-Human rights are philosophical; they are holistic; they are a secular religion with its own commandments. (Shula Koenig) But does the philosophy behind human rights depend on science? It does not. Nevertheless, human rights cannot and do not ignore scientific facts. As they do so, human rights cannot and do not build a philosophy-of-the-spirit like in the times of Descartes. Human rights advance when their practitioners dialogue with their peers and with human rights’ very own history, as well as when they ask relevant questions pertaining to other related domains. (Albino Gomez)
-It is not enough to write the word HUMAN RIGHTS in upper case or in color font in a document, or make any other kind of linguistic acrobatics to make it stick. What is at play is the deep meaning and action-orientation of human rights.
1. The human rights (HR) framework transcends the narrow confines of the accumulation-driven capitalist model that benefits only a few to the detriment of the majority. It proposes a new notion that looks beyond the narrow domain of economic growth that has dominated the world’s ill-balanced policy agendas over the last decades.
2. The human rights-based approach* ultimately helps generate the political will and a culture of resources allocation that places the needs of groups and individuals rendered vulnerable on an equal footing with the interests and prerogatives of those who are better off. As such, it adopts a HR language** that makes the participation of citizens in the overall work in the development sector a reality. This is why the HR framework is clearly a political tool –a fact disregarded by many in the left. (UrbanJonsson) What is political about HR? Everything, it turns out. We did not know this before. Now the words ‘human rights’ and ‘politics’ have become inseparable.(MichaelPollan)
*: Think of it like this: HR are a home where the dignity of all people is celebrated; we see it as the ultimate habitat of and for humanity. It is a space where people can be free from fear and want –and often a refuge from persecution. It is often the first home people have had and owned. Enjoying HR, people are protected, they learn how to walk towards a new horizon, to restore or build a better home as they internalize the HR language as a path to dignity for all. A big chunk of the world’s population is actually aimlessly searching for ways out of their problems, doing it in many directions; they need such a real home. (S. Koenig)
**: With the exception of Marx, no other public or official language is available that provides the same range, power, and precision as the human rights framework. (C. Archer) Keep in mind that choosing words is important. Words have to speak to the ultimate meaning of our purpose. For instance, I contend we need to stop talking about the human rights-based approach. HR is not an ‘approach’… one of many. It is a guiding ‘framework’ –a worldview, a holistic vision with a very concrete mission. (S. Koenig) Using the concept of a ‘Human-Rights-Informed-Approach’ instead of a HR-based approach is perhaps an option to consider.
3. The HR-based informed approach as a process calls for adhering to the HR principles of equality and non-discrimination, inclusion and participation, and accountability and the rule of law. At the same time, as an outcome, it calls for meeting specific human rights standards, for example adequate housing, access to water and sanitation, health and education services, work, freedom of speech, etc. or any other civil, political, economic, social and cultural right as codified in the respective human rights treaties ratified by the vast majority of countries.(U. Jonsson)
4. Rich and powerful countries have a long history of violation of HR, in some cases within their own territories, in other countries, in their ex-colonies and/or surrounding territories. In too many cases, they have for decades installed and kept in place dictatorships elsewhere. What moral lesson do they pretend to give the rest of the world? Perhaps preaching from their permanent seats in the Security Council of the United Nations…?***(Albino Gomez)
***: Friedrich Engels spoke of ‘social murder’, and accused rich and powerful countries of perpetrating this crime perpetually. Just like a small rip in a dike can end up in it caving-in, being condescending on minor HR violations only gives license to States to embark in even greater violations. (V. A. Beker)
5. Even as we face the challenge of the century of giving the post 2015 development agenda its ultimate center, unfortunately, the HR framework risks going from neglect to rhetoric. (AsbjornEide) In this struggle, I think we have to go for broke as needed and be both brave and angry.
Braking away from the iron chains of the routine in our work
6. Let me share here with you somesuggestions of our friend Anwar Fazal in Malaysia:
– What about setting up a project on Crimes Against HR?: The project would select and expose annually 500 crimes against HR and rival the Fortune 500 that celebrates the much less worthy achievement of corporate enterprise.
– Or a project on the State of HR?: This would entail an annual report, national and global, with an audit in the spirit and image of IBFAN’s State of Violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.
– Or a project for a HR Gateway?: Here one would set up a digital library documenting past work on HR. (Information and inspiration cannot be allowed to vanish!).
– Or a project for a HR Lifeline?: Here one would run a global news feature service that generates discussion (written and radio), as well as run ad-hoc courses on HR journalism.
– Or a project on HR Champions?: This would recognize our heroes from all over the world and could give HR awards.
– Or a project exposing corporate accountability?: This would have HR exposée pieces and audits once a year.
– Or a Project Dignity that would highlight the dignity factor in HR work?
– Or a Project HR Interpol that would expose gross HR violations through a systematic internet-alert-system called ‘HR Interpol’ that would condemn gross violations wherever in the world as they occur?
– Or a Green Project that would denounce environmental practices affecting HR, would combat consumerism and would create ‘green consciousness’?
– Or a project called HR Transformation**** that would change the way we work letting the periphery of what we do be the center, e.g., be more participatory and action oriented? And would strategically locate HR incubators, catalysts, multipliers and accelerators. It would let us all become more passionate HR drivers actively resisting HR-adverse top-down commands and control. It would also help set up active networks of claim holders and would foster more volunteerism. It would call you to move your office to where the action is.…Or all of the above?
****: What Project HR Transformation means is that most of us will more consistently and regularly have to come to terms with the risk-averse nature of our system, and the detrimental impact this has on our willingness to actively challenge HR abuses or problems face-on. The view of HR as being ‘sensitive’ could not be more misguided. Our habit of gagging ourselves –of using ambiguous language or deferring response until it is effectively without relevance betrays the people we portray to stand for, i.e., common people. No matter what we say, this fact is clearly with us. (C. Cahn) The result of such an attitude adds to the fear I so often have, namely that many well-intentioned colleagues end up bureaucratizing HR.
7. Human rights are not a lighting rod, but a magnetic force to change the unfair rules of the development game and of the rather routine work we mostly do. HR and social justice aspirations are inseparable, but are not synonymous. They both, in themselves, do lead to more just societies accompanied by fairer social and economic governance. But beware: justice that comes too late is not justice. (R.C. Solomon)
8. The reality that we are faced with every day is that globalization and the chronic persistence of poverty and a widening social injustice, excuse the repetition, persist. Therefore, in breaking away from the iron chains, the HR movement cannot just concern itself with countering the abusive interference by the State in individual civil liberties. Protecting HR further involves bolstering the state’s capacity to rein-in the unbridled power of market forces, as well as ensuring its institutions are equipped to protect the enjoyment of HR from infringements by private actors. It also involves having the State fulfill a series of positive obligations, all necessary for people to live their lives in dignity.
9. Ultimately, HR have the goal of transforming the national and international social order in which all HR can be fully realized. They address the unfair distribution of resources that fuels deprivation and inequality within and between societies. HR advocacy must thus be concerned with distributive justice, as well as palliative, retributive justice.
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
cschuftan@phmovement.org