Rights-Based Monitoring and Evaluation

Summary: This paper proposes a rights-based approach
to monitoring changes in human and children’s
rights, accountability, participation and equity
by measuring different dimensions of change:
changes in people’s lives, in policies and
practices, in equity, and in participation and
empowerment.

A rights-based approach to development combines human rights,
development and social activism to promote justice, equality and freedom.
It holds duty bearers to account for their obligations, empowers people to
demand their rightful entitlements, promotes equity and challenges
discrimination.

Monitoring is a fundamental approach to promoting human rights. The
collection and dissemination of data about unfulfilled rights and about
rights violations puts pressure on duty bearers to meet their obligations to
respect, protect and fulfil human rights.

This paper proposes a rights-based approach to monitoring changes in
human and children’s rights, accountability, participation and equity by
measuring different dimensions of change:

changes in people’s lives, in policies and practices, in equity, and in
participation and empowerment. These dimensions of change should be
applied consistently to programme goals, priorities, objectives and become
the basis for monitoring changes at different levels.

As much as possible, rights-based monitoring and evaluation should draw
on existing tools for measuring change. Relevant tools and frameworks
can be found in the areas of gender, disability, participation and
empowerment, advocacy, policy and legal change, behaviour change and
governance. Rights-based monitoring and evaluation should prioritise
actions with the greatest opportunity for impact and sustainability in the
realisation of human and children’s rights. It should be kept as simple and
practical as possible.

An organisation’s reward system should be adapted to give incentives to
staff and partners for using the dimensions of change, for critically
reviewing and improving its own work, thereby reinforcing a rights-based
programme approach. Internal policies and procedures should also
reflect human rights principles with a view to promoting a culture of
accountability, participation and equity in practice.Owner: Joachim Theispdf: www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/hrbap/RBA_monitoring_evaluation...

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