Human Rights Based Approach

A rights-based approach to development is now promoted by many development agencies and non-governmental organizations to achieve a positive transformation of power relations among various development actors. This practice blurs the distinction between human rights and economic development. There are two stakeholder groups in rights-based development, the rights holders (who do not experience full rights), and the duty bearers (the institutions obligated to fulfill the holders' rights). Rights-based approaches aim at strengthening the capacity of duty bearers and empower the rights holders (Gneiting, et al. 2009). A human rights based approach (HRBA) should be considered to ensure all sections of society have a chance to meaningfully participate in the Programme. The HRBA is a tool to assist both rights-holders (citizens) and duty-bearers (government officials) in realizing more effective development. A number of core concepts have evolved from application of HRBA to development. They capture the most central elements of human rights and tend to be viewed as less confrontational than the promotion and protection of certain specific rights. These concepts most commonly include non-discrimination, participation, transparency, accountability and empowerment. From this, it follows that the application of HRBA also requires specific focus on vulnerable and marginalized groups. There are three levels of state obligations; to respect (obligation by the state not to interfere in the enjoyment of the right in question), to protect (obligation to ascertain that non-state actors do not interfere in the enjoyment of the right in question) and to fulfill (obligation to take positive steps in order to realize the enjoyment of the right in question) human rights.