Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Susan Randolph Author-X-Name-First: Susan Author-X-Name-Last: Randolph Author-Person: pra64 Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Author-Name: Sakiko Fukuda-Parr Author-X-Name-First: Sakiko Author-X-Name-Last: Fukuda-Parr Author-Person: pfu69 Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Author-Name: Terra Lawson-Remer Author-X-Name-First: Terra Author-X-Name-Last: Lawson-Remer Author-Person: pla361 Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Title: Economic and Social Rights Fulfillment Index: Country Scores and Rankings Abstract: Building on previously proposed methodology for an index of economic and social rights fulfillment, this paper presents country scores and rankings based on the Economic and Social Rights Fulfillment Index (ESRF Index). Unlike socio-economic indicators, which are often used as proxies for the extent to which rights-holders enjoy economic and social rights, the ESRF Index incorporates the perspective of the duty-bearer as well as the rights-holder, and takes into account the concept of progressive realization. The resulting scores and rankings provide important new information that complements other measures of economic and social rights fulfillement. The ESRF Index is an important conceptual an methodological breakthrough although is still does not capture all key human rights principles, such as the right to non-discrimination and equality. The paper also analyzes the results of the global ranking and outlines some priorities for further research. Classification-JEL: Keywords: Human Rights; Economic and Social Rights; Human Development; Economic Development; Measurement; Progressive Realization; Inequality; Global Ranking. Length: 47 pages Number: 11 Note: Creation-date: 200909 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/11.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:11 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Patrick Nolan Guyer Author-X-Name-First: Patrick Nolan Author-X-Name-Last: Guyer Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Author-Name: Sakiko Fukuda-Parr Author-X-Name-First: Sakiko Author-X-Name-Last: Fukuda-Parr Author-Person: pfu69 Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Author-Name: Susan Randolph Author-X-Name-First: Susan Author-X-Name-Last: Randolph Author-Person: pra64 Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Author-Name: Louise Moreira Daniels Author-X-Name-First: Louise Moreira Author-X-Name-Last: Daniels Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Title: Measuring the Progressive Realization of Economic and Social Human Rights in Brazil: A Disaggregated Economic and Social Rights Fulfillment Index Abstract: This paper summarizes findings and conclusions from our application of the Economic and Social Rights Fulfillment Index developed by Fukuda-Parr, Lawson-Remer and Randolph (2009) to the states of Brazil. The key features of this methodology in assessing economic and human rights fulfillment is the focus on state obligations rather than only on human outcomes, and reference to both level of state resources and the historic achievements of comparator state parties as criteria in assessment. Our results show that none of the states of Brazil are completely meeting their obligations to fulfill economic and social rights although some are far more successful than others, and that fulfillment does not depend on income. States struggle most to meet their obligations to realize the right to decent work and adequate housing, but are somewhat better and meeting their obligations to fulfill the rights to education, the highest attainable standard of health and adequate food. Furthermore, a ranking of the states based on our findings differs significantly from rankings based on GDP per capita or the state-level Human Development Index values alone. This paper summarizes our methodology and findings and also proposes several avenues for further study. Classification-JEL: Keywords: Human rights; Economic and Social Rights; Brazil; Measurement; Indicators; Progressive realization; Inequality; Poverty; Human Development Length: 32 pages Number: 10 Note: Creation-date: 200908 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/10.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:10 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Audrey R. Chapman Author-X-Name-First: Audrey R. Author-X-Name-Last: Chapman Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Title: The Divisibility of Indivisible Human Rights Abstract: The human rights community characterizes the relationships among the various human rights enumerated in the major international human rights instruments as indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated. This working paper raises issues on intellectual and operational grounds as to whether all human rights can be considered to be indivisible. Instead it proposes that there is a need to set priorities for implementation within and among human rights. The article then evaluates various options for developing priorities. Classification-JEL: Keywords: divisibility of rights, human rights Length: 20 pages Number: 9 Note: An earlier version of this paper was presented at University of Connecticut Human Rights Institute Workshop on The Indivisibility and Interdependence of Human Rights Workshop, April 12, 2008. Creation-date: 200901 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/9.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:9 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Sakiko Fukuda-Parr Author-X-Name-First: Sakiko Author-X-Name-Last: Fukuda-Parr Author-Person: pfu69 Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Author-Name: Terra Lawson-Remer Author-X-Name-First: Terra Author-X-Name-Last: Lawson-Remer Author-Workplace-Name: New York University Author-Name: Susan Randolph Author-X-Name-First: Susan Author-X-Name-Last: Randolph Author-Person: pra64 Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Title: Measuring the Progressive Realization of Human Rights Obligations: An Index of Economic and Social Rights Fulfillment Abstract: In response to an increasing demand for rigorous monitoring of state accountability in meeting their human rights obligations, a growing literature on human rights measurement has emerged. Yet there are no widely used indicators or indices of human rights obligations fulfillment. This paper proposes a methodology for an index of economic and social rights fulfillment that: uses available survey-based objective, rather than subjective data; focuses on state obligations rather than solely on individual enjoyment of rights; and captures progressive realization of human rights subject to maximum available resources. Two calculation methods are proposed: the ratio approach and the achievement possibilities frontier approach. The paper identifies key conceptual and data constraints. Recognizing the complex methodological challenges, the aim of this paper is not to resolve all the difficulties, but rather to contribute to the process of building rigorous approaches to human rights measurement. The proposed index thus has recognized limitations, yet is an important first step based on available data. Our goal here is to contribute to the longer term development of a methodology for measuring economic and social rights fulfillment. The paper concludes that the proposed index provides important new information compared with other measures of economic and social rights fulfillment, but still does not capture some desired features such as the right to non-discrimination and equality, and the right to social security. The paper also outlines an agenda for longer term research and data collection that would make more complete measurement possible. Classification-JEL: I31, Z0 Keywords: Human rights; Measurement; Progressive realization; Inequality; Human Development; Global Length: 39 pages Number: 8 Note: The authors are grateful to many people who have provided useful advice and comments in the course of developing this index. Thanks are particularly due to Claes Johansson, David Stewart, and John Stewart, and to all those too numerous to name individually but the participants in brainstorming meetings and presentations held at the New School (through 2006/07), UNDP New York (May 2008), UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (June 2008), the New School workshop New York (June 2008), as well as others who were consulted individually. We also thank those who helped organize these meetings, especially the Canadian International Development Agency whose support made possible the June 2008 workshop in New York. All errors and omission however are the responsibility of the author. Creation-date: 2008-08 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/8.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:8 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Daniel J. Whelan Author-X-Name-First: Daniel J. Author-X-Name-Last: Whelan Author-Person: pwh28 Author-Workplace-Name: Hendrix College Title: Untangling the Indivisibility, Interdependency, and Interrelatedness of Human Rights Abstract: Human rights are said to be "indivisible, interdependent and interrelated." However widely used within UN parlance and among scholars and activists, these terms are rarely unpacked and often used interchangeably. This short paper attempts to untangle the meanings and values these terms represent and reflect, based on a careful reading of the history of especially the two "grand categories" of human rights--civil/political, and economic/social/cultural--as those rights are expressed in the two main human rights covenants. Classification-JEL: A12 Keywords: human rights; United Nations; indivisibility; interdependence; interrelatedness Length: 14 pages Number: 7 Note: Background Paper prepared for the University of Connecticut Human Rights Institute Workshop on "Interdependence and Indivisibility of Human Rights", April 11, 2008 Creation-date: 200804 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/7.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:7 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Susan Randolph Author-X-Name-First: Susan Author-X-Name-Last: Randolph Author-Person: pra64 Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Author-Name: Ibrahima Gaye Author-X-Name-First: Ibrahima Author-X-Name-Last: Gaye Author-Workplace-Name: ENEA Author-Name: Ibrahima Hathie Author-X-Name-First: Ibrahima Author-X-Name-Last: Hathie Author-Workplace-Name: ENEA Author-Name: Rafael Perez-Escamilla Author-X-Name-First: Rafael Author-X-Name-Last: Perez-Escamilla Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Title: Monitoring the Realization of the Right to Food: Adaptation and Validation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Insecurity Module to Rural Senegal Abstract: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights first formally recognized food security as a human right. This right was subsequently codified into international law in 1976 when the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ICESCR, entered into the force of law. The ICESCR obligates states to respect, protect, and fulfill the right to food, but in the absence of reliable measures of food security, simply monitoring progress towards the realization of the right to food is problematic. Moreover, if duty bearers are to design effective policies and programs to fulfill the right to food, it is essential to have reliable information on who is food insecure. This paper assesses the validity of an adaptation of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Insecurity Survey Instrument to the rural Senegalese context. The advantage of this instrument is that it is simple and inexpensive to administer, identifies the food security status of individual adults as well as children, and assesses the certainty, quality, and quantity aspects of food access. The USDA Food Insecurity Instrument has been successfully adapted to other developed countries and several developing countries as well. Adaptation to the Sub-Saharan context poses particular challenges given the complex household structure, the more limited reach of markets, the myriad of languages spoken within a limited geographic area, and the influence of seasonality on food access. Despite these challenges, this study demonstrates the validity of a reasonably straightforward adaptation of the USDA food insecurity instrument for rural Kaolack, Senegal, attesting to the promise of this approach for measuring food insecurity in developing countries in general and Sub-Saharan African countries in particular. Classification-JEL: D6, I1, I3, K33, O1, O55 Keywords: Length: 34 pages Number: 6 Note: Financial support from the U.S. Bureau of Education & Cultural Affairs, Ecole Nationale D.Economie Appliquee, and the USAID: UConn Peanut-CRSP made this project possible and is gratefully acknowledged. Creation-date: 200710 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/6.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:6 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lanse Minkler Author-X-Name-First: Lanse Author-X-Name-Last: Minkler Author-Person: pmi41 Title: Economic Rights and the Policymaker's Decision Problem Abstract: Economic rights can be instantiated in a variety of ways. This paper investigates the problem with making economic rights into policy from one source: the political policymaker. By modeling the policymaker's decision problem we can identify particular decision flaws and possible correctives that might prompt economic rights instantiation through "enlightened self-interest." A complementary approach involves constitutionalizing economic rights with directive principles and enforceable law, which could work somewhat independently of the policymaker's preferences and/or beliefs. The last part of the paper looks at a sample of actual constitutions to see if government effort toward economic rights fulfillment is related with constitutionalization. The evidence here suggests a positive relationship: those countries with better economic rights provisions in their constitutions demonstrate greater economic rights effort. Classification-JEL: A12, A13, D72, P48 Keywords: Economic Rights; Constitutions; Human Rights; Political Policymaker Length: 28 pages Number: 5 Note: Paper presented at the conference America, Human Rights and the World, Marquette University September 27-29, 2007. The idea for this paper was prompted by a one-day workshop held by the Economic Rights Group at the University of Connecticut entitled Instantiating Economic Rights. I thank ERG members for comments on this version, especially Shareen Hertel, Susan Randolph and Lyle Scruggs. I also thank David Forsythe, Richard Goldstone, Wiktor Osiatynski, and Richard Ashby Wilson for their comments. Creation-date: 200711 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/5.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:5 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Sakiko Fukuda-Parr Author-X-Name-First: Sakiko Author-X-Name-Last: Fukuda-Parr Author-Person: pfu69 Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Title: Human Rights and Human Development Abstract: This paper uses Sen's capability approach to explore whether there are inherent contradictions between human rights and development. Sen's capability and human development approach provides a conceptual framework within which human rights principles can be incorporated into development planning and action because his theory of development as capability expansion defines the ultimate purpose of development as the expansion of human freedom). The 'human rights based approach' has gained momentum as an idea and is being adopted by several international NGOs and donor agencies in their development work. Yet many development practitioners and economists remain sceptical of this approach and its implementation has been partial. To assess the spread of this approach in government policy, the paper analysed Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers for 55 countries and finds only a few substantially engages with human rights as a development objective or integrate human rights principles into development strategies. The paper reviews the theoretical critiques and concludes that the obstacles to further implementation do not lie with inherent contradictions between human rights principles and development but with gaps in practical approaches. In particular, it identifies interpretation of the principle of indivisibility as a major obstacle; the absolutist interpretation leads to positions that amount to little more than sloganeering that undermines the credibility of the approach. More work is needed to analyse norms of human rights that relate to the duty bearer to promote human rights in development in economic, social and governance policies. Classification-JEL: A14, F43, I31, J00, L39 Keywords: uman rights based approach to development; poverty; economic and social rights; capability approach; Amartya Sen; PRSP Length: 32 pages Number: 4 Note: Draft of paper to be included in a festschrift volume in honour of Amartya Sen's 75th birthday edited by Kaushik Basu and Ravi Kanbur, Oxford University Press, 2008 forthcoming. Research assistance from MA Hoekstra, M. Ashwill, L.Chiappa and C. Messineo is gratefully acknowledged. Creation-date: 200711 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/4.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:4 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Shareen Hertel Author-X-Name-First: Shareen Author-X-Name-Last: Hertel Author-Person: phe187 Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Author-Name: Lyle Scruggs Author-X-Name-First: Lyle Author-X-Name-Last: Scruggs Author-Person: psc208 Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut Author-Name: C. Patrick Heidkamp Author-X-Name-First: C. Patrick Author-X-Name-Last: Heidkamp Author-Workplace-Name: Southern Connecticut State University Title: Human Rights and Public Opinion: From Attitudes to Action Abstract: This paper investigates American public opinion supporting human rights and willingness to engage in economic behavior consistent with such support. We look at three types of rights in particular: freedom of expression, freedom from torture, and the right to a guaranteed minimum standard of living. The current literature on human rights largely ignores public opinion, and vice versa. Based on our analysis of a 2006 national survey, we find that more Americans believe in a broader range of human rights (including economic rights) than has previously been assumed. We also find that most Americans report that they are willing to spend more on goods produced ethically and that those who are supportive of human rights may be more willing to pay for such goods. Our findings have implications for theories and practice of human rights, and for development of new markets for ethical consumption. Classification-JEL: Keywords: : human rights, public opinion, sweatshops, fair trade Length: 34 pages Number: 3 Note: The authors gratefully acknowledge the research support of Rachel Jackson and the assistance of staff of the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis as well as the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. We have also benefited from the comments on earlier drafts of this article from members of the University of Connecticut Economic Rights Reading Group/Human Rights Institute, and from Dawn Brancati and Davita Glasberg. Revision-date: 200804 Creation-date: 200707 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/3r.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text (revised version) File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/3.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text (original version) Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:3 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Sakiko Fukuda-Parr Author-X-Name-First: Sakiko Author-X-Name-Last: Fukuda-Parr Author-Person: pfu69 Author-Workplace-Name: The New School Title: Human Rights and National Poverty Reduction Strategies: Conceptual framework for human rights analysis of poverty reduction strategies and reviews of Guatemala, Liberia and Nepal Abstract: Poverty is an important human rights concern. Human rights are claims that people have for social arrangements to guarantee their substantive freedoms; poverty reflects failures in these social arrangements and in the actions of duty bearers. It is the poorest people in society --- those with low incomes, education, insecure health, and political power --- who are most vulnerable to severe abuse of their human rights in multiple areas. At the same time, it is lack of human rights protection that leaves people vulnerable to falling into economic and social destitution. Poverty is both a cause and consequence of human rights abuse and lack of protection. Yet human rights agendas are rarely explicitly built into national strategies for poverty reduction. This paper is a consolidated report of a study commissioned by OHCHR on developing a conceptual framework for integrating human rights into national strategies for poverty reduction and identifying operational priorities. It builds on and takes further the 2003 OHCHR conceptual framework on human rights and poverty reduction strategies authored by Hunt, Nowak and Osmani. It incorporates a human rights analysis of poverty reduction policies of Guatemala, Liberia and Nepal. The paper argues that human rights perspectives contribute new approaches in normative, analytical and instrumental dimensions of poverty reduction strategies. First, it brings a strong and explicit normative framework legitimized by the backing of international law that emphasize principles of equality, non-discrimination and concern for the most vulnerable, and a social justice agenda to policy priorities. Second, human rights perspectives introduce new analyses to the causes of poverty - focussing on institutionalized discrimination, lack of political voice, institutional failures to guarantee human rights including weak protection for civil and political rights. Third, human rights have instrumental (not just intrinsic) value for poverty reduction; human rights empower poor people through the power of legal protection for human rights --- civil, political, economic, social and cultural --- of poor people as well as through the power of ideas that legitimize the claims of poor people to surmount obstacles in their lives. Classification-JEL: Keywords: Length: 93 pages Number: 2 Note: Creation-date: 200704 Price: Free Publication-Status: File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/2.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:2 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Shareen Hertel Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut, Department of Political Sciencs and Human Rights Institute Author-Person: phe187 Author-Name: Lanse Minkler Author-Workplace-Name: University of Connecticut, Department of Economics Author-Person: pmi41 Title: Economic Rights: The Terrain Abstract: Economic rights are central to the international human rights regime, even if they have received less attention historically (at least in the West). This chapter, and the volume from which it is drawn, investigates the central conceptual, measurement, and policy issues confronting economic rights. While many important aspects remain to be addressed, conceiving problems in terms of economic rights may provide novel, effective ways to reduce world poverty, and to enhance respect for human dignity. Classification-JEL: Keywords: Length: 62 pages Number: 1 Note: Chapter 1 from: Hertel, S. and L. Minkler, 2007 (Eds). Economic Rights: Conceptual, Measurement, and Policy Issues, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Forthcoming. Creation-date: 200701 Price: Free Publication-Status: Forthcoming in Hertel, S. and L. Minkler, 2007 (Eds). Economic Rights: Conceptual, Measurement, and Policy Issues, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. File-URL: http://www.econ.uconn.edu/working/1.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF File-Function: Full text Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:1