UNDP-OHCHR TOOLKIT INTRODUCTION Human rights and human development are linked in ways that we have long understood but have only recently introduced to programming by NHRIs. 5.1 The UN and Human Rights Based Approach to Development2 Human rights-based approach to development has been founded of the following human rights principles: Selim Jahan writes “[h]uman poverty is a denial of human rights – because it infringes on human freedom, it destroys human dignity and it implies discrimination and injustice.”1 NHRIs should be part of the national planning process and be included in the planning cycle related to the development of the UNDAF at the national level. 11 Universality Taking a human rights-based approach (HRBA) to human development and democratic governance can significantly enhance results achieved across a number of dimensions, including poverty reduction, the environment, peace and conflict prevention and UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) achievement, to name a few. Understanding the linkages between human development and human rights is essential to the achievement of both. At the same time, it should be remembered that human rights provide a normative and legal framework, whereas development goals, while important, do not have the same normative and legal force. 11 Accountability Depending on the nature of the UN engagement and the requests from the NHRI and the country, UNCTs can play an invaluable role in supporting NHRIs to help move forward the broader development agenda. FIGURE 1: HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT POVERTY REDUCTION PEACE & CONFLICT PREVENTION MIGRATION ENVIRONMENT HUMAN RIGHTS LINKS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT MDG ACHIEVEMENT DISASTER RESPONSE GENDER and Inalienability 11 Indivisibility 11 Interdependence 11 Equality and Interrelatedness and Non-Discrimination 11 Participation and Inclusion and Rule Of Law Using these principles, UNCTs are generally responsible for mainstreaming human rights into the operational activities for development at the country level and for promoting international human rights standards and principles. In 2002, the Secretary-General launched “Action 2”3 as part of the UN Reform. Action 2 identified strong human rights institutions at the country level as a principal UN objective, with a focus on the UNCT collaboration to respond to the needs and requests of Member States. As part of this process, a growing number of agencies and programmes have adopted human rights-based approach to development cooperation,  and stronger institutional linkages were established between the UN human rights bodies and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the one hand, and the operational UN agencies on the other, under the frameworks of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and the Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA). In 2003 a UN inter-agency meeting on human rights approach to development arrived at a set of recommendations, divided into two parts. The first part was said to consist of elements which are ‘necessary, specific, and unique to a human rights-based approach’: These were: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS Source: Mr. Emmanuel Buendia, Team Leader, Governance UNDP. (Philippines). 11 Assessment and analysis in order to identify the human rights claims of rights holders and the corresponding human rights obligations of duty-bearers as well as the immediate, underlying, and structural causes of the non-realization of rights. Selim Jahan, ”Human Rights-Based Approach to Poverty Reduction – Analytical Linkages, Practical Work and UNDP”, online: (2004) UNDP <www.undp.org/poverty/docs/employment/HRPR.doc 1>. 1 This section is adapted in part from: UNDP http://www.undp.org/governance/docs/HR_Pub_Parlts&HR.pdf See also: Poverty Reduction and Human Rights: A Practice Note, UNDP, June, 2003; Human Rights: A Practice Note, UNDP, March, 2004. 2 “Action 2 is a global programme designed to strengthen the capacity of UN country teams to support the efforts of Member States, at their request, in strengthening their national human rights promotion and protection systems. In order to achieve this, adequate national capacity, dedicated resources and expertise are fundamental prerequisites.” http://www.un.org/events/action2/programme.html 3 82