A holistic human rights-based approach in the Arctic governance? Introducing Human Rights to the Arctic Council Adam Stepien The Arctic: Between Competition and Cooperation Wroclaw, 23 November 2012 Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law Arctic Centre, University of Lapland ARKTIS Doctoral Programme

What is HRBA? Holistic perspective on human rights Why to use it in the Arctic? How to use it? Institutional approach Why not? Conclusion

HR-based approach? More than HR mainstreaming Utilising human rights language Practical tool of governance Policy design - goal, implementation, evaluation Framework of analysis Process and outcome Accountability Vulnerable groups Power and re-politicization - de-technicalization

Non/presence of HRBA in the Arctic Council Arctic Council’s documents avoid „rights” vocabulary AHDR and Arctic Social Indicators Tromso Declaration 2009: Recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples and the interests of all Arctic residents Holistic HR outside the scientific discourse

Why to use HRBA in the international Arctic governance? Every form of governance has a HR impact HR offer a powerful language Strengthening HR advocacy in the Arctic Rights of Arctic non-indigenous residents of rising importance Devolution throughout the region Many issues within the scope of SDWG are easily HR-transferable Climate change discourse HRs as part of Human Security

How? Goal of Arctic governance: promoting human rights Greater knowledge and awareness of HR in the Arctic Practically? Arctic HR Ombudsman? Working Group on Human Rights? Expanding SDWG mandate? Using HR language? Reports on the HR situation? Human rights impact assessments? AC as a forum for grieviances Prioritisation of projects? Allocation of funding? Greater involvement of NGOs in the work of the Arctic Council? Evaluating effectiveness of Council’s work?

Why not? Fluffy, fuzzy HRBA idea Criticism towards HR Sometimes HR are better protected without mentioning HR Re-politicisation, de-technicalisation of governance HRBA if taken seriously would need to be holistic Danger for indigenous peoples’ interests? Ovelapping agendas (CoE, IACHR, OSCE, NC, national systems) Resistance of Arctic actors Is it effective? (anywhere!?!?) Realm of development; Baltic cooperation

Disappointing conclusion... Probably too early for the HRBA in the Arctic Council not necesserily in the Arctic in general HRBA may be detrimental for Arctic cooperation Holistic, „the rights of all Arctic inhabitants” approach dangerous from the indigenous point of view But HR language slowly making its way even to the Arctic Council Maybe in the future, with rising importance of the institution? HRBA as a research tool for analysis?

Thank you