HUMAN RIGHTS ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH THE MDGS Ignacio Saiz, Center for Economic and Social Rights IPC, London - 29 November 2011

Key points  Despite significant differences, MDG and HR commitments are mutually reinforcing  Human rights can help bridge the accountability deficit in the MDGs  Parliamentarians have a critical role to play in ensuring HR accountability through the MDGs

MDGs and HR: close convergence…  Shared objective – a multidimensional vision of human dignity and well-being  MDGs cover range of economic and social rights  Accountability for progress, even where resources constrained  Development as shared responsibility

….but significant differences  Binding legal duties  Comprehensive, inter- related approach  Equality as cornerstone  Accountability infrastructure  Full realization as goal  Voluntary commitments  Selective, fragmented approach  Overlook inequality  Weak monitoring mechanisms  Unambitious targets HUMAN RIGHTSMDGS

From goals to rights  Align goals, targets and indicators with normative content of human rights standards  Address inequalities between groups and possible discrimination underlying them  Monitor policy efforts and resource allocations (as well as outcomes) through the lens of HR principles (eg core obligations, non-discrimination, non- retrogression, participation)  Provide effective accountability mechanisms and enable people to use them to claim their rights

Tackling accountability gaps  “ The shortfalls have occurred not because the goals are unreachable or because time is too short. We are off course because of unmet commitments, inadequate resources and lack of focus and accountability.” UN-SG 2011  Accountabiity as major shortfall in MDG achievement  No consequences attached to non-fulfilment  “Mutual accountability” in practice a one-way street  Weak accountability of donors, IGOs and TNCs  Weak accountability to citizens at domestic level  Accountability is more than monitoring: answerability, enforcement, remedy

Four priority ways in which parliaments can foster greater HR accountability  Judicial accountability: Create legislative framework to enable adjudication of ESC rights claims  Quasi-judicial accountability: strengthen oversight role of National Human Rights Institutions  Fiscal accountability: scrutinize budgets from a human rights perspective  International accountability: ensure reporting to international HR bodies (UN treaty bodies, UPR, regional)  Table debate about post-2015 framework, remedy the gaps: - inequality, social protection, global policy coherence  To citizens: ensure civ/soc participation, localize MDG

Eg MDG monitoring in Guatemala: comparing use of available resources

Understanding how inequalities intersect  3 of every 4 women who die are indigenous. Ethnic disparities are wider than in other countries with large indigenous populations.  Women in Alta Vrapaz are 4 times as likely to die than women from Sacatepequez, near the capital

Linking disparities in outcome to discriminatory resource allocations