HUMAN RIGHTS ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH THE MDGSIgnacio Saiz, Center for Economic and Social Rights IPC, London - 29 November 2011

Key points

Despite significant differences, MDG and HR commitments are mutually reinforcing

Human rights can help bridge the accountability deficit in the MDGs

Parliamentarians have a critical role to play in ensuring HR accountability through the MDGs

MDGs and HR: close convergence…

Shared objective – a multidimensional vision of human dignity and well-being

MDGs cover range of economic and social rights

Accountability for progress, even where resources constrained

Development as shared responsibility

….but significant differences

Binding legal duties Comprehensive, inter-

related approach Equality as

cornerstone Accountability

infrastructure Full realization as goal

Voluntary commitments

Selective, fragmented approach

Overlook inequality Weak monitoring

mechanisms Unambitious targets

HUMAN RIGHTS MDGS

From goals to rights

Align goals, targets and indicators with normative content of human rights standards

Address inequalities between groups and possible discrimination underlying them

Monitor policy efforts and resource allocations (as well as outcomes) through the lens of HR principles (eg core obligations, non-discrimination, non-retrogression, participation)

Provide effective accountability mechanisms and enable people to use them to claim their rights

Tackling accountability gaps

“The shortfalls have occurred not because the goals are unreachable or because time is too short. We are off course because of unmet commitments, inadequate resources and lack of focus and accountability.”

UN-SG 2011

Accountabiity as major shortfall in MDG achievement

No consequences attached to non-fulfilment “Mutual accountability” in

practice a one-way street Weak accountability of

donors, IGOs and TNCs Weak accountability to

citizens at domestic level Accountability is more than

monitoring: answerability, enforcement, remedy

Four priority ways in which parliaments can foster greater HR accountability

Judicial accountability: Create legislative framework to enable adjudication of ESC rights claims

Quasi-judicial accountability: strengthen oversight role of National Human Rights Institutions

Fiscal accountability: scrutinize budgets from a human rights perspective

International accountability: ensure reporting to international HR bodies (UN treaty bodies, UPR, regional)

Table debate about post-2015 framework, remedy the gaps: - inequality, social protection, global policy coherence

To citizens: ensure civ/soc participation, localize MDG

Eg MDG monitoring in Guatemala: comparing use of available resources

Understanding how inequalities intersect

3 of every 4 women who die are indigenous. Ethnic disparities are wider than in other countries with large indigenous populations.

Women in Alta Vrapaz are 4 times as likely to die than women from Sacatepequez, near the capital

Linking disparities in outcome to discriminatory resource allocations