Indicators for Monitoring Implementation of a National Human Rights Plan

Indicators for Monitoring

Implementation of a National Human Rights

Plan

Dan O’DonnellConsultant, UNDP

Kyiv, 20 September 2016

Human Rights Indicator

Specific information on … an object, event, activity or outcome that … can be used to assess and monitor the promotion and implementation of human rights.

Reasons to systematically collect data on human rights1. To prepare a situation analysis, identify objectives and the measures needed to achieve them, and mobilize resources2. To make the assessment of human rights issues more objective 3. To make communication about human rights “more concrete and effective”4. To create a culture of accountability and transparency”.

Kinds of indicators Qualitative(narrative) or Quantitative

(statistics) Fact-based (objective) or judgement-based

(subjective)

Structural Process Outcome/impact

Sources for the development of

indicators administrative data collected for internal use data sent to international databanks reporting guidelines UN treaty monitoring bodies recommendations of UN/EU bodies to Ukraine texts of international treaties texts of other international standards general recommendations of UN and other bodies

Reflections  … any statistical system … must be user-

oriented. Statistics must not be viewed as ends in themselves, but as a means to other ends such as decision-making, research and general enlightenment.

The very idea of a statistics system or programme is ambitious; it implies an enormous amount of planning and coordination.

Manual for the Development of a System of Criminal Justice Statistics, UN Statistics Division, 2003

Qualities of a good indicator

the most important quality an indicator should have is relevance

Relevance is “The degree to which statistical information meets the real needs of clients.” (OECD)

The utility of data that an indicator is designed to produce in helping to understanding the extent a human right is enjoyed or effectively protected

the most important quality that data should have is reliability

Qualities of good data

The most important quality that data should have is reliability

Factors that undermine reliability:- ambiguous definitions- deliberate manipulation- incentives to distort information - reluctance of sources to provide information- unrepesentative samples

Other issues data must be interpreted in context use the most relevant unit of count coherence of data from different sources data to be “based on transparent and verifiable

methodology” OHCHR disaggregation vital for human rights data data should be timely timaly validation - “the most important and in many cases

most forgotten stage of the data collection process” European Sourcebook Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics

British Human Rights Measurement Framework

developed in 2010 by 2 UK human rights commissions

based on OHCHR methodology but emphasis on national law

Project Management Group of 7 commission staff Advisory Group of 25 other experts & stakeholders covers 5 civil and 3 social rights 10 indicators for each right (half outcome

indicators)

Steps in development of Framework

1. review of literature and data2. development of provisional list of rights 3. ‘testing’ and revision by Advisory Group 4. development of a long list of relevant indicators 5. selection of short list of most relevant indicators 6. further consultations with stakeholders and experts7. development of “evidence base” for each indicator 8. consultation with all sources of data

Priorities and balancesThree priorities:- give priority to national law - reinforce the role of existing administrative mechanisms - complement official data with reliable unofficial data

Three balances:- data on violations and data on broader trends - objective and subjective indicators- Indicators on positive and negative obligations

Principles on Cost and Feasibility

1. Emphasis on existing sources (administrative data and surveys)

2. Complemetarity- use Indicators in existing human rights databases when relevant

3. Minimize cost – take cost of new indicators into account

There must be a balance between the relevance of data collected and the burden on the respondent

Manual for the Development of a System of Criminal Justice Statistics

National Strategy for Human Rights

The National Strategy has 6 expected results on torture:1. an effective system of investigation of torture2. effective legal protection from ill-treatment3. providing victims effective remedies and rehabilitation4 conditions of detention and treatment compliant with international standards5. ensuring effective operation of the NPM6. observance of principle that no-one may be expelled to a country where he or she may suffer ill-treatment

Torture in the Action Plan

50 measures to achieve the 6 expected results two-thirds concern law reform, orders or

administrative regulations most indicators on law reform are process

indicators some are vague or subjective most indicators on secondary norms are

structural few indicators on secondary norms call for

adoption and implementation

Impact indicators on torture

The OHCHR Guide recommends at least one outcome indicator for each “expected output”

The British Framework was based on the principle that half of all indicators should be on impact

the Action Plan contains a few impact indicators on infrastructural measures

the indicator for a few administrative measures is reduction of the incidence of torture,