Context in which this group operates
Corruption is not a victimless crime. Those harmed by corruption include individuals, groups and society as a whole, and the harms span the full gamut from human rights violations, loss of economic opportunities, trust in government and societal cohesion. The working group focuses on how to put victims at the center of discussions and advocacy around corruption. We work at the intersection of legal norms and practice by ensuring that victims of grand corruption have legal standing and are represented in national, regional and international courts. We explore options for reparation, and contribute to a database of cases involving these issues in national and regional courts.
Selected past activities and outputs of the UNCAC Coalition working group on victims of corruption:
- Stronger Together: Justice for victims of corruption – Project page
- Blog post: Legal Standing for NGOs in Corruption cases is Crucial in the Fight Against Corruption – Our Support to Proética, UNCAC Coalition, 18 August 2025.
- Blog post: Unlocking the Power of Strategic Litigation, UNCAC Coalition, 8 July 2024.
- Letter (ES): Carta de apoyo a Todos por Medellín, Colombia, UNCAC Coalition Working Group of Victims of Corruption, 14 March 2024.
- Letter (EN): Letter of support to Todos por Medellín, Colombia, UNCAC Coalition Working Group of Victims of Corruption, 14 March 2024.
- Blog post: Victims of Corruption at CoSP10: Exploring their Challenges and their Path to Reparations, UNCAC Coalition, 30 January 2024.
- Advocacy Toolkit: Ensuring Effective Reparation to Victims of the Harm caused by Corruption, UNCAC Coalition Working Groups on Asset Recovery; Gender, Inclusion and Corruption; Grand Corruption and State Capture; and Victims of Corruption, November 2023.
- Blog post: Duarte’s Case: Inter-American Court of Human Rights Commences Admission Process, by Estefania Medina & Adriana Greaves, Co-founders of TOJIL México, November 13, 2023.
- Blog post: Forcing States to Grant Corruption Victims Legal Standing, by Carlos G. Guerrero Orozco, November 4, 2023.
- Open Letter (EN): A Call for Action at the 10th UNCAC Conference of States Parties in Atlanta in December 2023 to Ensure Effective Reparation to Victims of the Harm caused by Corruption, 31 October 2023.
- Open Letter (ES): Carta abierta a los Estados Parte de la CNUCC: Llamamiento a la acción en la 10ª Conferencia de Estados Parte de la CNUCC, que se celebrará en Atlanta en diciembre de 2023 Garantizar una reparación efectiva a las víctimas de los daños causados por la corrupción, 31 October 2023.
- Open Letter (FR): Lettre ouverte aux États parties à la CNUCC : Un appel à l’action lors de la 10e Conférence des États parties à la CNUCC à Atlanta en décembre 2023 pour garantir une réparation effective aux victimes des préjudices causés par la corruption, 31 October 2023.
- Written submission: Consequences of Corruption: The Right of Victims to Participation and Reparation in Corruption Cases Submission, UNCAC Coalition Working Groups on Victims of Corruption, on Asset Recovery, on Grand Corruption and State Capture, and on Gender Inclusion & Corruption, 17 October 2023.
- Article (ES): El Derecho a la Reparación de las Víctimas de Corrupción en el Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos, by José Ignacio Hernández G, 2023.
- News Article: These Lawyers Want to Change How Mexico Thinks About Corruption, Cody Copeland, July 6, 2023, Courthouse News Service.
- Article: The Legal Standing for Victims of Corruption in Venezuelan Money Laundering Cases in the U.S., by José Ignacio Hernández G, 2023.
- Article: Obstacles Faced by Member State Victims of Corruption in Obtaining Restitution and Recovering Civil Damages in FCPA Cases under UNCAC Articles 35, 46 and 53(a), by Craig R. Arndt, 2023
- Roadmap developed by Transparencia por Colombia to seek redress for the damage caused by corruption through civil society organizations in Colombia: Hoja de Ruta
- Publication (ES): VÍCTIMAS DE CORRUPCIÓN ¿Qué podemos hacer los ciudadanos víctimas de corrupción?, by TOJIL México, December 2022
- Blog post: Is UNCAC Article 35 a “Dead Letter” in the United States?, by Craig R. Arndt, September 2022
- Publication: Obstacles to recovering civil damages under UNCAC articles 34 and 46 in the United States, by Craig R. Arndt
- English Version: Empowering Victims of Grand Corruption: An Emerging Trend?, by Naomi Roth-Arriaza, published by the Connecticut Journal of International Law, 2 July 2022
- Spanish Version: Empoderar a las Victims de Corrupción a Grand Escala: Una Nueva Tendencia?, by Naomi Roth-Arriaza, published by the Connecticut Journal of International Law, 2 July 2022
- Blog post (ES): TOJIL como parte UNCAC-Coalition se pronuncia sobre el reconocimiento de las víctimas de corrupción, Foro Jurídico, 13 December 2021
- Blog post: Civil Society to the CoSP: Corruption Victims Are Entitled to Compensation, The Global Anticorruption Blog, 11 December 2021
- Newsletter: Victims of Corruption Special Edition – Meet the Winners of our film contest!, 10 December 2021
- Event Recording: How Foreign Bribery Undermines Democracy and Human Rights: Why More Enforcement is Needed and Victims’ Rights Should be Recognised, 7 December 2021
- Working Group submission to the 9th UNCAC CoSP (CoSP 9) on Recognizing Victims of Corruption, 1 December 2021
- UNCAC Coalition written submission to the 12th IRG on Recognizing Victims of Corruption, 31 August 2021
- Blog Post: UNCAC Coalition Victims of Corruption Working Group discusses art as a means to give voice and identity to victims, featuring Luis Sotelo, 20 April 2021
- Blog post: Litigating on Behalf of Victims of Corruption: The Duarte Case from Mexico, by TOJIL México, 18 February 2021
- Publication: El interés legítimo de las organizaciones civiles en el amparo Mexicano, by DLM Mexico, January 2021
- Blog post: Arguments or Excuses? Common Reasons I hear to avoid Reparations for Corruption Cases, by Juanita Olaya, 11 May 2020
- Blog post: Reparations for Corruption: How Corruption Enforcement Ignores Victims’ Rights,
by Juanita Olaya, 28 February 2020 - Panel discussion: Repairing the Damage: Redress for Victims of Corruption, Vienna, on the sidelines of the 10th resumed session of the UNCAC Implementation Review Group (IRG), 3 September 2019
- Statement by UNCAC Coalition Chair at a UN OHCHR Expert Workshop on Corruption and Human Rights, 11 June 2018
- Joint letter to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría:
Principles for the use of non-trial resolutions in foreign bribery cases, by Corruption Watch, TI, Global Witness and the UNCAC Coalition, 6 December 2018 - Statement: Recovery of Damages and Compensation for Victims of Corruption, UNCAC Coalition Statement to the 7th Conference of States Parties (CoSP), October 2017
- Blog: Compensation for Victims of Corruption: Why does it matter? by Sue Hawley, December 2016
- Blog: Repairing the Damage Caused by Corruption by Juanita Olaya, October 2015
- Blog: Is there an Obligation under the UNCAC to Share Foreign Bribery Settlement Monies with Host Countries? by Maud Perdriel-Vaissiere, September 2015
Other relevant resources
UNCAC Coalition Guidelines and Etiquette
Please have a look at our Guidelines and Etiquette, which apply to all conversations and the exchange of information within this group and its email list. By being part of this group, you agree that you have read and will follow the guidelines set for the VoC group and its email list.