- The human rights (HR) problems we are trying to solve deserve constructive and informed solutions –not least for the sake of the poor people waiting for an improvement of their situation. There is no room thus for dogmatic proposals of solutions dragging into long polemics and debates; each solution must be judged in its own context and must have the concurrence of the beneficiaries.
- Most of the HR we are dealing with are rooted in social conflicts. We do run the risk of these social conflicts becoming depoliticized. We will then get nowhere.
- Looking at HR problems within their political reality is not at all obtuse. Political processes lead to perfectly sensible decisions… assuming that the right pressure is brought to bear on the politicians. (I. Kaul)
- Politically, sound lobbying arguments need every bit as much to be based on facts –and be aware that not all required information will be readily available: You will have to get out there and get it.
- Researching for those facts and using them is more likely to contribute to policy changes if:
-the evidence fits within the political pressures policy makers feel –or sufficient pressure is exerted (from a position of power) to challenge policy makers;
-the data presented is linked to practical, feasible solutions (to perceived pressing policy problems) and is ‘packaged’ in such a way so as to attract policy makers’ interest.
- But beware, in the HR arena, we too often fail making what is important measurable; we rather make what is measurable important. We also do not often enough challenge empty slogans, superficial or flawed analyses and myths about HR.
- For instance, we see the literature speak about ‘aggregate governance indicators’ that measure six dimensions of governance, namely voice-and-accountability; political-stability-and-absence-of-major-violence-and-terror; government-effectiveness; regulatory-quality; rule-of-law; and control-of-corruption. The question is why is the respect for HR element not included…?
- Another example, this one from the health field, is about the use of DALYs (life years). Where we are particularly uncomfortable with DALYs is when they are used for priority setting in a commodified, interventionist paradigm because of the damage that such usage does for introducing (or keeping up) comprehensive integrated PHC (and the right to health) at district level. The drive to marketize health by displacing it as a public good shows a remarkable ideological consistency of the World Bank, one of methodological individualism.
Nobody contests that epidemiological priorities have to be set up. The moot question is if DALYs are the best way to do so. Evidence suggests that it may not be, since the weightages are arbitrary, and they do not see diseases as interlinked to the social and physical environment –a point the HR-based approach clearly does.
- A table taken from Development in Practice on how to influence policy is here illustrative:
| What you need to know | What you need to do |
| Who are the policy makers?
What is their demand for new ideas? What sources of resistance will you expect? What is the best timing for your policy inputs? What sort of evidence will convince policy makers? Who are the intermediary power brokers and what influence do they have over whom? Who are the main international actors? What influence do they have? What are their priorities? |
Get to know the policy makers and their agendas.
Identify potential supporters (strategic allies) and potential opponents. Look out for policy windows of opportunity. Establish credibility. Build a convincing case and effectively present policy options. Package new ideas in familiar narratives. Always use participatory approaches. Get to know other stakeholders. Build coalitions. Use informal contacts. Get to know donors. Identify potential international supporters. Regularly contact key individuals. |
- If you look at this and at a number of previous Readers, you will see we have been building a significant tool-kit of suggested tools and actions that help getting the human rights-based approach to development going. The question is: Have the Readers stimulated you enough for you to have started applying some of them in your daily work?
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City