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Realising Human Rights for Poor People

Author: Department for International Development
Date: 2000
Size: 35 pages (255 KB)

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Summary

What is a rights-based approach to development? This paper, part of a set compiled by the UK Department for International Development, is concerned with the practical realisation of the human rights of poor people in developing countries. International Development Targets can only be achieved with the engagement of poor people in the decisions and processes that affect their lives. Central to the realisation of human rights, and these targets, are participation, inclusion and fulfilling obligation.

Participation means enabling people to realise their rights to participate in, and access information relating to, decision-making processes that affect them. Inclusion means building socially inclusive societies, based on the values of equality and non-discrimination. Fulfilling obligation is strengthening institutions and policies ensuring that obligations to protect and promote the realisation of rights are fulfilled by duty bearers.

Action is now required to ensure that all people can be active citizens with rights, expectations and responsibilities. DFID has set priorities to achieve this agenda, and considers how to measure progress against these. The international community has learnt a range of key lessons already:

• There is a large gap between the aspirations contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the experiences of people living in poverty. The progressive realisation of human rights requires resources and strategic planning for medium and long-term action.
• Legal measures for the protection of human rights cannot be solely relied upon.
• There is no single prescription for effective citizens' participation, though clear standard-setting and the concrete definition of entitlements enables poor people to claim rights.
• There is increasing scope to translate human rights into national legislation and policy implementation.
• Governments hold primary responsibility for the well-being of their citizens. However, increasingly, non-state actors (such as the private sector) are important in shaping peoples' lives and opportunities.

On the basis of these lessons, collective effort is required to integrate human rights into development.

• International coordination requires a shared analysis and commitment to shifting from rhetoric to sustained practice. This entails cooperation between multilateral organisations as well as with international civil society and international business.
• In some cases development agencies might have to work at community/local level and bypass central government, e.g. in Nigeria under the Abacha regime.
• States are not homogenous entities: it may be more beneficial to work in different ways with ministries for particular purposes.
• Local level and civil society organisation should develop innovative ways of promoting human rights, and be supported in doing so.
• DFID will integrate human rights into development work at all levels. They will give priority to linking poor people's perspectives with national and international policy processes. DFID is committed to assessing its own contribution to progress towards the International Development Targets.
• DFID will also support the development of benchmarks and indicators relevant to individual countries' and communities' needs, including participatory assessment.

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Source: Department for International Development, 2000, ‘Realising Human Rights for Poor People’, Target Strategy Paper, DFID, London
Author: Department for International Development (DFID), http://www.dfid.gov.uk