Human Rights-Based Change: The Institutionalisation of Economic and Social Rights

This book provides different analytical perspectives into how human rights-based approaches to development (HRBADs) contribute to change. Based on the understanding that HRBADs are increasingly integrated into development and governance discourse and processes in many societies and organisations, it explores how the reinforcement of human rights principles and norms has impacted the practices and processes of development policy implementation. To reflect on the nature of the change that such efforts may imply, the chapters examine critically traditional and innovative ways of mainstreaming and institutionalising human right in judicial, bureaucratic and organisational processes in development work. Attention is also paid to the results assessment and causal debates in the human rights field. The articles discuss important questions concerning the legitimacy of and preconditions for change. What is the change that development efforts should seek to contribute to and who should have the power to define such change? What is required of institutional structures and processes within development organisations and agencies in order for human rights integration and institutionalisation to have transformative potential? This book was previously published as a special issue of the Nordic Journal of Human Rights.

Maija Mustaniemi-Laakso works as a researcher at the Åbo Akademi University Institute for Human Rights. Her research areas include EU’s asylum and immigration legislation and policies; human rights-based approach to development; accountability; extraterritorial human rights obligations; and children’s rights.

Hans-Otto Sano is acting Research Director, the Danish Institute for Human Rights. He has worked for three years at the Nordic Trust Fund, The World Bank, as Senior Program Officer. Dr. Sano is currently involved in research projects on Poverty and Human Rights-Based Approaches and in drafting a report on The Economy of Human Rights. His recent publications span themes on human rights indicators, on the drivers of human rights change, on the methods of assessing the impact of social and economic rights, and on social accountability and human rights.