94. A CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CURRENT STAGE OF HUMAN RIGHTS WORK.
At this stage of our shift to a human rights-based approach (RBA) to development, the questions we now hear have changed from ‘What is this RBA?’ and ‘Why do we…
93. THE RISE OF RIGHTS
The human rights-based approach (RBA) represents a historical evolution from clientelism to citizenship. It is still often contested by many development agencies; at best, their statements on the RBA tend…
92. THE HUMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE IN HEALTH. (Part 2 of 2)
How to strengthen the HR-approach in our work in health 13.The more specific challenge we face is to incorporate the HR-based approach into the Health For All Now agenda. The…
91. THE HUMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE IN HEALTH. (Part 1 of 2)
The meaning of the human rights (HR) discourse in health 1.The revived interest in a HR-based approach to development and to work in health and nutrition is well justified and…
90. HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES: WHAT THEY MEAN IN PRACTICE.
Universality and indivisibility Every woman, man, and child is entitled to enjoy her or his human rights simply by virtue of being human. It is this universality of human rights…
89. UNFORTUNATELY, HUMAN (PEOPLE’S) RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DO NOT CALL FOR CONCRETE INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS.
In international law, a violation of human rights (HR) is deemed to be an offence, not only against the state, but also against all members of the international community. But…
88. ‘BEHIND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE FREEDOMS AND NEEDS SO FUNDAMENTAL THAT THEIR DENIAL PUTS HUMAN DIGNITY ITSELF AT RISK’. (Goldewijk & Fortman)
Human needs provide a critical grounding for human (people’s) rights (HR). Not all needs correspond to rights though, and not all rights correspond to needs. But a central set of…
87. EXCUSE THE REDUNDANCY, BUT THE POOR ARE A MAJORITY: HOW DOES THIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR STRATEGIES AND OUR EVERYDAY WORK?
Processes are occurring every day that make people poor. So, it is legitimate to ask: Where is the end of ‘survival’ and where the beginning of ‘living’? Being poor, changes…
86. DOES IMPROVING THE PROVISION OF SERVICES EMPOWER POOR PEOPLE, OR IS IT THE EMPOWERING OF POOR PEOPLE THAT IMPROVES THE PROVISION OF SERVICES?
It has never been proven that improving the provision of services through privatization is the best approach to the problems of public sector inefficiency. Give the public sector the hidden…
85. ACTIVISM, PROFESSION, COMPASSION AND POLITICAL SOLIDARITY.
In their work –and not that this is easy– human rights (HR) activists ought to make practical experiences influence theory, as well as use theoretical considerations in their practice. The…