1. Let us recall that human rights (HR) originally encompass four main principles: participation, inclusion, accountability and the rule of law*. The sequential steps we envision in a truly progressive and deepening HR-based participation and inclusion process are: community organization, de-facto participation practice, community conscientization (politicization), community mobilization for self-help, for lobbying and for placing their claims and demands, and consolidation of movements (including networking and solidarity work).
*: George Kent brought to my attention that different agencies highlight different lists of HR principles. All UN agencies share the following: universality and inalienability of HR, indivisibility, inter-dependence and inter-relatedness, equality and non-discrimination, participation and inclusion, and accountability and rule of law. Only a couple agencies (UNESCO and FAO) have added empowerment, attention to vulnerable groups, transparency and respect for human dignity.
2. Insisting on de-facto popular participation in decision-making is not about pitting civil society against the state. Rather, the goal is to create opportunities for dialogue and to enable the local population to take part in, have voice and influence important decision-making. Ultimately, in the HR-based framework, the individual must be reaffirmed in her/his role as an agent of development (thus exerting her/his right to direct democracy). (CETIM) [Note: Thinking is not sub-vocal speech. Claim-holders need to speak up and be heard!].
3. To get there, we need to develop a broad movement of popular education and mobilization (human rights learning) that deploys all our pedagogical potential on HR issues in order to prevent the infernal spiral of HR violations from continuing unabated. (CETIM)
4. What this entails is: a) bringing the people together in common strands that link their particular histories of abuse and exploitation, and b) breaking with all defeatist attitudes and c) placing ourselves resolutely on the path of solidarity, transparency and creating communities-of-social-interest centered around proactive work in HR.
5. But beware, in HR work, when claim-holders participate, outsiders should not be the ones to decide on HR priority actions of any kind. Prioritization should be the result of direct negotiations between claim-holders and duty-bearers on an equal footing. (Thomas Pogge) (Monitoring such an equal footing may well be a task for outsiders…).
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
cschuftan@phmovement.org