Experiences from the work with ESC-rights and States extraterritorial obligations

1. Experiences from the work with ESC-rights and States extraterritorial obligations Conference on Human Rights and Poverty Eradication Copenhagen, 27.11.2009 Michael Windfuhr / Human Rights Director Diakonisches Werk der EKD / Brot für die Welt

2. Overview • Introduction: Human Rights and Poverty Eradication – a necessary combination • Experiences from the work with ESC-rights • States extraterritorial obligations – universal protection for universal human Righs • Danidas new startegy on Democratisation and Human Rights • Conclusions

3. 1. Introduction • Trend to link poverty eradication with human rights: • Danidas new strategy • Sweden / Norway (White book) • Germany: new strategy since 2008 • World Summit on Food Security (Voluntary Guidelines • Some Countries in the South (Brasil, Bolivia) • Link is helpful to clarify roles • Support to organic agriculture (empowerment of people) is not enough without securing access to productive resources (particular for women) • Providing access to Water on a private base, cannot replace a government role in the process.

4. 2.Experiences from the work with ESC-rights 1. Need toworkrightsbased • Persistencyofnumberofhungryand extreme poor • Deinvestment in rural areas • Other developmentworkcanbridgesupply / implementationfailures, but not longterm (Watersupply in Lima) • Accountabilityaskeyobjective • Focus on themostaffected / most vulnerable • Democracy and Human Rights • Participationiskeytotherealizationof all human rights, civilandpolitical but also economic, socialandculturalrights • Participation, transparencyand non-discriminationasprocedurealprinciplesoftherealisationof • Principlesare relevant forthe design ofpoliciesfocussing on particular • Participationis also relevant relatedtoaccesstothe legal system, legal empowermentofthepoor, accesstojustice • Manypeoplesorganisationshave lost trust in thepoliticalsystemand in the legal system – but accountabilitymatters

5. 2. Experiences from the work with ESC-rights (2) • Recentachievements • 1999 General Comment No. 12 on therighttofood • Standards descriptionofcontent • State obligations • VoluntayGuidelines (on therighttofood) 2004 • Betterandbroader CSO work on theissue (Case based), goodnew AI campaign • More andmoredevelopmentactorsarestarting (Aprodev Paper / Dan churchaid´spolicypapers) • In moreandmoreissuesrightspespectiveistakenup, e.g. on landgrabbing, Biofuels etc.

6. 2. Experiences from the work with ESC-rights (3) • Methods, Implementation are known • Governments: • Right to food toolbox • National Strategy: (Assessments / Check of legislation / Check of policies / Monitoring / Access to recource procedures • Idea of checklists • Other actors role: • International framework conditions ( trade, investment, CSR) • Intergovernmental organisations • Roles for civil society actors • Assessment, Monitoring, HR-education

7. 2. Experiences from the work with ESC-rights (4) • Reduced political space / criminalisation • General Trend of reduced political space • New NGO laws • Control of the work of CSOs / NGOs • Increasing criminalization • Resistance to the link between poverty reduction and human rights • Political priorities (USA / Canada – recent US move) • Rights revolution / Terror of rights • Proliferation of rights / political use

8. 2. Experiences from the work with ESC-rights (5) • Climate change (highlighting only two aspect) • Adaptation policies needs to be rights based • Focus on vulnerable groups (not only on states) • Participation and transparency in adaptation polices • Compensation / reparation to persons (groups) that have to migrate (Pacific christian council)

9. 3. States extraterritorial obligations • Universal human rights needs universal protection • Obligations of states acting abroad • Responsibilities of other actors • Examples • Common Agricultural Policy (Milk subsidies) • EPAs / Bilateral investment treaties (Paraguay) • Negative impact of development projects (dams, support to extractive industries) (Kruger Park) • Extraterritorial Obligations • CSO reports to the Committee on ESC-rights (2001 on Germany) • Several special rapporteurs (Ziegler, Kothari, Hunt, de Schutter • Maastricht Principles

10. 3. States extraterritorial obligations (2) 3. ETO – developing understanding • Obligations • Respect • Protect • Support in fulfillment • Related to • States action abroad • Development cooperation • Other policy areas („coherence“) • States action in Intergovernmental organisations • International agreements can limit necessary space of States to implement • Bilateral investment treaties • EPAs / Trade rules

11. 3. States extraterritorial obligations (3) • Carefulapplicationisneeded • Do not negatethecoreobligationswiththenationstates • Support in fulfillment – needsbenchmarks • Carefulinterpretationofroleof international agreements • Discussions in international law • ApplicationforCivilandpoliticalrights • Jurisdiction / effectivecontrolas an issue • Differencebetweenthetwocovenants • Is therebecauseofdevelopmentcooperation • Noprincpledifferencebetweenbothsetsofrights (universal protectionof universal human rights)

12. 3. States extraterritorial obligations (4) 6. Responsibilities of private Actors • parallel use of categories for private actors (J. Ruggie) • Respect • Protect • Remedy • Explicitely recognizes extraterritorial state obligations 7. Recognition on the Accra Principles • “Developing countries and donors will ensure that their respective development policies and programmes are designed and implemented in ways consistent with agreed international commitments on human rights, gender equality, disability and environmental sustainability.” (AAA, 13 (c)).

13. 4. Danidas new strategy (hereonly in theperspectiveofthepresentation on ESC-rightsand ETOs) • Accra principle • All programmesandpoliciesofdevelopmentcooperation will beconsistantwith human rightsagreements • Ownership and mutual accountability • Coherence • Core principles • “Promote democracy, human rights, justice and the rule of law as fundamental values and principles for how societies should function.” – deepening democracy • “Ensure that the promotion and protection of human rights is mainstreamed into all foreign policy areasandactivities.“ (March). • “Assert that human rights are central objectives of development --and instrumental for sustainable development, poverty reduction, peace and security.”

14. 4. Danidas new strategy (2) • ESC-rights not an explicit focus • Clear mentioningwouldbeuseful • “Demand accountability from the state on behalf of the people.-- • Advocate for the rights and needs of poor people to be respected, --thus giving them a voice. • Empower poor people to make their own demands.” • “Maintain a strong commitment to mainstream human rights and democracy in all development cooperation.” • “Combat poverty and promote equal opportunities for everyone in partner countries.” (March 2009)

15. 4. Danidas new strategy (3) • Goodfocus on democratisationand human rightsdefenders ( politicalspaceofcivilsociety) • Ruleoflaw • Participation • Access to legal systemsand link tootherrecourcemechanims • Support in the Human Rights Council 5. Question: whatfollows in caseofviolation • Gross violationsof human rights (R2P) • Regular neglect / violations

16. 5. Conclusions • Poverty reduction and Human rights belong together • Dignity as core reference • Deepening democracy – needed • Defending political space / inter alia for human rights defenders • Rule of law central / access to justice • Clear stratety on Economic, social and cultural rights is also relevant • Rights based approach • Accountability of government institutions is key to poverty reduction • Focus on the most vulnerable

17. 5. Conclusions (2) • Recognition of extraterritorial obligations: Self-commitment is convincing • Extraterritorial dimension in development cooperation: (obligation to international cooperation and assistance) • Do no harm (respect / protect) • Support in fulfillment • Control of third parties / private actors • Check your role in intergovernmental settings

18. Thanks for your attention Contact: Michael Windfuhr +49-711-2159743 m.windfuhr@diakonie-human-rights.org