Under a HRBA, all phases of the programme cycle are anchored in a system of rights and corresponding obligations established by international law. While there is no universal recipe for a HRBA, a HRBA can add important dimensions to development practice such as: • When human development is based on a HRBA, it provides a strengthened platform for political advocacy and social mobilization, since programming goals are based on universally agreed principles and national and international legal frameworks that underline the accountability of duty bearers. • HRBA provides an analytical lens to understand the complexity of development problems, including the identification of underlying and root causes of problems, in order to put in place more integral policy and programming responses. In the area of sexual and reproductive health, for instance, a HRBA can contribute to more integral multisectoral responses beyond a health sector approach and vertical programming interventions such as in the areas of maternal health or family planning. • HRBA increases focus on the most marginalized and excluded in society as their human rights are the most widely denied. • HRBA increases human rights awareness and participation of the most marginalized in development processes. By empowering people to exercise their rights, a HRBA leads to more sustainable results and reduces risks of setbacks in the development agenda. 76 • HRBA promotes the rule of law thereby reducing impunity, creating avenues for accountability and increasing access to justice. • The integration of human rights principles of participation, accountability and equality and non-discrimination in the development process reduces the risk of elite capture of development resources and enhances the capacity to challenge underlying structures leading to inequality. • HRBA helps to reduce the risk of violence by detecting growing conflicts and providing a legitimate framework of entitlements and obligations to address them. United Nations agencies first designed and implemented HRBA in the context of development programming during the 1990’s. Since then, more organizations, including cooperation agencies, multilateral organizations and NGOs, have been gradually incorporating a HRBA in their policies and practices. Following a commitment by member states to integrate human rights in their development policies at the World Summit Outcome in 2005, more states are adopting a HRBA in the area of planning and budgeting as well as in other spheres of governments’ work. NHRIs, NGOs and other stakeholders working on human rights and development are instrumental in supporting the government to apply a HRBA while also adopting a HRBA in their internal policies and practices.