Rights-Based Approach

1. WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS?

Human rights are the standards necessary for all people to live with dignity, freedom, equality, justice, and peace. Every human being should be able to benefit from these rights. These rights are guaranteed for everyone, regardless of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political opinion, national or other affiliation, property, birth, or other status. They draw their origins from struggles against slavery, genocide, discrimination, and state oppression.

2. WHAT DO HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS DO?

Human rights organisations are organisations that work to protect and advance human rights and to put an end to rights violations. They document rights violations and work at both the state and societal level to ensure these are remedied, that justice is served, and that reparations are made. They monitor state and government practices and work to ensure compliance with human rights principles.

3. WHAT IS THE RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH?

The Rights-Based Approach (RBA) is defined by the United Nations as a conceptual framework for the process of human development that is normatively based on international human rights standards and operationally directed to promoting and protecting human rights. It aims to analyse the inequalities that lie at the heart of development problems and to correct discriminatory practices and unjust distributions of power. In the long term, it aims to define and strengthen the accountability of individuals and institutions responsible for human, animal, and environmental rights — including in cases of the most serious rights violations — through inclusive and anti-discriminatory work for vulnerable and excluded groups, and to strengthen the framework and participation of rights-holders in claiming their rights.

4. GENERAL FRAMEWORK

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) regards human rights as the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action states that democracy, development, respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing concepts.

In the UN Reform Programme launched in 1997, the United Nations called on all bodies within the UN system to integrate human rights into their various activities and programmes within their own mandates. Subsequently, at the Interagency Workshop on a Human Rights-Based Approach held in the UN context on 3–5 May 2003, the aim was to reach a shared understanding among UN agencies on the human rights-based approach to be commonly adopted in their policies and practices.

The Statement of Common Understanding refers to a human rights-based approach to be adopted by UN agencies specifically in development cooperation and development programming.

The European Union (EU) also adopted its “EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy” approach in 2012. Building on this framework, the Council of the European Union published its 2015–2019 Action Plan. In 2014, the EU published a Rights-Based Approach document, intending it to be applied across all external assistance and development processes. As a result of these decisions, a human rights-based approach was developed for use in all types of work. The general framework of the EU’s Rights-Based Approach (RBA) is as follows:

Reflecting the principles of the indivisibility of human rights, respect for human dignity, and equality across all work through the RBA.
Ensuring that the RBA is aligned with the principles of ownership, transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness.
Providing a rights-based methodology for development processes through the RBA.
Ensuring that the RBA secures the commitment of all parties to human rights obligations.
Helping to address multiple forms of discrimination through the RBA, in line with the principle that no one is left behind, so that rights are realised for everyone.

5. THE SUPPORT TO RIGHTS PROGRAMME

The Support to Rights Programme is a sub-granting programme funded by the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey and established in partnership between Hafıza Merkezi (Memory Center) and Heinrich Böll Stiftung, aiming to strengthen the capacity of rights-based organisations in Turkey to contribute to the development and institutionalisation of human rights and democracy. This grant programme is open to all applications and activities that strive to contribute to strengthening human rights and democratic values and that are based on the principles of fair competition, equal opportunity, and transparency.

6. OUR RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH

The Support to Rights Programme’s Rights-Based Approach adopts the general framework of the UN and the EU. The human rights standards and principles set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments guide all of its activities. These principles, referenced in the UN Statement of Common Understanding and guiding the Programme, are explained below:

Universality and Inalienability: Human rights are universal and inalienable. All people everywhere in the world are entitled to these rights. No one may voluntarily renounce these rights, nor may they be taken away from anyone. As stated in Article 1 of the UDHR, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
Indivisibility: Human rights are indivisible. Whether civil, cultural, economic, political, or social in nature, these rights are essential to the dignity of every human being. As such, they all hold equal status as rights and cannot be ranked hierarchically.
Interdependence and Interrelatedness: The realisation of one right often depends, wholly or in part, on the realisation of others. For example, the realisation of the right to health may, in certain circumstances, depend on the realisation of the right to education or the right to access information.
Equality and Non-Discrimination: All individuals are equal as human beings and by virtue of the inherent dignity of every person. Every human being is entitled to human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, disability, property, birth, or other status as set out in human rights conventions.
Participation and Inclusiveness: Every person and all peoples are entitled to active, free, and meaningful participation in, contribution to, and enjoyment of civil, economic, social, cultural, and political development activities that enable the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Accountability and the Rule of Law: States and other duty-bearers are responsible for upholding human rights. In this respect, they must comply with the legal norms and standards set out in human rights instruments. Where they fail to do so, rights-holders are entitled to seek appropriate remedies before a competent court or other adjudicating body, in accordance with legal rules and procedures.

In line with this approach, rights-based organisations applying to the Support to Rights Programme are expected to have a general approach and set of activities consistent with the following principles. If an applicant CSO is found to be engaged in activities contrary to these principles, its application will be rejected.

Engaging in voluntary rights advocacy without commercial purpose.
Being independent of states, governments, and political parties.
Upholding the universality and indivisibility of human rights.
Opposing all forms of discrimination based on race, language, religion, colour, sex, political opinion, and similar grounds.
Defending, for everyone, everywhere and under all circumstances, the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or ill-treatment, and freedom of expression and association.
Upholding the rule of law, access to justice, the right to a fair trial, and the right to defence.
Standing against war and militarism, and in favour of the right to peace and tolerance.
Regarding and defending freedom of thought and belief as an unconditional right (applicants are required not to engage in religious proselytising activities).
Unconditionally defending gender equality.
Refraining, in the office, in online environments, and during organised events and business travel, from harassment, oppressive conduct, and any form of violence or abuse that would violate a person’s bodily integrity; taking the necessary action to prevent such situations; and, when such situations arise, giving primacy to the victim’s testimony.
Recognising the rights of national, minority, and local identities.