The Right to a Better Life? A critical study of the Human Rights-Based Approach in Danida’s international development cooperation

摘要

International development policies change constantly. The previous Danish minister of development introduced the Human Rights-Based Approach as an approach in the Danish international development cooperation. The approach is seen as an important tool in the fight against poverty. However, there are many critics. This project deals with the Human Rights-Based Approach from the perspective of the two Danida strategies “The Right to a Better Life. Strategy for Denmark’s Development Cooperation” and “Policy for Danish Support to Civil Society Draft 2.0” and tries to figure out how the approach is related to the fight against poverty. By using Content Analysis and Theory of Change, this project seeks to understand Danida’s perception of the Human Rights-Based Approach, what the approach includes and how it is going to be implemented on a practical level. At last, this project also includes an extract of the academic and political discussion that surrounds the Human Rights-Based Approach. Many criticize the approach for its lack of focus on economic growth and because of its Western ‘imperialistic’ origin. Nevertheless, many academics find the approach useful and necessary in the fight against poverty.