The new UN human rights approach... (10)
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WHAT DOES THE NEW UN HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH BRING TO THE STRUGGLE OF
THE POOR?
Part 9 (final)
Some conclusions
Betting on the invisible hand and ignoring the rights of the socially
excluded is immoral; it is the issue of a deliberate collective so-
cial exclusion that we are out to combat. (22)
80. Borrowing a term from sub-comandante Marcos of Chiapas fame, the
first challenge we face in Human Rights work is to bring the Human
Rights issue to a level of "impertinent consciousness" where it both-
ers us not to get involved.
81. In the strategy of imposing the new Human Rights paradigm over
the old and obsolete development paradigm, we have to get involved in
a long haul capacity building, advocacy, social mobilization and peo-
ple's empowerment effort so as to influence short, medium and long
term outcomes.
82. We are ultimately fighting for a development that is anchored in
the dyad Human Rights-Human Needs. And because to succeed in this
field we need to change current realities in a socially and politi-
cally relevant manner, our actions will have to be based on a very
strong political discourse. (22, 5)
83. Normatively, this means we need to go from declarations (UN Dec-
laration of Human Rights, Convention of the Rights of the Child, Con-
vention on Eliminating Discrimination Against Women) to national
plans of action, and to national legislation on these rights. Opera-
tionally, it means we actually need to go from people articulating
their needs into specific claims and then targeting them to specific
duty bearers who already have clearly stipulated obligations. These
claims have to then become enshrined in laws that are enforceable in
practice; in the enforcing of these laws, we need to make full use of
existing facilitating factors and join hands with all strategic al-
lies to tackle all possible obstacles and face all strategic enemies.
(34, 12)
84. We all know that it is easier to fight for one's principles than
to live up to them (Alfred Adler 1875-1937). At every step of the
fight you commit yourself to embark on, just keep in mind that the
actual issues you will be fighting for together with the people, are
important, but not crucial: The process is! More impact does not re-
quire just more inputs... It is not about doing the things right; it
is about doing the right things and accessing the right leverage
points that will make the big difference.
85. The Human Rights approach thus brings to the forefront the point
many activists have been making for over 30 years. Previous develop-
ment initiatives had good intentions in them; we could have gone fur-
ther with the Basic Human Needs approach or with Primary Health Care,
for example. But we did not. Basically, because the political resolve
was not there.
86. A lot will have to be deconstructed before we can start to set up
this new Human Rights approach. What may look destructive from out-
side is a necessary precondition. Resolving the principal contradic-
tion in each country will require identifying the main opponents of
the new approach, as well as the right tactics and strategies to for-
ward the noble cause of Human Rights.
Postscript
Since I wrote this piece, I found 3 fitting quotes whose reference I
have lost. I wanted to share them with you:
The world is run by people who show up.
If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been
in bed with a mosquito.
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt; denial is a powerful animal; some
stay there most of the time.
References
1.- Ngongi, N. The practical challenges of overcoming hunger, SCN
News, No.18, "Adequate Food: A Human Right", July 1999, pp.30-32 +
80, UN ACC/SCN).
2.- Jonsson, U. Historical summary: Nutrition ethics and HRs, SCN
News, op.cit., pp.47-49 + 73-83.
2a.- Jonsson, U. Realization of children's rights: Charity or soli-
darity?, mimeo, UNICEF ROSA, Kathmandu, Dec. 3, 1997.
3.- Ramcharan, B. Invited remarks SCN 26th session, SCN News,
op.cit., pp.16 + 73-83.
4.- Brundtland, G. H. Nutrition, health and Human Rights, SCN News,
op.cit., pp.19-21 + 73-83.
5.- Costa Coitinho, D. Understanding HRs approaches: Food and nutri-
tion security in Brazil, SCN News, op.cit., pp.50-53 + 59-62.
6.- George, S. The Lugano Report: On preserving Capitalism in the
21st century, Pluto Press, London, 1999.
7.- Jolly, R. Opening remarks SCN 26th session, SCN News, op.cit.,
p.11.
8.- Eide, A. Studying the rights to food and nutrition, SCN News,
op.cit., pp.45-47 + 73-83.
8a.- Windfuhr, M. Comment, SCN 26th session, SCN News, op.cit., p.80.
9.- Toebes, B. HRs, health and nutrition, SCN News, op.cit., pp.63-
70.
10.- Matlon, P. Comment, SCN 26th session, SCN News, op.cit., p.83.
11.- Haddad, L. Synopsis, overview and synthesis, SCN 26th session,
SCN News, op.cit., pp.12-15 + 73-83.
12.- Schuftan, C. HRs based planning: The new approach, accepted for
publication by SCN News, Sept. 2000.
13.- Lovelace, J.C. Will rights cure malnutrition?, SCN News,
op.cit., p.p.25-28 + 73-83.
14.- Kennedy, E. Discussion of country cases, SCN 26th session, SCN
News, op.cit., p.59.
15.- Schuftan, C. The role of HRs in politicizing our ethics and
praxis in health, submitted for publication to Development and
Change, Aug. 2000.
16.- UNHCR, Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights, General
Comment 12, The right to adequate food, Art. 11, SCN News, op.cit.,
p.p.41-45.
17.- Jenssen-Petersen, S. Food as an integral part of international
protection, SCN News, op.cit., pp.32-33.
18.- Barth-Eide, W. and Kracht, U. Towards a definition of the right
to food and nutrition, SCN News, op.cit., pp.39-40.
19.- Lewis, S. Malnutrition as a HRs violation, SCN News, op.cit.,
pp.22-25.
20.- FIAN, Hungry for what is right, Newsletter No.13, Aug. 1998.
21.- Whelan, D. A HRs approach for women in development, SCN News,
op.cit., p.90.
22.- UNRISD News, No.22, Spring/Summer 2000.
23.- Sumner, L. W. The Moral Foundations of Rights.
24.- Robinson, M. Keynote address, SCN 26th session, SCN News,
op.cit., pp.17-18.
25.- Salama, P. Mainstreaming the HRs approach in humanitarian inter-
ventions, SCN News, op.cit., pp87-88.
26.- Uauy, R. Comment, SCN 26th session, SCN News, op.cit., p.74.
27.- Pellett, P. A HRs approach to food and nutrition policies and
programs, SCN News, op.cit., pp.84-86.
28.- Thipanyane, T. A national framework for the promotion and pro-
tection of the rights to food security and nutrition: South Africa,
SCN News, op.cit., pp.53-56 + 59-62.
29.- Clay, W. Comments, SCN 26th session, SCN News, op.cit.,
pp.77+82.
30.- Schuftan, C. Malnutrition and income: Are we being misled? (A
dissenting view), Ecol. of Food and Nutr., 37(2), 1998, pp.101-121.
31.- Dandan, V. B. Monitoring, supervision and dialogue in the HR
system, SCN News, op.cit., pp.34-38.
32.- Stavenhagen, R. UNRISD News, No.22, Spring/Summer 2000, pp.1-4.
33.- De Haen, H. Summary of statement, 26th session, SCN News,
op.cit., pp.28-29 + 73-83.
34.- Schuftan, C. Sustainable development beyond ethical pronounce-
ments: the role of civil society and networking, Comm. Dev. J.,
34(3), July 1999, pp.232-239.
--
Claudio Schuftan
Hanoi, Vietnam
mailto:aviva@netnam.vn
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