Rights-based approaches to development
Rights-based approaches to development begin with the understanding that the purpose of development is the expansion of human freedoms. The key principles of all rights-based approaches are the protection and promotion of rights, accountability of duty bearers, participation and empowerment of rights-holders and non-discrimination and attention to vulnerable groups. In particular, rights-based approaches underscore KIT’s work in Gender-Inclusive Citizenship and Participatory Governance.
Approach
KIT assists development practitioners, whether government, NGOs or development agencies, to actualize rights-based approaches by demonstrating what this means in practice and developing methodologies and tools to integrate these approaches into programming. In collaboration with partner institutions, KIT studies methodologies used by rights claimants and rights-based movements to influence the formulation, interpretation and implementation of rights. KIT also examines how duty bearers can use a rights framework in their sector programming.
Focal points
- Supporting rights holders to claim their rights, particularly through situation and institutional analysis, by strengthening capacity and jointly undertaking action research
- Providing capacity development and other assistance to support duty bearers, whether state and non-state organizations and international donor agencies, in their efforts to integrate rights-based approaches into sector programming and fulfill their obligations as duty bearers
- Undertaking research, policy formulation and programming using rights-based approaches and development of resources such as institutional analysis and self-assessment tools
Example
Resources and training in rights-based approaches
KIT, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (University of Witts, South Africa) and Sahayog, a civil society organization in India, have developed a framework for studying rights-based approaches from the perspective of rights claimants and rights-based movements.
In South Africa, the rights movement selected for analysis was the Treatment Action Campaign for providing antiretroviral therapy to HIV/AIDS patients through the public health system. In India, the chosen case study concerned the movements of people affected by the 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster, known worldwide as the largest chemical industrial accident ever to occur.
Based on the findings of these studies as well as KIT’s experience with rights-based approaches, the second phase of research and methodology development is being prepared, which will examine the factors affecting rights-claiming, and the responsiveness and accountability of duty bearers, such as the state and international development agencies. KIT is also developing a resource guide to support the adoption of rights-based approaches.
Projects
- Human rights and good governance review of Danida Sector Programme Support
- Support to orphans and vulnerable children: a rights-based perspective
- Building gender synergy, mechanisms, actions, rights and training
- Rights-based approach in Royal Netherlands Embassy programmes
Publications
- UNAIDS, - Resource pack on gender and HIV/AIDS
- Mukhopadhyay, Maitrayee - Gender, rights and development
- Mukhopadhyay, Maitrayee - Gender and access to justice in sub-Saharan Africa
- Mukhopadhyay, Maitrayee - Gender and rights: a resource guide