On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) selected the UN Joint Programme as the best example of human right based works.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) introduced the book named “UNFPA at Work: Six Human Rights Case Studies” at a seminar gathered at 15 December 2008. In the publication the UN Joint Programme on Protecting and Promoting the Human Rights of Women and Girls is designated among the best studies. The other examples of case studies are implemented in Colombia, Ecuador, Nepal, the Philippines, and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the Executive Director of UNFPA, stressed in the foreword that the studies placed in the publication provide guidance and concrete examples of how to integrate human rights standards and principles – such as participation, accountability and non-discrimination–into the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid stated that in all of the case studies, one constant message came through: understanding and promoting human rights, including the right to sexual and reproductive health, requires contextualizing the approach and ensuring its translation into the local culture and its practices.

Human Rights Principle programmatically, this means:

• Universality and inalienability:
  Projects must not ignore the human rights of any group and must reflect a conscious commitment to the human rights of commonly excluded and marginalized groups such as the poorest of the poor, especially: disadvantaged adolescents and young people; women survivors/victims of violence and abuse; out-of-school youth; women living with HIV; women engaged in sex work; indigenous peoples; minorities (ethnic and others); women living with disabilities; refugees and internally displaced persons; women living under occupation; and ageing populations. Universality means that all people have human rights, even if resource constraints imply prioritization. It does not mean, however, that all problems of all people must be tackled at once.
• Indivisibility:
  Projects must ensure that all relevant rights are considered, without one right being promoted to the detriment of other rights. For example, health projects must recognize the importance of many rights, such as the right to life, clean water, education, information and the benefits of scientific progress. Programming must thus draw in diverse stakeholders who are responsible for all of the different human rights involved.
• Interdependence and interrelatedness:
  Projects will have greater success if partnerships are made across sectors, e.g., reproductive health programmes should encourage partnerships with not only Ministries of Health but also Ministries of Education, Housing, Women’s Affairs and other government stakeholders. The human rights framework encourages a multisectoral approach to problem solving and development.
• Equality and nondiscrimination:
  Programming should not solely target those who are easy to reach and have easier access to services, such as urban populations, but should also address rural populations. Otherwise, existing power imbalances between urban and rural access to services will simply be exacerbated. Unintentional discrimination must also be avoided. This can happen when, for example, the public at large is invited to participate in programme design, but certain groups are excluded because they live in remote areas. Specifically, programming may need to: direct priority attention towards those suffering discrimination and disadvantage in any given context, especially the poorest of the poor; strengthen capacities for data collection and analysis to ensure data are disaggregated as far as possible on the grounds of race, sex, geographic location and other relevant characteristics; advocate temporary special measures to facilitate equal involvement, such as affirmative action for women and special forums for participation; make project information available in accessible formats and minority languages; and support civic education and legal reform to reduce discrimination.
• Participation and inclusion:
  Projects must ensure that all stakeholders have genuine ownership and control over development processes in all phases of the programming cycle. Securing the active, free and meaningful participation of all stakeholders goes well beyond inviting community input – it requires proactive measures to foster critical consciousness and decision-making as the basis for active citizenship. This process may require: budgeting for capacity-building and community organizing activities to strengthen civil society; increasing transparency; making policies and project information available in accessible formats and minority languages; creating specific channels so that the poorest and most marginalized groups can participate, with sensitivity to social and cultural contexts; and broadening alliances with civil society organizations. To ensure inclusion, programmes must pay particular attention to marginalized and excluded groups (described under ‘Universality and inalienability’)
• Accountability and the rule of law:
  Accountability systems require clear roles and responsibilities, transparent decision-making criteria and processes, access to information, and effective mechanisms to demand accountability. Accountability should be established at the different levels of programming, with mechanisms for enforcement and the possibility of recourse when duties are not met. This requires building the capacity of duty-bearers (e.g., government organizations) so that systems of accountability and redress exist, as well as ensuring that development agencies are accountable to the people and governments that they serve.

You can download this book from our Publications page.

Source: “UNFPA at Work; Six Human Rights Case Studies”, 2008, UNFPA and Harvard School of Public Health Program on International Health And Human Rights.