Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: "From High Principles to Operational Practice:
Strengthening OHCHR Capacity to Support UN
Country Teams to Integrate Human Rights in
Development Programmes" is an interview–
based study which identifies ways in which UN
agencies can incorporate human
rights into programmes.
This interview–based study was commissioned by the OHCHR to identify
ways in which it can assist UN agencies to incorporate human rights into
programmes. It emanated from the realisation that since Kofi Annan
instructed the UN in 1997 to “mainstream” human rights into all its
programmes, agencies have struggled to understand how this directive
would change their work. A major challenge is to understand exactly
what “mainstreaming” and “rights–based programming” really means.
The authors highlight that these goals raise complex issues, and challenge
numerous organisational cultures to change their behaviour, values and
interactions. They point to confusion and concern among those interviewd,
and are critical of the “cheerleading” quality of much written material and
the lack of practical guidance. And they underline the leading role OHCHR
can play in translating human rights dogma into actual programmes.
The report contains a total of 25 recommendations, with an emphasis on
those that do not require significant new resource allocations. Key areas
include:
· OHCHR and UNDP need to gather, analyse and disseminate
practical examples, case studies and guidelines
· OHCHR should work with UNCTs so that they become meaningful
participants in every stage of the process
· OHCHR needs to lobby the main international financial
institutions, so that they assume their proper role, particularly in the treaty
body process
· OHCHR will have to change its culture
Owner: William O’Neill and Vegard Bye | Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights pdf: www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/hrbap/HR_principles_to_practice...