1. RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT Trilochan Pokharel & Anil Gupta, NASC

2. Presentation Outline NASC, 2015 2 1. Policy Discourse 2. Principles and Concept of RBA 3. Application of RBA 4. Issues about RBA 5. Conclusion

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10. Policy Discourse NASC, 2015 10 Charity ApproachNeeds ApproachRights-based Approach Focus on input not outcome Focus on input and outputFocus on process and outcome Emphasizes increasing charity Emphasizes meeting needsEmphasizes realizing rights Recognizes moral responsibility of rich towards poor Recognizes needs as valid claims Recognizes individual and group rights as claims toward legal and moral duty-bearers

11. Contd… NASC, 2015 11 Charity ApproachNeeds ApproachRights-based Approach Individuals are seen as victims Individuals are objects of development interventions Individuals and groups are empowered to claim their rights Individuals deserve assistance Individuals deserve assistance Individuals are entitled to assistance Focuses on manifestation of problems Focuses on immediate causes of problems Focuses on structural causes and their manifestations

12. Generations of human rights NASC, 2015 12 First generation rights - civil and political (CP) rights (the right to a trial, not to be tortured), Second generation rights - economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights (the right to food, housing, a job) Third generation rights – environmental security, development Fourth generation –???

13. Who is right-holder? NASC, 2015 13 A rights-holder,  is entitled to rights  is entitled to claim rights  is entitled to hold the duty-bearer accountable  has a responsibility to respect the rights of others

14. NASC, 2015 14 Concept of RBA and Guiding Principles

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16. Concept of RBA NASC, 2015 16  Recognizing people’s needs as rights (i.e. not only do people have a need for clean drinking water but they also have a right to it).  It shifts focus of development from servicing needs to building capacity of individuals and communities to understand, claim and fulfill their rights.  It is conscious and systematic integration of rights and principles into development work.

17. Contd... NASC, 2015 17  It emphasizes and deepens participation.  It empowers marginalized communities.  It encourages local ownership of development programmes.  It leads to greater accountability from all actors at all levels.  It provides tools for dialogue and engagement with duty-bearers.

18. Guiding Principles of RBA NASC, 2015 18  Universality and inalienability  Indivisibility  Interdependence and interrelatedness  Equality and non-discrimination  Participation and inclusion  Accountability and the rule of law

19. Why RBA to development? NASC, 2015 19 Normative reasons RBA puts values and politics at the centre of development A vision of what ought to be Programme reasons A means to ensure accountability including non-state actors Rights imply duties and duties demand accountability Ethical reasons Exposes power relationships in society Sharpens the political edge of participation

20. What can we do with RBA? NASC, 2015 20  RBA to development sets the achievement of human rights as an objective of development.  It uses thinking about human rights as the scaffolding of development policy.  It invokes the international apparatus of human rights accountability in support of development action.

21. Essential Human Rights to Development NASC, 2015 21 Human rights necessary for survival and dignified living include: The rights to life and liberty The right to a standard of living adequate for health and wellbeing of the individual and his/her family The right to social protection in times of need The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health The right to work and to just and favourable conditions of work The rights to food, and housing The rights to privacy and to family life

22. Contd... NASC, 2015 22 Human rights also cover those rights and freedoms necessary for human dignity, creativity and intellectual and spiritual development, for example:  The right to education and to access to information  Freedoms of religion, opinion, speech, and expression  Freedom of association  The right to participate in the political process  The right to participate in cultural life

23. Contd... NASC, 2015 23 They also include those rights necessary for liberty and physical security, for example:  Freedom from slavery or servitude  The right to security of person (physical integrity)  The right to be free from arbitrary arrest or imprisonment  Freedom from torture and from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

24. Contd... NASC, 2015 24 Cross-cutting are the twin principles of the equal rights of women and men, and the prohibition of discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

25. NASC, 2015 25 Application of RBA

26. Human Rights Dimensions NASC, 2015 26 Aspects of HRRespectProtectFulfill Civil and political rights Torture, extra- judicial killings, disappearance, arbitrary detention, unfair trials, electoral intimidation, disenfranchisement Measures to prevent non-state actors from committing violations, such as torture, extra- judicial killings, disappearance, abduction, and electoral intimidation. Investment in judiciaries, prisons, police forces, and elections, and resource allocations to ability

27. Human Rights Dimensions NASC, 2015 27 Aspects of HRRespectProtectFulfill Economic, social and cultural rights Ethnic, racial, gender or linguistic discrimination in health, education, and welfare and resource allocations below ability Measures to prevent non-state actors from engaging in discriminatory behaviour that limits access to health, education, and other welfare Progressive realization Investment in health, education, and welfare, and resource allocations to ability

28. A process example… NASC, 2015 28

29. Some questions with human face! NASC, 2015 29  Are human rights relevant to your work? RBA to development planning is about safeguarding basic rights both during planning and implementation and should be a guide in programme design and resource allocation at all levels.

30. Contd… NASC, 2015 30  Is there human face visible in your planning?  Pro-people planning  Participation  Voice  Has your plan ensured quality growth?  Participation  Pro-poor growth  Reducing inequality  Sustainable growth

31. Focus Area… NASC, 2015 31  Most Vulnerable  Root Causes  Rights-holders and duty bearers  Empowerment

32. RBA – a crosscutting issue NASC, 2015 32

33. Process of RBA NASC, 2015 33

34. Process NASC, 2015 34

35. Mainstreaming rights into development NASC, 2015 35  Change the view of development (e.g. poverty)  View development as question  Form, mobilize and empower peoples organizations  Ensure equal access, control and ownership over public resources  Mobilize public resources in a sustained and proper way  Regarding service receivers as the strength

36. Issues related to RBA NASC, 2015 36  Hierarchy of rights  Balancing individual and collective rights (and responsibilities)  Progressive realization- resource constraints  Role of international and non-state duty bearers  Measuring accountability  Legal status of accountability  Planning process- bottom-up vs top down  Policy analysis – macro vs micro

37. What determine application of RBA NASC, 2015 37  Ability factors – governance, society and international systems  Willingness factors – commitment, confidence, values  Instrumentality factors – moral, legal and techno- managerial instruments  Environmental factors

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39. Conclusion NASC, 2015 39  Owners of resources are the people  Poor, women, Dalits, victimized and the ethnic minorities must get equal opportunity  An environment where people can get education, health services, social security and freedom to participate in politics must be made  Participation must be broad and meaningful

40. Contd... NASC, 2015 40  Active participation of the targeted people is a must in the decision making process of every development activities  Access to resource and control over it must be vested upon the poor and the voiceless people  Enhance self reliance and help each other to solve common problems  Establish basic needs as basic rights  Outcomes and processes

41. Suggested readings NASC, 2015 41  McInerney Lankford, Siobhan & Sano, Hans-Otto, 2010, Human Rights Indicators in Development: An Introduction, Washington DC: The World Bank.  Boesen, J. K., & Martin, T., 2007, Applying A Rights-Based Approach: An International Guide for Civil Soceity, Copenhagen: The Danish Institute for Human Rights.  National Planning Commission, 2011, Three Year Plan 2010/11- 2012/13, Kathmandu: National Planning Commission.  UNDP, 2006, Applying A Human Rights-Based Approach to Development Cooperation and Programming, New York: UNDP.