Budgeting for Human Rights Initiative 2006-2008: Phase 1
Background
In April 2006, APRODEV’s Rights & Development Group organised an international workshop ‘Budgeting the Rights’, in Geneva, which involved partner-organisations from around the world, as well as experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Budget Project (IBP). This drew on a background study of Michael Windfuhr on behalf of EED on Budgeting ESC-Rights – a useful concept for poverty oriented development cooperation?
The workshop explored whether the realisation of human rights -economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights - could be ‘costed’ and budgeted, and whether methodological hurdles could be overcome. It recommended:
- Identification of, and linking with, similar initiatives
- Further research on methodological hurdles
- Pilot projects to develop tools and experience-based knowledge
- Building of capacity and advocacy strategies
See Budgeting Human Rights, Cartigny workshop report
This began a process of exploration, discussion and action to advance understanding and use of the potentially powerful tool of budgeting for human rights. This led to the development of the Budgeting Human Rights guide, which was released at an event at the World Social Forum held in Nairobi in January 2007, attended by over 200 participants. Milo Tu Lang Chingo (Freedom from Debt Campaign, the Philippines); Kofi Yakpo (FIAN, Germany); Peter Prove (LWF, Geneva); and Michael Windfuhr (FIAN, Germany) were among the discussion panellists. Many participants expressed interest in the process and rated its importance as critical for moving forward with realisation of human rights.
The Pilots
At WSF Nairobi, it was also decided to undertake a series of pilots to gain practical experience on the ’frontloading approach‘ - costing human rights.
Objectives
The central importance we give to human dignity compels our agencies to pursue a rights-based approach to development. We value the empowering of rights-holders, those whose rights are disregarded, to engage in political struggles for justice and for an end to discrimination against marginalised and poor people. Within this, we see a role for human rights-based legal strategies and the use of international human rights instruments.
Our agencies stress the need to address the structural causes of poverty and injustice, mainly through action and advocacy, and focused on the most vulnerable and those discriminated against on the basis of gender. In this struggle, there is need for the development of rights-based strategies and the adoption of a dual strategy of empowering rights-holders as well as challenging duty-bearers.
Economic, social and cultural human rights and state obligations have already been well defined. Now the step to be taken is to address questions of how to determine how much they will cost. It is necessary and useful to attempt to quantity these obligations, so as to further the realisation of human rights, and bridge the current gap between macro-economics and human rights.
A critical step in costing human rights is defining what the core contents of rights are, extracting them from relevant human rights conventions, covenants, optional protocols, treaties and general reporting guidelines. This presents a challenge in itself, and it is further complicated by the overlap between different treaties. When a government ratifies an international human rights treaty, that government assumes three types of obligations. These obligations are known as the obligation to respect (i.e. refrain from any action that would interfere with citizens' enjoyment of their rights), to protect (i.e. to take action to prevent violations of human rights by others), and to fulfil (i.e. to take action to achieve the full realisation of rights). Still, core components relating to a particular right (e.g. education) or target group (e.g. refugees) can be identified and brought together within a common framework, paving the way to costing and budgeting.
A number of organisations are currently developing and exchanging methods, strategies and tools to develop the budgeting for economic, social and cultural human rights. We are convinced this will strenghten human rights campaigns and advocacy and help fulfil them.
Who is involved
The Rights & Development Group of APRODEV (Association of World Council of Churches related Development Organisations in Europe) includes representatives of:
| Bread for the World Stafflenbergstraße 76, D-70184 Stuttgart, Germany Tel: 0049/711/2159-323 Email: programme(at)brot-fuer-die-welt.de www.brot-fuer-die-welt.de/ | Church Development Service (EED) Ulrich-von-Hassell-Strasse 76 53123 Bonn Tel: ++49(0)228 8101 - 0 Email: eed(at)eed.de www.eed.de | Christian Aid 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL Tel: +44(0)20 76204444 Email: info(at)christian-aid.org www.christian-aid.org.uk |
| ICCO P.O. Box 8190, 3503 RD Utrecht The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)30 692 78 11 Email: info(at)icco.nl www.icco.nl | Dan Church Aid Nørregade 15 DK-1165 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: +45 33152800 Email: mail(at)dca.dk www.danchurchaid.org | Lutheran World Federation 150, route de Ferney CH-1211 Geneva 2, Swisse Tel: +41/22-791 61 11, Email: info(at)lutheranworld.org www.lutheranworld.org |
| Norwegian Church Aid PO Box 7100, St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway Tel: + 47 22 09 27 00 E-mail: nca-oslo(at)nca.no www.nca.no | World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 791 6111 www.oikoumene.org |
