This paper makes a brief introduction of the human rights movement, its evolution from the US and French revolution to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Vienna Conference, and to present day practice of the Rights-Based Approach (a citizen-centered approach). In the following pages, the paper critically explores the newly conceived approach of human rights: the rights-based or citizen-centered approach. The Human Rights-Based Approach (RBA) places or sees human rights as an integral component of all human development programming, be it at the local or international level. The paper go along to identify the practicality and added value in the application of the RBA. In particular it looks at some of the strengths (community empowerment, local ownership, inclusion, etc) of the RBA, how that makes the RBA different from other development concepts. According to the paper translating this complex approach into practice is a big challenge to development experts, agencies and international organizations involving tensions and contradictions. Using the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project as a case study the paper brings to light some of the limitations of the RBA in today’s highly politics-driven world. It reveals how some other materialistic accomplishments can be placed high above citizens’ freedom and at the expense of the environment on which they depend on for their survival.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. The Rights-Based Approach
III. Towards the Application of a Right-Based Approach: A right-based perspective
IV. Tensions and Contradictions in the application of RBA
V. The Case of Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project
VI. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the practical application and challenges of the rights-based approach (RBA) to development, critically evaluating its effectiveness in reconciling human rights protection with political and economic interests through the case study of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project.
- The theoretical evolution of the rights-based approach in development programming.
- Conflicts between universal human rights principles and state sovereignty.
- The role of international agencies in prioritizing economic interests over local rights.
- Limitations of the RBA in the context of politicized development projects.
Excerpt from the Book
V. The Case of Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project
Categorized as sub-Saharan Africa’s single largest project, the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project was and is still a very controversial issue in international politics and development. Cameroon with an economic success story in the 1970s was stricken by economic crisis in last quarter of the 20th century partly due to the fall of oil and coffee/cocoa prices in the mid-1980 and also more essentially the high level of corruption and mismanagement at the executive level. While Chad on the other hand, was at the recovery of a 30 year civil war that saw the disappearance and death of thousands of innocent civilians and rendering most of the survivals homeless. In Chad, there were identified violations of human rights in most parts of the country by the military. According to the 1999 State Department Human Rights Report for Chad it stated that:
"State security forces continue to commit extra-judicial killings … and they torture, beat, abuse and rape citizens” (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/1999/234.htm).
The Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project according to the World Bank factsheet (World Bank 2007) kicked off in 1993 with environmental assessment, consultation and field surveys. Its major players were the World Bank, the two governments: Chad and Cameroon and a consortium of three oil companies (ExxonMobil, Chevron and the Malaysian state oil company, Petronas). The project was expected to raise the standard of living of the people who inhabited the sites where the roughly 1077km of pipeline will be buried. The pipeline route cut through farmland and natural forests (including the territory of indigenous peoples in southern Cameroon), en route to an offshore terminal in the city of Kribi, where the oil is loaded onto tankers for transportation to Europe and North America.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the historical evolution of the human rights movement and introduces the theoretical concept of the social contract in relation to state and individual rights.
II. The Rights-Based Approach: Defines the RBA as a conceptual framework for human development that centers on international human rights standards and the empowerment of citizens.
III. Towards the Application of a Right-Based Approach: A right-based perspective: Discusses the gap between institutional claims of applying the RBA and the actual human rights perspective often used in development assistance.
IV. Tensions and Contradictions in the application of RBA: Analyzes the inherent conflicts between the universalist nature of human rights and the practical obstacles of state sovereignty and political interests.
V. The Case of Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project: Provides a critical case study of how the RBA failed to protect local communities in a major pipeline project due to institutional and political neglect.
VI. Conclusion: Summarizes the challenges of the RBA and emphasizes the necessity of fostering the judiciary and true public participation to achieve sustainable development.
Keywords
Rights-Based Approach, Chad-Cameroon Pipeline, Human Rights, Development Programming, Sovereignty, Social Contract, Accountability, Participation, Marginalized Communities, Politics, Empowerment, International Relations, Environmental Hazards, State Legitimacy, Judiciary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the rights-based approach (RBA) to development, analyzing its implementation, theoretical foundations, and the contradictions that arise when applying it in real-world scenarios.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the evolution of human rights, the relationship between citizens and the state, the political challenges of international development agencies, and the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local populations.
What is the central research question?
The study examines how the rights-based approach can be effectively translated from theory into practice, and why it often encounters tensions and limitations within the modern international political landscape.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author uses a qualitative research methodology, primarily employing a critical case study analysis of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project to evaluate the practical applicability of the RBA.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the conceptual framework of the RBA, the divergence between official policy and actual practice by development agencies, the friction between state sovereignty and international human rights law, and a detailed examination of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline as a failed case study of the RBA.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Essential keywords include Rights-Based Approach, Development, Chad-Cameroon Pipeline, Accountability, Human Rights, Empowerment, and Sovereignty.
How does the author characterize the tension in the rights-based approach?
The author identifies the tension as revolving around the struggle between "power and empowerment," specifically highlighting how states promise to promote rights while simultaneously demanding submission to their authority.
What specific role did the World Bank play in the Chad-Cameroon project according to the text?
The World Bank acted as a partisan player, providing political risk assurance, global legitimacy, and a "quality seal" to the project, while simultaneously failing to enforce its own policies regarding environmental assessment and local consultation.
Why does the author argue that the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project lacked sustainability?
The author argues it lacked sustainability because the planning and design phases were carried out with minimal participation from local communities, disregarding their rights and the potential long-term social and environmental impacts.
What is the primary conclusion regarding the future of the rights-based approach?
The author concludes that while the RBA is a powerful tool, its success depends on the ability to establish clear mechanisms for implementation and the strengthening of the judiciary to protect the rights of the underprivileged at the grassroots level.
- Quote paper
- Linus Elangwe (Author), 2012, The rights-based or citizen-centered approach, tensions and contradictions in implementing the approach: reflections on the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project., Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/191841
