Tackling gender-based violence using the human rights-based approach to development

In this edition of our masters students' blog series, Lauren Granger explores how a human rights-based approach to development can empower the most vulnerable individuals to know their human rights.

Ideas and practice in International Development: Lauren Granger

By Lauren Granger

Lauren is a student on our MA International Development programme.


The contemporary issue of gender-based violence (GBV) is a major human rights and equality issue that concerns all physical, sexual and psychological harm to women and girls. Although GBV can occur to men, violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. Worldwide, it is estimated that 1 in 3 women will experience some form of physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime.  GBV can prevent women and girls from having active citizenship and it can inhibit them from contributing to the political, social and cultural spheres of society. 

The human rights-based approach (HRBA) has been used to tackle the widespread issue of GBV. It aims to empower and support the most vulnerable individuals to know their human rights whilst acknowledging discriminatory practices and disparities that may hinder their access to these rights. Therefore, the approach respects that people are agents of their own development. Unlike other developmental approaches, the HRBA looks beyond the importance of economic growth and provides a political dimension to development.

One global GBV concern is the harmful practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). A key actor in the prevention of FGM has been the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) who believe that collective abandonment of FGM is the only way to eradicate it. Taking an HRBA, the UNFPA has helped many women and girls to receive protection from FGM. This has been achieved through a joint programme with UNICEF which works at the community, national and regional level to raise awareness of FGM and to empower women and girls. The programme has educated communities about the health implications that are caused by FGM to encourage them to abandon it and has helped to provide quality healthcare services to care for those living with the effects of FGM. 

Legal restrictions and political measures are fundamental to the HRBA. Yet within the context of FGM, this approach has acknowledged that it primarily lies with women and their communities to be convinced to abandon the practice rather than just aiming to change policy (Williams-Breault, 2018). The HRBA is a suitable alternative to tackle the issue of GBV, as it not just focuses on the law and duty-bearers but also places strengthening the citizenship model and encouraging women and girls to exercise their rights as actors, at the forefront. 

However, the HRBA has its limitations. It argues that everybody should have access to the same, universal human rights which can be problematic. Human rights have been framed in a western, Eurocentric view that doesn’t account for contextualism and multi-culturalism (A de Man, 2018, p.89). Similarly, feminists have criticised the HRBA for the assumption that women are one homogenous category (Nash, 2002) and it lacks consideration for the wants of the individual woman. Women are raised within different contexts; therefore, forming different ideas and beliefs. For example, FGM has strong sociocultural roots and in some societies, it is seen as a rite of passage to womanhood. Demonizing FGM is inconsiderate of the implications of abandonment to the women, their identity, and belonging in those societies. 

Overall, the HRBA helps to rethink the issue of GBV by supporting individuals to use their agency and to identify their ability to demand their human rights. Although the use of universal human rights is inconsiderate to the different wants and needs of rights-holders, the HRBA has helped many organisations make good progress towards abolishing discrimination on the basis of gender. 


References

  • de Man, A.  (2018) “Critiques of the human rights framework as the foundation of human rights-based approach to development”, Journal for Judicial Science, 43(1), pp.84-116
  • Nash, K (2002), “Human rights for women: an argument for ‘deconstructive equality’”, Economy and Society, 31 (3), pp. 414–433
  • Williams-Breault, B. (2018), “Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting”, Health and Human Rights, 20(2), pp, 223-233

Links

UNFPA (2020) Female genital mutilation [Online] UNFPA [Viewed 19 Novemeber 2020] Available from: https://www.unfpa.org/female-genital-mutilation  

UNFPA-UNICEF (2020) UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme to Eliminate Female Gential Mutilation [Online] UNFPA [Viewed 10 March] Available from: https://www.unfpa.org/unfpa-unicef-joint-programme-eliminate-female-genital-mutilation

UNSDG (2021), Human Rights-Based Approach, [Online] UN. [Viewed 20 March 2021]. Avaialble from: https://unsdg.un.org/2030-agenda/universal-values/human-rights-based-approach 

UNWomen (2020), Ending violence against women, [Online] UNWomen [Viewed 19 November 2020] Available from: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women

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