Good Governance in International Instruments: A Legal Approach to State Transparency and Accountability

Abstract

Good governance has become one of the core components of sustainable development and social justice within the framework of international law. Focusing on key international instruments—including the United Nations Charter (1945), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the United Nations Covenants, the UNCAC Convention, and documents issued by the OECD and UNDP—and examining their structural compatibility with Iran’s constitutional and administrative legal system, this article explores the dimensions and challenges of good governance, its implementation requirements, and improvement strategies in Iran. The theoretical literature and critical analysis underscore the necessity of aligning mechanisms of accountability, transparency, environmental justice, social justice (especially for persons with disabilities), and human capital with international obligations, Islamic teachings, and the Constitution. The methodological framework, based on comparative analysis and structural critique, argues that the realization of good governance requires structural reform, progressive legislation, strengthening of human resources, and active civil society participation; mere accession to or ratification of instruments is insufficient.