Human rights

Rights groups and discrimination

Denials or violations of rights tend to be based on social exclusion and discrimination. Social exclusion occurs where particular groups are excluded by mainstream society from participating fully in economic, social and political life. Discrimination can work explicitly, through institutions, norms and values. It can also have invisible impacts, where values and ideas affect the self-perceptions of excluded people and their capabilities to claim their rights. Rights-based approaches to development therefore emphasize non-discrimination, inclusion, and empowerment, aimed particularly at vulnerable or marginalised groups. This page provides resources on how these issues affect various groups, including women, children, people with disabilities, older people and migrants.

Page contents

Where is a good place to start?

This policy paper introduces DFID's policy on social exclusion.

DFID, 2005, 'Reducing Poverty by Tackling Social Exclusion. A DFID policy paper', Department for International Development, London
Who is socially excluded and how is social exclusion (SE) related to poverty, conflict and insecurity? How can governments, civil society and donors reduce SE? This policy paper from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) explores the causes, effects and solutions to SE worldwide. Governments, civil society and donors should tackle the challenges posed by SE. Not only for reasons of equality, but also to reduce poverty, improve the productive capacity of societies and reduce conflict and insecurity.
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This report reviews experiences of work to address social exclusion by DFID and other agencies, examining how this work fits with other poverty reduction work.

Beall, J. and Piron, L-H., 2005, DFID Social Exclusion Review, ODI, London
Social exclusion is a concept commonly used in development, particularly following the World Social Summit in Copenhagen in 1995. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has worked on social exclusion for some years at country level, and recently the concept has gained greater prominence at policy level. This report from the Overseas Development Institute reviews and synthesises experiences of working on social exclusion within DFID and other agencies.
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This paper examines the importance of human rights for equality and social inclusion, the role of discrimination in producing inequality, and the role of rights based approaches in tackling discrimination.

O'Neill, T., Piron, L-H. (2003) 'Rights-Based Approaches to Tackling Discrimination and Horizontal Inequality', Overseas Development Institute, London
How can discrimination and horizontal inequality be combated? In many societies there is a strong dimension of horizontal inequality, meaning gaps in well-being between clearly defined groups (for example, along lines of gender or ethnicity). Frequently, a lack of respect for equal rights and difficulties in claiming entitlements are major factors underlying poverty, contributing to economic and social exclusion. This Overseas Development Institute background paper reviews the importance of human rights, the extent, nature and processes of discrimination and how far states combat it. It presents the potential contribution of rights-based approaches by governments, civil society and international donors to combating discrimination and inequalities.
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This report explores the role that formal and informal institutions play in mediating social exclusion, and presents policy recommendations.

International Council on Human Rights Policy, 2004, Enhancing Access to Human Rights, ICHRP, Geneva
Why do so many people not enjoy rights to which they are entitled? What needs to be done beyond law and legal reform to ensure that rights and entitlements are accessible to all? This report by the International Council on Human Rights Policy analyses the role that institutions play in alleviating or exacerbating social exclusion. It concludes that human rights organisations need to reposition themselves to become relevant to the very poor and those who suffer systemic discrimination.
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Women

This paper traces the rise of the rights agenda in the 1990s and its mixed impact on social and especially gender justice.

Molyneux, M., Razavi, S., 2003 'Gender Justice, Development and Rights', UNRISD, Geneva
The 1990s saw positive changes in women's rights and human rights more broadly, with growth in the size and influence of the international women's movement. Linked regionally and internationally, the movement was able to collaborate on issues of policy and agenda setting. This United Nations Research Institute for Social Development paper summarises a book of the same name published by Oxford University Press. It examines ways in which liberal rights, and ideas of democracy and justice have been incorporated into these agendas in three aspects: Social sector restructuring and social rights in a neoliberal economic policymaking era; the democratisation and politics of gender; and universalism and multiculturalism in practice.
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The following paper examines how to enhance the Millennium Development Goals, to make them more sensitive to gender rights.

Neuhold, B., 2005, Focus on Human Rights and Gender Justice: Linking the Millennium Development Goals with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action'. United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
What are the interlinkages between the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)? This paper by Women in Development Europe (WIDE) Austria explores the three instruments and offers a feminist analysis of the MDGs. It emphasises that the MDGs must be developed further from the perspective of human rights, poverty reduction and the empowerment of women.
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Children

The 2004 UNICEF report warns that progress in achieving child rights is being threatened by poverty, armed conflict and HIV/AIDS.

UNICEF, 2004, 'State of the World's Children 2005: Childhood Under Threat', New York
Childhood is the foundation of the world's hope for a better future yet millions of children grow up amid poverty, conflict and disease. The gap between the reality and the ideal of childhood is the focus of this UNICEF report. What does childhood means for children and for countries? What must be done if the rights of all children are to be protected and the Millennium Development Goals met? The paper calls for swift and decisive action from the entire international community to ensure that every child enjoys a childhood.
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People with disabilities

This document presents a rights analysis of the relationships between disability and chronic poverty, and includes case studies from India and Uganda.

Yeo, R. 2001, 'Chronic Poverty and Disability', Action on Disability and Development, Frome
Disabled people make up approximately 10 per cent of any population and more of those living in chronic poverty. The international development targets are unlikely to be met without including disabled people. However, while there has been a shift towards considering disability rights in rhetoric, in many places there has been little concrete action. This paper reviews the relationship between chronic poverty and disability and various actors’ interventions. It recommends a future research agenda in which disabled people take the lead.
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This report suggests a 'practical action framework' for achieving the right to education for people with disabilities.

UNESCO, 2004, 'The Right to Education for People With Disabilities: Towards Inclusion', UNESCO
Realising the right to education for people with disabilities is challenging, but entirely necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of Education for All (EFA) by 2015. This EFA Flagship paper presents a rights-based case for the inclusion of all people with disabilities in basic education and their engagement at all levels in policy and processes to that end. The paper outlines the history and purpose of the EFA initiative and outlines six major issues that represent the immediate problems faced. A practical action framework is proposed.
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Older people

This paper examines how older people are often disproportionably affected by social exclusion and poverty, and recommends rights approaches for tackling this problem.

Beales, S., 2000, 'The Mark of a Noble Society: Human Rights and Older People', HelpAge International, London
Older women and men are now the world's fastest-growing population group, and among the poorest. What barriers do older people face in having their predicaments acknowledged and their contributions supported? How can their rights be promoted and protected? There is a compelling economic as well as moral logic for including older people in global strategies to combat poverty to further human rights. This paper by HelpAge International explores the relationship between poverty and human rights, and the barriers older people face.
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Migrants

The following paper outlines how migration affects social exclusion and chronic poverty.

Kothari, U., 2002, 'Migration and Chronic Poverty', Chronic Poverty Research Centre, IDPM, Manchester
What is the relationship between chronic, or long-term, poverty and processes of migration? While livelihoods strategies are diverse and multiple, for many poor people migration represents a central component of these. How can research examine the characteristics of those who move and stay and what compels them? This paper identifies possible future research priorities for the Chronic Poverty Research Centre. It presents migration as both a cause and consequence of chronic poverty for migrants and those left behind.
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This handbook provides recommendations on tackling social exclusion and other human rights violations affecting female migrant workers.

Lean Lim, L. et al, 2003, 'An Information Guide: Preventing Discrimination, Exploitation and Abuse of Women Migrant Workers', International Labour Organisation
Increasingly, women, and Asian women in particular, are migrating legally or illegally for overseas employment. These women are extremely vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, outside of the legal protection of their home countries and in jobs not covered by labour legislation. This information guide, written by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), consists of six booklets, addressing all aspects of migrant work and including recommendations for preventing discrimination, exploitation and abuse. With appropriate knowledge, policies and tools, international migration could be a positive experience for all.
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Minorities and indigenous peoples

The following paper looks at discrimination against ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples, focusing on economic exclusion in particular.

Justino, P. and Litchfield, J., undated, 'Economic Exclusion and Discrimination: The Experience of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples', Minority Rights Group International, London
What is the link between economic exclusion and discrimination against ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples? What are the implications for poverty reduction and development strategies? This paper by Minority Rights Group International finds sufficient evidence to suggest that discrimination is often a strong contributing factor to the exclusion of minorities and indigenous people. Discrimination on the basis of membership of an ethnic, religious or linguistic group should be examined alongside other forms of discrimination to strengthen policy strategies for overcoming economic exclusion.
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This paper outlines how each Millennium Development Goal should incorporate the rights of minorities.

Lennox, C., 2003 'Minority and Indigenous Peoples' Rights in the Millennium Development Goals', Minority Rights Group International, London
How can human rights and poverty alleviation best be achieved among minorities and indigenous people? This report, by the Minority Rights Group, argues that greater effort is needed to ensure that these groups benefit fairly from development and the international commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Governments and development agencies need to review their MDG policies immediately to ensure that the rights and needs of minorities and indigenous peoples are fully considered.
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Additional information resources

NGO country human rights reports:

• HelpAge International
• Minority Rights Group
• United Nations Enable
• UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
• UNIFEM - United Nations Development Fund for Women
• UNIFEM Stop Violence Against Women - STOPVAW
• Women's International Coalition for Economic Justice

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