The Role of Anti-Corruption Initiatives to the Realization of the Right to Development: With Particular Reference to Ethiopia
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Date
2005-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The ri ght to dcvelopment (RTD), which is a comprehens ive concept, embracing virtually
all human right s, and const itutes in econom ic, social. cultural and politica l development.
in wh ich all human rights and fundamental frcedoms can be fully realized, has been
recognized as an inalienable human right. Conversely, corruption runs d irectly counter to
the economic, socia l. cultural and political development endeavors of a nation. It
particu la rly worsens the already harsh socio-economic conditions in poor countries, such
as Ethiopi a . The real enigma is that. whereas corruption is ruinous to overall
development, underdevelopment is in part responsib le for the perpetuation of corruption.
Very clearly, corruption and underdevelopment reinforce each other tor each other's
subsistence. Indi sputably, therefore, the reali zation of the RTD requi res breaking the
vicious c irc le, wh ich in turn presupposes the elimination of corruption.
Corruption and underdevelopment being major problems of third world countries such as
Ethiop ia, the paper is aimed at ex ploring and depicting the complex d ilemma of
relationsh ip between the two monumental problems, and converse ly, the role anti
corruption movements can play in the realization of the right to development. It tries to
scrutinize the conceptual and pract ical issues surrounding the problem.
This paper embraces four chapters. The opening chapter is meant to int roduce the overall
object ive of the researc h. The second chapter takes up the issue of con:Llption and
grapples to clarify the nature, the root causes and debilitating consequences of corruption.
It also attempts to figure the problem in the Ethiopian context. The theoretical
underpinnings ot'the ri ght to development as a human right. the particular significance o f'
such a right to unckrde\'e!oped countries. such as Ethiopia . and the status of' this right in
the nat ional and ime rnational legal li'amellorks lI'ill a lso be examined under the thi rd
chapter. Chapter four grapples lI'ith the profound corre lation between corruption and
underde\·elopillent. It also tries to identil' possible lIa\'5 o f' integrating anti corruption
in itiatives into the promotion and implementation of human rights s ituati ons in general
and the right to de\dopmem in particular. Finall\·. some concluding remarks. whieh
esscntialh' suggest mechanisms of' streamlin ing anticorruption efforts to redress the
s ituation . lIinciup the paper.
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Keywords
Role of Anti•Corruption Initiatives