Poverty eradication and good governance Why human rights matter.

Poverty eradication and good governance

Why human rights matter

good governance and human rights: what’s the difference?

Good governance• Defined by policy and

practice• Focus on institutions• Subject to national

policy and experience• Progressive

Human rights• Defined by

international law• Focus on people• Universal • Indivisible

Good governance and human rights: how are they related?

• Without good governance, human rights are only “paper rights”

• Without human rights, governance cannot be good• Commonalities: rule of law; participation;

transparency; inclusiveness; responsive; accountable

• Outcome oriented• Service to people – the servant leader

Poverty and economic growth

• Income poverty is only one aspect about poverty

• People are poor because they are deprived of basic needs

• Are basic needs human rights?• economic and social rights

• what’s the policy benefit?

Poverty is not only about -$$$

• Deprivation – the lack of basic needs

• Discrimination – inequality and marginalization

• Insecurity – physical, job, food, land tenure, housing

• Voicelessness – excluded from power

deprivation

insecuritydiscrimination

denial of voice

poverty

deprivation:economic & social

rights

insecurity:rights to physical

integrity and

social security

Discrimination:right to equal

protection

denial of voice:participatory rights

development

Impediments to poverty eradication

• Participation of the poor is not respected in planning and delivery

• Law and systems do not work for the poor• Civil and political rights are disregarded• Development actors (state, NGO or

corporate) are not transparent/accountable• There is too much investment in

institutions, not enough on empowerment

When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. But when I ask why the poor have no food, they call

me a communist.Dom Helder Camara, Archbishop of Olinda and Recife,

Brazil

Supply vs. demand of human rights

• Investing in institutions– state, government & political party

• Empowering citizens– Civil society; NGOs and business

• Case study: Lokpal vs. FOI movement in India

Why rights matter:

• Universality: equal in rights and dignity

• Human focus: not economic outcomes but impact on people’s lives

• Inclusive: “who is being left behind?”

• Economic and social rights: structural equality in a market economy

• Empowerment & accountability