RIGHTS BASED
APPROACH
Trends in the Human Rights Tradition
 From focus on civil and political rights to
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broader concern with all rights- economic,
social and cultural rights
From a punitive to positive ethos of
constructive dialogue and supports
From poverty alleviation as merely a
development issue to poverty eradication as a
matter of social justice and dignity.
From state-centered approach to participatory,
multi-actor approaches involving media,
corporation, communities and individuals
From national to international global
accountability
Principles of the rights-based
approach ???????
(1) Programs based on the international human
rights standards and norms
RBA
Program
UDHR
Bills of Rights
ICCPR/ICESCR
International Conventions
CEDAW, CRC, CAT, Migrant, Refugees
Declaration on Development, Indigenous People, Minority
(2) The goal is to bring about the
realization of the rights of the people
 It is differ from partial and time-bound
development targets. A rights-based goals
is only achieved when all people enjoy the
right.
(3) Right based approach aims to enable
claim holders to claim their rights and duty
bearers to meet their obligations under
international law
Duty bearers
Fulfill their
obligation
Rights Holder
claims their rights
The duty bearers
1.The primary duty-bearer is the government
 At national level
 State level
 Local level
2.The secondary duty-bearers are private
individuals and institutions but the primary
responsibility remains with 1
(4) Working together towards a
common goal
 Not based on one organization to
accomplish on its own.
 Required work at different levels, by
different groups using variety of
approaches.
 Joint analysis, common strategies and
collaboration
(5) The approach is not only about
what you achieve, but also how you
achieve it.
working in partnership, putting poor people
at the centre, transforming the power
relations that keep poor people poor, and
recognizing the centrality of unequal
gender relations in this process.
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF
THE RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH?
1. ANALYSIS BASED ON THE REALIZATION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS
 By analyzing each right
 By analyzing those responsible
2. MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION AT EACH STAGE
3. OBJECTIVES AND GOALS BASED ON HUMAN
RIGHTS
4. MEASURING OUTCOMES IN HUMAN RIGHTS
TERMS
5. UTILIZING MECHANISMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Needs based approach
 People deserve help
 Government ought to do
something but no one has
definite obligation
 People can participate in
order to improve service
delivery
 Given scarce resources
sme people may have to
be left out
 Each piece of work has its
own goals but there is no
unifying overall purpose
 Certain groups have
technical expertise to meet
people’s need
 Looks at specific,
immediate situation
Rights-based approach
•People are entitled to help
•Governments have binding legal
and moral obligation
•People are active participants by
right
•All people have the same rights to
fulfill their potential
•There is an overarching goal to
which all work contributes
•All groups can play a role in
achieving their rights
•Analyze root causes
The human rights-based
approach: difference one
 Based on claims not on charity. Thus the
approach focuses on
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Exclusion
Inequality
Discrimination
Social structures
Policy change
The human rights-based
approach: difference two
 The human rights-based approach is
process-based
 Rule of law, but not merely legal: non-legal,
social, political processes
 Advocacy
 Long-term alliances
 Human rights within each organization
PANEL ANALYSIS
 Participation
 Accountability
 Non-discrimination
 Empowerment
 Links to human rights standards
How to implement a RBA to education
 Building from the grassroots to the national and international,
understanding that each level has distinct but complementary
role to play;
 Linking with others, including education coalitions, social
movements, teachers’ unions, the media and government as
appropriate, based on the understanding that we should be
working together, complementing each others’ work, not
competing with each other; or wasting resources through
duplication of work;
 Taking a holistic approach, focusing on education as an
entry point but recognizing that there are many issues which
impact on people’s ability to access education and that these
are complex;
 Exploring the roles of different stakeholders, from local
cultural custodians to the international financial institutions, all
of whom need to be included in the struggle for education
rights;
How to implement a RBA to education (Con)
 Recognizing the centrality of gender and power relations and
their impact on people’s ability to access education or be
involved in transforming education, and therefore prioritizing
work in this area;
 Using participatory methods to actively engage rights-holders
in influencing, designing and monitoring education policy and
delivery, ensuring that complex information is translated and
repackaged tomake it more accessible at the grassroots;
 Learning from and documenting experiences, and sharing
these with other practitioners so that practice can continually
improve and evolve;
 Being honest about achievements, not over claiming
success and recognizing that there are many different forces at
play, and other initiatives which influence people’s reality. It is
also important to be open about challenges and failures, which
can be great for learning and strengthening practice.
Therefore, at the local level people should be
 Reflecting on and analyzing their context, drawing on local
realities and information accessed from partner organisations at
national and international levels;
 Developing strategic action plans, targeting individual,
community and local actions, based on in-depth analysis;
 Building partnerships, mobilizing others and developing
networks;
 Researching and generating evidence (which can be used
locally and nationally);
 Communicating at local, national and international levels,
through written documentation, as well as using oral and visual
media;
 Linking with government, media and other powerful actors.