Rättighetsbaserad

Rättighetsbaserad, or rights-based, is an approach that places human rights at the center of policy design, implementation and evaluation. It treats individuals as rights-holders and states and other duty-bearers as responsible for respecting, protecting, and fulfilling those rights. The approach emphasizes accountability, participation, and non-discrimination, and seeks to translate international human rights standards into concrete programs and services.

Key principles include universality and non-discrimination, participation and empowerment of rights-holders, transparency and accountability of duty-bearers, and the rule of law. The framework distinguishes three types of obligation: to respect (not to interfere with rights), to protect (prevent third parties from violating rights), and to fulfill (take positive steps to ensure rights are realized). Rights-based work is thus about aligning policy with legal obligations and ensuring remedies when rights are violated.

In health and education, the AAAQ framework is often used: Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality. The rights-based approach also informs social protection, housing, and development aid by aligning programs with rights standards and enabling redress mechanisms. Implementation tools include rights-based budgeting, human rights impact assessments, indicators aligned to international standards, regular reporting, and accessible grievance and monitoring mechanisms that allow affected communities to claim remedies.

Challenges include limited resources, governance weaknesses, and the need to balance rights with other policy objectives. Critics caution against instrumental use of rights language and emphasize the importance of genuine participation, transparency, and empowerment to avoid superficial or tokenistic applications.