Inputs from Denmark

Dear Colleagues,

A number of recent cases that I have come across in my professional work urges me to call for the development of quality standards for the assessments performed by the SPs both with regard to analytical methodology, data treatment, assessment process & participation, transparency and accountability. Reports of poor quality could easily erode any first interest by development agencies and local governments to engage more actively with the TB/SP. Linked to this is an encouragement to focus more on/systematic efforts to improve the quality or setting quality benchmarks for the work of the SP's as they work in their "own independent capacity".

While there are a host of factors determining the constructive engagement between the development community and the TB/SP I would like to recommend that the TB/SP make effort to use and elaborate on a rights based approach in their analytical frameworks and assessments of progress/regression. It may be argued that the TB/SP work per se is rights based. However, a common understanding is now developing within the development community of certain steps and analytical frameworks in human rights based programming. It would thus be extremely helpful if the TB/SP could use or make reference to this planning framework and help developing it further.

The UNDG Common Understanding on Human Rights Based Approach calls for making systematic analysis of the respect, protection and fulfilment both within substantive standards and within the process rights or key human rights principles. Next, to undertake a systematic duty-bearer analysis including a duty-bearer chain assessment. Finally, to undertake a capability analysis of both the concerned rights-holders and of the relevant duty-bearers to establish the progress or shortcomings in terms of capabilities to comply and the possible assistance needs. If TB/SPs could use this framework more systematically it would help building an important bridge between TB/SP and development interventions.

What are development agencies expected to do in their eagerness to adopt a rights based approach to education and start monitoring performance or violations accordingly? Well, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education suggested a monitoring format according to the dimensions of availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability (The Four A’s), while the latest guidelines issued by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on a Human Rights Approach to Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers presents 8 Key Targets with 23 corresponding indicators. While these two formats in no way contravenes the letter and intention of the relevant articles of the relevant conventions it would be beneficial to arrive at a larger degree of consensus - without creating monopoly – on which monitoring formats key human rights institutions are using.

In terms of indicator use in measuring progress and regress the situation is also very confusing for the development practitioner. Not only because the contemporary discourse on indicators in general is complex and confusing, but also because there is no answer given from the authoritative human rights organs about what the development planner should be looking for. The manuals mentioned earlier by Nahem do often apply different perspectives and different categories. Indicators related to the trinity of obligations in terms of respect, protect and fulfil would help bring out the constituent characteristics of human rights. However, recent suggestions to apply the traditional indicator categories used in social development (structure, process and result) also seem to gain prominence. The way forward may be a combination of the two as is currently proposed by COHRE (Monitoring Implementation of the Right to Water – A framework for developing indicators). In any case, clarity, consistency and clear messages will help the up-take within the development community a lot.

Best regards


Hanne Lund Madsen
Human Rights in Development Consultant
HLM Consult
Th. Bredsdorffs Allé 11
DK-4000 Roskilde
Denmark