On the road to

a human rights based approach

Petra Heusser

Urban Basic Services Branch

UN-Habitat

Monday, 7 April 2014, Medellin, Colombia

Overview

What is the human rights based approach?

Human rights and mobility

Key Actions – what we can do

What is the

human rights based approach?

• conceptual framework for the process of human

development

• normatively based on international human

rights standards

• operationally directed to promoting and

protecting human rights

• Universal

• Inalienable

• Indivisible

• Interrelated and interdependent:

The realization of one right often

depends on the realization of other

rights.

Fundamental Human Rights Principles

• Equality and Non-Discrimination

• Participation and Inclusion

• Accountability and Rule of Law

Human Rights Principles

Human rights can be realized only by

attention to both outcome and process.

Outcome and Process in Development

In a human rights approach, most

individuals have both rights and duties.

Most individuals, therefore, need capacity

to both claim their rights and fulfill their

duties.

Which capacity gaps exist?

Capacity Development

Human Rights and Mobility

Mobility is not a human right as such!

But: key to the realization of specific

human rights.

Right to life: life is at risk - safety, security, air

quality

Right to work: mobility is essential to access

employment

Right to education: mobility is essential to

access education

Right to adequate standard of living for health

and well-being: direct implication on health,

and access to basic goods and services

Right of persons with disabilities: Convention

on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Right to gender equality: mobility exposes

women to violation of their rights, inequality in

access

Availability

Accessibility

Affordability

Quality (safety)

Key actions on the road to a human rights based approach

• Global advocacy for recognition of the importance

of mobility to the realization of human rights.

• Technical assistance to support state capacity to

establish institutional frameworks for equitable

public transport.

• Support cities to formally include vulnerable

individuals and groups in decision-making.

• Emphasize State obligations to ensure that

human right principles are key components of all

their mobility related actions.

• Build capacity of local authorities:

– develop and maintain safe, accessible and

affordable public transport infrastructure through

transparent and accountable management.

– enforce transport safety and security measures

for all - women, children and persons with

disabilities.

– adopt legislative and policy measures on

mobility that create legal rights and entitlements

to enable vulnerable persons to access

essential goods, services and opportunities.

• Empower civil society organizations:

– stimulate demand for equitable services

through increased awareness of the link

between mobility and human rights.

– mobilize local resources to overcome mobility

challenges, while advocating for formal

measures to eliminate social exclusion due to

immobility.

– conduct audits of public and private mobility

related works.

Thank you!