Governance reforms help protect human rights

Good governance and the advancement of human rights go hand in hand, as practical examples documented in a newly released publication by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) illustrate.

“The human rights community, especially human rights practitioners active in the field, have felt increasingly the need to address the link between good governance, development and human rights,” said Maria Francisca Ize-Charrin, Director of the Research and Right to Development Division, OHCHR, at the launch of the new handbook Good Governance Practices for the Protection of Human Rights on 20 March.

“The objective of this publication is to provide illustrations of efforts to help fill the gap between human rights standards and principles, on the one hand, and their implementation through governance interventions, on the other,” she added.

The handbook includes 21 case studies of innovative governance reforms that have helped better protect human rights around the world, in developed as well as developing countries.

The studies explore the links between good governance and human rights in four different areas: democratic institutions, the delivery of state services, the rule of law and anti-corruption measures.

Public participation and diverse social partnerships are vital for the protection of human rights. These cases reflect reform efforts by a variety of social and institutional actors, ranging from women and minority groups to the media, civil society and government authorities, in the four areas and their contribution to the protection of human rights.

These practical examples also identify eight cross-cutting lessons. For instance, they show that facilitating public access to information can be a powerful strategy to improve public spending and contribute to better realization of economic and social rights.

All the lessons support the key message of the handbook that good governance and human rights mutually reinforce each other. Human rights standards can inform governance, while good governance facilitates the promotion and protection of human rights in a sustainable manner.

March 2008