COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2007 “From Poverty to Dignity: A Learning Manual for Human Rights Based Development” may be produced in whole or in parts for study or training purposes, provided acknowledgement

is given of the source. This material may not be sold or used commercially. Reproduction for other purposes requires the permission of Dignity International, Jan P. Strijboslaan 29, 2101 PL Heemstede, Netherlands.

e-mail: info@dignityinternational.org

encouraged and inspired by…our programme participants

made possible by…our programme partners & facilitators

compiled and co-authored by...jerald josephaye aye win

assisted by…simone andrade

advisorsmarcos andrade

juana sotomayor davila

copy-editdonald donato

cartoonsshieko

design & lay-outsusan lim

proofingdoreen da costa

Jacquelinealbee

printer?????

financed by

oxfam-novib & ministry of foreign affairs - finland

?????

FROM POVERTY TO DIGNITY

1

FROM POVERTY TO DIGNITY

Table of contents

Preface...............................................................................................................................5

Introduction.....................................................................................................................6

Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................8

Design & Methodology................................................................................................10

Tips for facilitators........................................................................................................12

Module 1: Welcome & Introductions........................................................................17

Part 1- Ice Breakers.............................................................................19

Part 2 - Introductions.........................................................................25

Part 3 - Programme Methodology....................................................30

Module 2: Understanding Human Rights..................................................................39

Module 3: Understanding Development...................................................................57

Module 4: Human Rights- Based Approaches:

Links to Human Rights Standards...................................................71

Module 5: Human Rights-Based Approaches:

Links to Human Rights Obligations..............................................101

Module 6: Human Rights-Based Approaches:

Accountability & Redress.................................................................121

Module 7: Human Rights-Based Approaches:

Non-discrimination & Attention to Vulnerable Groups.............137

3

Module 8: Human Rights-Based Approaches: Participation....................................149

Module 9: Human Rights-Based Approaches: Empowerment...............................159

Module 10: Globalisation, Development & Human Rights......................................169

Module 11: Human Rights-Based Strategies...............................................................183

Module 12: Human Rights-Based Programming Cycle.............................................195

Module 13: Human Rights-Based Development in Practice- Case Studies............205

Module 14:

Appendices........................................................................................................................225

Conclusions & Closing...............................................................................213

4

Preface

Human dignity for all through human rights based development has to be our future.

Human rights provide a moral, authoritative, and a legal framework to tackle root causes of poverty, the deep-seated structures of discrimination, the processes of impoverishment from local to global levels. A human rights framework not only offers distinctive strengths but also specific tools for development work. It is therefore encouraging to see many development actors actively integrating human rights into development planning.

The more people learn about and embrace the holistic vision of human rights and development the better. It is for this reason that we have put out this Learning Manual on Human Rights Based development.

The Learning Manual is a product of Dignity's linking & learning programmes over the past six years. In early 2002, realising the hunger for knowledge of human rights and how human rights relate to poverty eradication, Dignity partnered with quality and experienced institutions to organise a learning programme at a global level on economic, social and cultural rights. The programme met with huge demand from all over the world and with success in terms of content, methodology and application. Encouraged by this,the programmes have taken more emphasis on the links between human rights and development. And in particular to meet the growing demand for capacity building on human rights based development. Again the content, methodology and process taken by Dignity have met with praise by the participants, our Alumni, who regard the programmes as not only up-scaling their knowledge and skills on human rights based development, but also transforming attitudes.

It has been a long journey since our first global programme in 2002. We would not have imagined that in six years time we would have organised six learning programmes which through our Alumni has led to eight regional, national, and organisational programmes. And 24 community level programmes were executed, involving over one thousand human rights and development activists! Participants are enthused with the programmes and decide to multiply knowledge and attitudes in their own environment.

This learning manual is offered to help the multiplication process by Dignity's Alumni. Those who have been through our programmes know our orientation and process. Those who are keen to multiply are most warmly encouraged to do so!

We will continue to improve on our work in the future to ensure that learning leads to action.

This Learning Manual is precious for us and we are happy to offer it as our contribution to advancing human rights based development. We call on everyone to embrace the view that human rights and development are two sides of the same coin. That will help move all of us from poverty to dignity!

Ton WaartsChairman of the Board of Directors Dignity International

“The more people learn about and embrace the holistic vision of human rights and development

the better.”

5

Introduction

A human rights learning manual is designed to be a

guide, to encourage and inspire facilitators who want supporting materials that can give them a push in realising a good human rights learning programme. A manual is never intended to be prescriptive text that must be adhered to with strict diligence. This manual opens up possibilities and encourages the facilitator to seek what is appropriate for a particular programme and use the suitable material while adapting to the context she/he works with. These are the principles that embody the spirit behind most manuals that are developed.

This manual is organised as a process flow for a 7-10 day programme. It is designed especially for facilitators who have gone through Dignity's Human Rights in Development programmes who want to multiply these at the organisational, loca l , na t iona l , regional and other relevant contexts. The content flow of this manual is designed following the logic of the programme. The chapters flow from one to the other.

Some activities may be familiar to you, while others may be completely new. In order to get the desired results suggested in the manual, please follow the activity instructions to the best knowledge and experience possible. As this is premised on an experiential model of learning, attending one of our programmes may be the best way to learn some of the activities.

A As this is designed for facilitators who believe and are comfortable with participatory methods of learning, it would be best to view each module in the light of a learner-centred model of learning human rights. The demands of a facilitative trainer would mean that the processes in every module aim to get the participants involved in their learning process and to open up their critical thinking faculties. This would mean different groups may respond differently and take different amounts of time in their interactive learning processes.

This manual is a result of our global, regional, national and community learning programmes in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. These learning programmes have worked and have been well

received by most participants who have asked for a guide to conduct their own human right workshops in development l e a r n i n g programmes. As w i t h m o s t manuals, this is a combination of what has worked and some new i n n o v a t i o n s . Some modules have been used

with reference to their sources, others have been in the training circuit for so long that one doesn't even know where the ideas originated from while some have been created in the course of the previous trainings. In the spirit of sharing and taking this learning material as far as possible, we earnestly hope that all trainers will freely use this material, with an acknowledgment that the activities were taken from this manual. 6

As an organisation committed to the promotion and promulgation of human rights materials, Dignity International encourages the use and multiplication of materials from this manual. When doing so however, please acknowledge the source.

Have fun while you provoke the deepest and most critical discussion on human rights and development. That's what effective learning is all about anyway!

7

Ack

no

wle

dg

men

tFirst and foremost, a huge thanks to all our programme participants, our Alumni, for engaging with us in the human rights learning journey - for your contribution to the learning process, your feedback, your boundless energy and enthusiasm for the learning programmes we have conducted. Without your enthusiasm this manual would not have come about.

Huge thanks to all our programme partners. The first global linking & learning programme in November 2002 was organised in partnership with Forum Asia and International Human Rights Internship Programme (IHRIP). Two very special people from these two organisations deserve a very special mention - D. J Ravindran and Ann Blyberg who basically got us started on this track and encouraged us to keep going. You were responsible for the design and contents of the first three global learning programmes which had a specific focus on economic, social and cultural rights. Heartfelt thanks to you both!

Thanks also to our other programme partners over the years. In addition to Forum Asia and IHRIP, for the Annual Global Learning Programmes you were: Hakijamii Trust (Kenya); International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net); People's Movement

for Human Rights Learning (PDHRE), and Pusat Komas (Malaysia). For our regional, national and community learning programmes, you were: Centre for Economic and Social Rights (Ecuador), Centre for Housing Rights and Evictions (America's Programme), Equipo Pueblo (Mexico), Social Watch; Human Rights Education Institute of Burma, Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD), Asia Regional Resource Centre for Human Rights Education (ARRC), Women's Human Rights Alliance, Irish Human Rights Commission; Tanzanian Council on Social Development (TACOSODE) and the Nairobi People's Settlement Network. Thanks also ACORD International and Concern Worldwide for believing in us and inviting us to conduct the learning programmes for your staff.

Aside from ourselves (Jerald Joseph, Malaysia and Aye Aye Win, Burma), and Simone Andrade (Brazil/Portugal), huge thanks to the great team of facilitators and resource persons from all corners of the world - Marcos Andrade (Portugal), Ann Blyberg (USA), Mariana Cabrera (Uruguay), Noirin Clancy (Ireland), Juana Sotomayor Davila (Ecuador), Graciela Dede (Uruguay), André Frankovitz (Australia); Enrique Gonzalez (Venezuela), Leandro Gorsdorf (Brasil), Soraida

Abed Hussein (Palestine), Johannes (Babes) Ignacio (Philippines), Grace Birabwa Isharaza (Uganda),Teresa Limpin (Philippines), Aung Myo Min (Burma) Peter Noteboom (Canada), Josiah Apollo Omotto (Kenya), Odindo Opiata (Kenya), Sebastian Tedeschi (Argentina), Areli Sandoval ((México), Liam Wegimont (Ireland). Thank you all for bringing in your rich experiences, your different activities and ways of approaching a subject, and your creativity. It has been a fantastically rich experience working with you all in various ways in designing the programme, and improving the programme from year to year.

8

Thanks in particular to our two soul mates Marcos Andrade and Juana Sotomayor Davila for your time to help us put this manual together - your commitment to a learner-centred, experiential and transformative learning process - your amazing creativity and inspiration. To Donald Donato for always being available with the copy edit for us.

Thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland who have consistently supported our learning programmes since 2002. Very special thanks to Mr. Rauno Merisaari, Human Rights Advisor at the Ministry for his confidence and support to this process and also to Anne Kooistra of Oxfam NOVIB for her belief in Dignity's work and Dignity's future.

Thanks also to Susan Lim, responsible for design and layout of the manual and to our cartoonist Shieko. You made this easy to follow and have brought a lot of life to the pages!

Our dream of many years ago is now a reality. We are happy and honoured to share this product with you all.

Jerald Joseph & Aye Aye Win

9

Design & Methodology

This learning manual on human rights and development was designed with some of our assumptions on what would be needed in order to fully realise a human rights learning programme such as this. It is a given that each learning programme would be different as the participants would come from differing backgrounds, cultural context and also varying degrees of human rights knowledge, as well as diverse realities of national economics and politics. So perhaps some guiding principles can be helpful in preparing ourselves for these programmes.

This manual must not only be an effective tool for learning, it should also live out the very human rights principles that are expounded within the course. We can start by ensuring that our programmes are gender sensitive and gender inclusive. It must strive to break away from gender stereotypes and also encourage more

participation of the women within the course.Many of our programmes have been in a multicultural setting which means the participants come from diverse ethnic groupings, nationalities, religions, linguistic groups, etc. The programmes must strive to encompass the space that gives each participant a possibility to engage and be actively involved within the learning programme.

In a multicultural learning environment, we as facilitators must be comfortable with diversity. We must ensure equal opportunity of learning. This may be a challenge within short periods of time. Innovate where necessary in order to have more inclusive learning methods.As this entire learning manual is designed within a participatory learning mode, participation from all participants is crucial for the learning to be effective. This is a challenge to us as human rights facilitators to engage with participants (where possible) in the activities as this is a mutual learning process which

means both facilitators and participants benefit from any session.It is always preferable to work in a pair (at the minimum) in conducting a learning programme. This ensures there is mutual support in getting the sessions going but we realise that in many situations this may be difficult, especially in the shorter trainings.

As our activities are hands-on and can get a little physically-demanding, the facilitator must take necessary precaution to ensure that no injuries occur. But in any play, the reasonable risk of getting hurt is

10

present and it should be allowed (like how children play) in order not to take the fun and challenge away from the act ivit ies. Some participants may opt out of some activities as it may be unsuitable for them. Try as far as possible to get all involved in all activities.

Managing t ime is a challenge as activities and the discussions may be stretched depending on the energies of the participants. As trainers, we try to keep within the allotted time but at times some flexibility must be exercised, being mindful n o t t o b r e a k t h e m o m e n t u m o f t h e learning process. Do this with the agreement of the participants

This manual was designed for a group of about 25-30 people. But this number can be adjusted slightly. It cannot be too large a group as we would not be able to do effective participatory learning processes, especially more so within the short time frames that we have.

Each session has a learning objective that a facilitator hopes to achieve at the end of it. Try to help the group focus towards the objectives and at the end of each session highlight the points learnt through the summary and make the links to the key points that we were expecting as learning outcomes when we began the session.

11

Tip

s fo

r fa

cili

tato

rs Facilitators

This learning manual, as was stated earlier, is designed for facilitators who are comfortable and familiar with participatory learning methodologies. In essence this means the facilitator moves away from the 'teacher' model and becomes a 'facilitator' in the learning environment. A facilitator very much needs to understand the philosophy that drives these learning methodologies. This methodology has different names but is commonly known as “popular education”.

Popular education is something that has been identified as an effective method in empowering communit ies. Popular education is experiential and participatory in nature. It is common and understood by a lot of people. The challenge before us as community and social workers and activists, is to always check if our o r g a n i s a t i o n s communicate what the communit ies want and need.

Popular education is a w a y o f c o m m u n i c a t i n g messages in a simple, fun, catchy and easy-to-remember format. It is creative and utilises all possible tools to get the message across. Nevertheless, considerations must be given to the medium used and for whom the message is intended. Use suitable and appropriate tools to get your message across to the audience.

It is also critical to help people deepen their understanding of something of their interest or relevance. Therefore the issues for discussion must be relevant to peoples' lives. In a nutshell, popular education helps promote the basic right to participation (or not to be excluded) in any learning process. It

Facilitators helps the people take on a deeper and more critical approach of the government and other non-state actors. Furthermore, interdependence cannot be detached from popular education because issues are connec t ed to one ano the r. T h i s interdependence illustrates the inter-connectedness of human rights.

Popular education also opposes models that promote a totalising framework in any discourse. Popular education is a living process that critiques the very process itself.

Popular education can be used in all situations at all times. It can even be used in conflict areas, but methods have to be well t h o u g h t - o u t f i r s t ,

employing all the principles introduced. Popular education is not a movement. It consists of tools and approaches used to help p e o p l e d e e p e n t h e i r k n o w l e d g e . Corporations use these tools but on a different value base. For us, we place people

in the centre from a human rights point of view. Popular education has a value or principle base.

It is important to not be a movement and just another tool expert. The people should be our focus. After a brief recap of the introduction to popular education, the facilitator leads the participants into an activity to tackle a very important element of the model, the message. We have already established clothes, body language, cultural nuances, gestures and many other factors that influence messages.

“Popular education is a way of communicating messages in a simple, fun, catchy and easy-to-remember format.”

12

In their book “Get Organised” authors Tan Jo Hann and Roem Topatimasang explain that the key to achieving an effective community organising process depends on how each individual collectively reaches a common understanding of their situation through a facilitative process. The people must be able to think and analyse their own situations, and discover new insights which could possibly lead them to some form of action.

The participatory methods that are being used focuses on how people get involved and through a facilitative process explore the various issues of human rights. Participatory methodology is primarily a collective activity.

This section of the manual provides “the facilitator” with some pointers towards the participatory methods and tools that can be used at meetings, sessions, workshops with the aim of helping communities become more organised and thus become active participants in recognising and resolving their issues.

Participatory methods recognise that each person is an actor in the world. His or her actions are thus important in shaping it. Each person has an important contribution to make towards the common public good, regardless of race, creed, religion, caste, class, educational background, gender, sexuality, ability, age or any other feature of social background.

13

The Facilitator:

The role of the facilitator in a participatory method is one of a guide rather than a controller of the learning process. The facilitator sets up a learning environment and guides the learning process by encouraging interaction among participants.

However, a facilitator does not merely present a sequence of planned interactive activities. Rather the facilitator expects the participants to take responsibility for their learning and provides feedback on what he or she observes.

The facilitator's job is not to tell participants what they should have learned but to encourage them to explore their reactions, to develop awareness and to devise meaning from what they have experienced.

Step-By-Step Process

Most of the material presented in this manual are written and developed in a style suitable for use in group discussions. Various methods exist in conducting group process or workshop discussions. What follows is a methodology which has been tried and tested, but which, nevertheless needs to be adapted to particular situations.

Some of the pre-requisites of Facilitating are: (the old English is only used in a creative way for emphasis)

I. THOU SHALT KNOW THY SELF

II. THOU SHALT KNOW THY PARTICIPANTS

III. THOU SHALT KNOW THY SUBJECT MATTER WELL

IV. THOU SHALT RESPECT THE PARTICIPANTS AS

PERSONS

V. THOU SHALT MOTIVATE THE PARTICIPANTS TO

LEARN

VI. THOU SHALT COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

VII. THOU SHALT CIRCULATE

VIII. THOU SHALT AVOID TALKING TOO MUCH

IX. THOU SHALT EVALUATE LEARNING OUTCOMES

REGULARLY

X. THOU SHALT DO WHAT THEY SAYEST

14