Summary:

Guidelines for writing about rights-based approaches to programming and call for information to share best practices.

THE CHILD RIGHTS INFORMATION NETWORK: Guidelines for Writing about Rights-Based Approaches to Programming

The Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) is calling for information for future editions of our monthly CRINMAIL on rights-based approaches to development to share best practices in programming. CRIN invites contributions about how your organisation uses rights-based approaches in practice. To this end, these guidelines, which have been adapted from a Save the Children UK document, offer some suggestions on how to think and write about your organisation's activities in a "rights based" way.

Here are some of the things that you can do to bring out what is "rights-based" about your work:

- Think about which particular right(s) the project addresses, how these are unmet or violated, and which groups of people this affects.

- Think about how a "rights-based" analysis gets to the roots of why this particular group of people's rights are violated, considering:
- the role of other stakeholders and duty bearers (i.e. those responsible for the fulfilment of rights) impact on the initiative.
- whether the project is planned from a holistic- that is, looking at the whole situation rather than just a small part of it - perspective and which other articles in human rights conventions are relevant.
- discrimination / invisibility issues i.e. who has been left out and why.

- Apply a "rights based" intervention logic by considering
- What has been identified as needing to change and why?
- How can a sustained change be achieved in attitudes and awareness, empowerment of the rights holder to claim rights, institutional change/legislation/authorities, building capacity, competency, and authority?

- Think about how the principles underpinning human rights are considered in the project, for example, by asking:
- how does the project enable those people whose rights are unfulfilled to participate?
- what efforts are being made to overcome discrimination?

- As well as considering your successes also consider what has not been achieved and what challenges remain which can lead you to draw lessons for the future.

For more information or to submit contributions, please contact:

Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)
c/o Save the Children
1 St. John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK
E-mail: info@crin.org
Website: www.therightsapproach.org

Previous CRIN Guides and Toolkits items

• 03/12/2009: Communications Procedure: Advocacy Toolkit
• 16/11/2009: Children's Rights: A Guide to Strategic Litigation
• 16/11/2009: WHY should you consider bringing strategic litigation?
• 16/11/2009: WHEN would you bring strategic litigation?
• 16/11/2009: WHO can bring strategic litigation?

Organisation Contact Details:

Child Rights International Network
East Studio
2 Pontypool Place
London
SE1 8QF
Tel: +44 (0)207 401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org

Last updated 10/02/2006 08:43:03

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.