Human Rights in German Development Policy. Part 2: Implementation and Effectiveness of the Human Rights-Based Approach in the Area of Action "Private Sector and Financial System Development"
Human rights are a "guiding principle" and "quality criterion" of the work of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This strategy is based on a human rights-based approach (HRBA) that has been comprehensively assessed for the first time in this evaluation. The second part of the evaluation looks at the mainstreaming of human rights standards and principles in bilateral projects of German development cooperation and at the effectiveness of these efforts in partner countries in terms of human rights.
Findings and Recommendations
- The human rights principles are only being partially implemented in the projects examined within the area of action "Private Sector and Financial System Development".
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While the projects examined are almost fully implementing the requirements of the human rights-based approach with regard to the principle of transparency and dealing with human rights risks during the planning of projects, there is a particular need for improvement in three areas: the projects should consider more closely the human rights risks that might arise during implementation, establish grievance mechanisms more firmly, and act more systematically to mainstream opportunities for participation.
- Direct human rights-related impacts are only being partially achieved in the area of action assessed.
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Although the projects examined contribute to a progressive realisation of decent work by indirectly supporting the creation or securing of employment opportunities, they hardly aim at fostering just and favourable working conditions in the sense of the right to work. Moreover, any human rights-related strengthening of rights-holders and duty-bearers is likewise hardly part of their agenda.
- DEval recommends that the cross-cutting efforts to mainstream human rights standards and principles are strengthened in German development cooperation.
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The implementing organisations should improve their quality assurance for implementing the human rights-based approach and to establish incentives for mainstreaming this approach. The BMZ should also integrate this approach into all key issue strategies. The BMZ should further develop a development cooperation-wide grievance system in a consultative process.
- Building on this, DEval also recommends that the positive impacts on human rights be systematically strengthened.
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To this end, implementing organisations should develop reference models for realising human rights effects in projects. The BMZ should offer interchange formats in the partner countries for exchanging ideas and information to enable better leveraging of synergies between state, civil society and private-sector actors.
Team
- Dr Jan Tobias Polak Senior Evaluator, Team Leader, Anti-Corruption Officer
- Lea Smidt Former Evaluator
- Lena Taube Evaluator
- Dr Angela Heucher Senior Evaluator - Team Leader, Gender Equality Officer
- Marcellina Schmidt Evaluator
- Dr. Christoph Valentin Steinert Former Evaluator
Contact
Dr Jan Tobias Polak
Phone: +49 (0)228 336907-967
E-mail: tobias.polak@DEval.org
Dr Martin Bruder
Phone: +49 (0)228 336907-970
E-mail: martin.bruder@DEval.org
Related Documents
Parts of the Human Rights Evaluation
Evaluation and Study Reports
Policy Briefs
- Human Rights in German Development Cooperation: Mainstreaming and Effectiveness in Private Sector and Financial System Development
- Feminist Development Policy: Advice on Implementing Human Rights-Based and Gender-Transformative Development Cooperation
- Human Rights in German Development Cooperation. Aspirations and Implementation