation of human rights and serves as a guiding principle in fostering equitable and inclusive societies. In the context of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), human dignity ensures that all individuals, regardless of their background, are treated with fairness, respect, and recognition of their inherent value. ~ Oxford Review
African Anti-Corruption Day (AACD), held every year on 11 July, aims to recognise the progress that has been made in fighting corruption across the continent, and emphasise the need to keep up with corruption developments in creating approaches to counter it. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on the catastrophic consequences of corruption on the lives of ordinary African, and to sustain the impetus needed to effectively tackle the menace through collective action.
In addition, the event commemorates the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) in July 2003.
The first AACD took place in 2018. This year’s edition is commemorated under the theme of Promoting Human Dignity in the Fight Against Corruption.
Corruption strips people of their dignity, because it deprives them of the essential human rights to which they are entitled, such as the right to water and sanitation, a healthy environment, a house, essential services, fair treatment, and justice. These violations contravene the provisions of South Africa’s Constitution, whose Bill of Rights states that human dignity is a fundamental right, regardless of status, background, or any other characteristic. “Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.”
This year’s theme, says the AU Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), the event custodian, highlights the impact of corruption on individuals and communities, emphasising the need to protect human rights and promote ethical conduct.
“The objectives and principles of the AUCPCC have embedded the respect for human rights, the rule of law, and transparency as fundamental elements of human dignity.”
Human rights protect individuals from attacks on their inherent dignity, writes international law professor Otto Spijkers in this 2022 post on the Cambridge Core blog.
“Human beings cannot – voluntarily or involuntarily – lose their dignity. This does not mean that all individuals are in fact being treated with dignity and respect from the moment they are born. Certainly, many people lead a life of abject poverty and indignity.”
It is immediately apparent that the latter situation is exacerbated by corruption.
Human dignity, says the AUABC, must therefore be both the foundation and the goal of anti-corruption efforts. This requires that:
- Prevention measures prioritise inclusivity, social justice, and equitable access to public resources, ensuring that no group is left behind due to corruption.
- Investigations into corruption are conducted with fairness, integrity, and full respect for the rights of all persons involved – whether victims, witnesses, or suspects.
- Prosecutions are carried out impartially and under the rule of law, with safeguards against abuse of power, political persecution, or selective justice.
- Respecting human dignity also means protecting whistle-blowers, empowering citizens to speak out against corruption without fear, and ensuring that justice serves both accountability and restoration.
IACC a powerful weapon in global anti-corruption arsenal
Grand corruption is responsible for injustices on a wide scale. This is corruption that pervades the highest levels of a national government, leading to a broad erosion of confidence in good governance, the rule of law, and economic stability, says the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Petty corruption is no less deplorable, but happens on a much reduced scale and tends to involve the exchange of very small amounts of money or smaller favours.
“The most critical difference between grand corruption and petty corruption is that the former involves the distortion or corruption of the central functions of government, while the latter develops and exists within the context of established governance and social frameworks.”
On 10 July, Good Governance Africa (GGA), with Integrity Initiatives International, hosted a webinar exploring a bold solution. The proposed and much-debated International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) could be a game-changer in cracking down on grand corruption by holding the powerful to account, recovering stolen assets, and upholding the rights of those who are robbed of basic public services.
“Despite the growing international frameworks to combat corruption, impunity persists, particularly among high-level officials who operate beyond the reach of domestic justice systems,” said GGA. “The proposed court offers a bold response: a court empowered to prosecute grand corruption when national systems are unwilling or unable to act.”
Anti-corruption resource centre U4, discussing the IACC, says that in many countries, corrupt elites have de facto impunity from prosecution because the justice systems in those countries are unwilling or unable to hold powerful senior figures and their associates criminally accountable. “Wealth and power acquired through corruption can be used to buy impunity, and that impunity allows the further corrupt accumulation of wealth and power.”
This is the crux of the argument for an IACC, which would be extra-territorial, like the International Criminal Court, and would not supplant domestic criminal justice frameworks. By taking up the case only where the applicant’s government has declined to or cannot prosecute, the IACC would be able to exact justice in the long run.
Asset recovery
Asset recovery is a crucial step in deterring corruption, compensating victims, and rebuilding trust in institutions. However, in today’s world it is far too easy for the corrupt to hold on to their ill-gotten gains because of the existence of legal and institutional complexities and lack of cooperation between states, according to the UNCAC Coalition.
Webinar panellist Dr Charles Adeogun-Phillips, a distinguished international criminal lawyer, spoke of two potential accountability mechanisms currently under discussion in the international asset recovery arena – an Afrocentric solution, proposed by the AU, and an international solution.
The fundamental difference between the two models, he added, lies in their jurisdictional reach – the IACC being global, and the African solution being continental.
The latter solution includes a centralised African asset recovery agency to provide technical assistance and coordinate legal efforts and act as a unified voice for African nations in asset recovery matters, a dispute resolution mechanism to mediate in conflicts between African nations and enabling states, and capacity building initiatives.
These proposals, said Adeogun-Phillips, highlight “Africa’s determination to move beyond reliance on Western-led legal processes, which historically have favoured financial security over restitution”.
The international solution, on the other hand, calls for the establishment of public registers and registries which would reveal the beneficial owners of property and assets, to prevent illicit funds from being hidden in complex corporate offshore structures. It also calls for stronger international cooperation in mutual legal assistance to expedite asset recovery cases, and it calls for the establishment of an international anti-corruption court.
“The proposed international anti-corruption court is intended to serve as a judicial body with the power to prosecute grand corruption cases through the use of a non-conviction-based civil asset forfeiture mechanism and a conviction-based asset recovery process,” Adeogun-Phillips explained. “The essence of the court is to ensure the swift and efficient return of stolen assets to victim countries, in addition to making those responsible for grand corruption criminally accountable for their crimes.”
The Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) Enoch Qoba spoke on capacity-building, saying the proposed IACC must play a critical role in this area, to ensure effective investigations, prosecutions, and civil litigation. The SIU is known and respected for its independence and effectiveness, which has enabled it to crack the whip on poorly performing government entities and recoup billions in misused public funds – despite threats, intimidation, and often aggressive push-back from government officials.
“The establishment of the international anti-corruption court will be a challenge if it is met by anti-corruption agencies which are unable to table their cases in a winnable way within that particular structure.”
For such a court to be effective, added Qoba, it is essential that those who bring matters before it are capable and well trained in handling complex financial crime cases, and should understand the intricacies of money laundering, among others.
Aims of AACD 2025
Anti-corruption is not simply a legal or institutional process, it is a human-centred imperative that demands empathy, fairness, and respect for the rights and dignity of all, says the AUABC.
Therefore, the celebration of African Anti-Corruption Day 2025, under the theme Promoting Human Dignity in the Fight Against Corruption, aims to:
- Reinforce the centrality of human dignity in anti-corruption strategies across the continent by promoting people-centred approaches in the prevention, investigations, and prosecution of corruption.
- Raise awareness among citizens, especially vulnerable and marginalised groups, about their rights and the importance of demanding transparency, accountability, and dignity in public service delivery.
- Encourage Member States to align their national anti-corruption frameworks with the provisions of the AUCPCC, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other relevant human rights instruments.
- Celebrate progress and share best practices in integrating human dignity in anti-corruption efforts through legal reforms, citizen engagement, institutional integrity, and social accountability mechanisms.
- Provide a platform for engagement and solidarity among governments, civil society, anti-corruption agencies, development partners, faith-based organisations, academia, media, and the private sector in advancing dignity-based anti-corruption initiatives.
- Encourage the protection of whistle-blowers and victims of corruption and promote legal and psychosocial support mechanisms that uphold their dignity and safety.
- Recognise the importance of anti-corruption measures in promoting human dignity and justice for Africans and people of African descent.
