The HRBA Check - a human rights-based approach accountability mechanism

In 2003, United Nations (UN) Agencies agreed on the UN Statement of Common Understanding on Human Rights-Based Approaches. As per this definition, “all programmes of development co-operation should further the realization of human rights as laid down In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments.

Several European development agencies have developed legal and policy commitments to further a human rights-based approach within their development co-operation, drawing on this UN Statement of Common Understanding on Human Rights-Based Approaches. However, there is currently no standardized means by which to assess the degree to which development co-operation respects and furthers the realization of human rights nor to systematically report on progress.

The HRBA Check is an assessment framework for use in development co-operation.It measures the degree to which development co-operation is implementing a human rights-based approach to development.