Using Indicators to Promote and Monitor the Implementation of Human Rights

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Using Indicators to Promote and Monitor the
Implementation of Human Rights

• Nicolas Fasel, UN-OHCHR
• Geneva, 14-18 January 2008
• Workshop - HURIDOCS

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Outline - OHCHR work on indicators

• Context and background
• Rationale for indicators
• Salient features of the framework
• Illustration
• Status of work

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Context and background

• Request from Human Rights Treaty Bodies (ICM) for
  assistance in making use of statistical
  information
• Report (HRI/MC/2006/7) outlining preliminary
  conceptual/methodological framework
• Request for further validation, including through
  country level piloting, and
• to develop further lists of indicators for
  additional human rights

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Rationale for indicators

• Tools to complement qualitative and
  quasi-judicial assessments
• to facilitate implementation of human rights
• Measure progress / help setting priorities
• Strengthen transparency and accountability
• Facilitate self-assessment by State and reporting
  to treaty bodies

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Salient features of the framework

• Reflect the normative framework and content of HR
  in indicators
• Common approach for CPR and ESCR, strengthening
  indivisibility of HR
• Translate narrative on normative content of HR
  into attributes and configuration of structural,
  process and outcome indicators

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Salient features of the framework

• Configuration of indicators to assess steps
  taken by State party in addressing its
  obligations
• from commitment/acceptance of human rights
  standards (structural indicators)
• to efforts being undertaken to meet the
  obligations that flow from standards (process
  indicators) and on to
• results of those efforts (outcome indicators)

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Salient features of the framework

• Structural indicators
• reflect ratification / adoption of legal
  instruments and existence of basic institutional
  mechanisms deemed necessary for facilitating
  realisation of concerned right
• Process indicators
• relate the state policy instruments with
  milestones (which cumulate into outcomes), hence
  capture accountability as well as the notion of
  progressive realisation
• Outcome indicators
• capture attainments, individual and collective,
  that reflect the status of realisation of the
  human rights in given context

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Salient features of the framework

• A framework that helps identify contextually
  meaningful indicators based on accepted universal
  standards
• helps reflect human rights norms and principles
  (e.g. non-discrimination and equality, effective
  remedies, participation, empowerment,
  accountability) in indicators

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Salient features of the framework

• Focus on indicators reflecting HR concern of
  non-discrimination and accessibility to relevant
  goods services
• Emphasis on disaggregation of data / indicators
  by prohibited grounds of discrimination
• An illustrative not an exhaustive listing of
  indicators

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Salient features of the framework

• Focus on two categories of data-generating
  mechanisms
• statistical survey/administrative records
  (official statistical systems)
• events-based data on HUMAN RIGHTS violations
  (HR organisations and non-governmental sources)
• Households perception/opinion surveys
• Data based on expert judgments

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Illustration right to adequate food
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Illustration right to health
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Illustration right to life
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Status of the work

• right to adequate food
• right to health
• right to adequate housing
• right to education
• right to work
• right to social security

• List of illustrative indicators on
• right to life
• right to liberty and security of person
• right to participate in public affairs
• right not to be subjected to torture or cruel,
  inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
• right to a fair trial
• right to freedom of opinion and expression

Development of metasheets on each indicator
(definition, sources, rationale, method of
computation, level of disaggregation,
periodicity, comments and limitations)
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Validation process

• Ongoing regional/country level workshops and
  consultation (Uganda, Guatemala, India, Brazil)
• Relevance of conceptual and methodological
  framework being recognised by national human
  rights stakeholders (NHRIs, national statistical
  agency, policy makers and NGOs)
• Feedback from validations being reflected in
  indicators lists and/or metasheets