Amkeni Wakenya

Human Rights-based Approach

Amkeni Wakenya applies the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) to Programming in all its activities. This is based on the fundamental principle that;


"…Applying a human rights-based approach to development will enable UNDP, the UN system, and its partners to enhance the effectiveness of their work through a focus on equality and nondiscrimination, accountability, justice, and transparency as the core of human development results."


HRBA focuses on giving people a say and a role in the activities, projects and programmes that target them or that are intended to affect them in one way or another. It empowers people to make their own decisions and acknowledges that for the fight against poverty and vulnerability to succeed, the poor and vulnerable need to be given a stake and a voice in the societies in which they live. While the HRBA may not necessarily change what we do, it does change how we do it.  


In the context of Amkeni Wakenya’s work, this means that in whatever it does, Amkeni must seek to respect, protect and promote human rights, as recognized by international human rights standards and principles, and strengthen the capacities of rights-holders and duty-bearers alike to contribute to better protection of those rights. The U.N. ideals that give meaning and purpose to Amkeni WaKenya’ programmes and approaches place the individual person at the centre of all development efforts.  As such, all aspects of Amkeni Wakenya’s activities are informed by that goal.

 Human dignity and human rights are specifically incorporated in the work of Amkeni Wakenya by integrating two (2) fundamental approaches in all activities undertaken by the PMU, including grant making, capacity development, and learning and knowledge management.  These approaches are Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and Gender Mainstreaming. Human rights are entitlements which are due to all human beings, everywhere, by virtue of their simply being human. They are based on the inherent dignity of the human person and are not acquired or donated; the rights are codified in various human rights instruments at the international, regional and national levels.


Human rights instruments at the international level include Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights  and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) , the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) , Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) , Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities , and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women . At the regional level in Africa, mechanisms such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa codify the rights of individuals . Nationally, states provide for these rights in national constitutions and other legislation. Other laws such as the Sexual Offences Act, Persons with Disability Act, and the Children Act, also recognize and protect different human rights.


Apart from fundamental rights, by endorsing the United Nations Millennium Declaration in 2000, the global community reached consensus on related goals that are expected to be met by the international community. These Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved without the direct and effective participation of the poor in decisions that affect their lives.  The Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) embodies human rights principles, values and standards. These principles include universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights, equality and non-discrimination, participation and inclusion, and accountability and rule of law. This has three main elements: Firstly the principles translate peoples’ needs to rights, and recognize the human person as the subject of development-- as a rights-holder. Secondly, it identifies the duties and obligations of those against whom a claim can be brought -- the duty-bearers; and thirdly, focuses on the marginalized groups, whose rights are normally neglected or violated.


In addition, the HRBA creates obligations on duty-bearers, especially states, to respect and protect their human rights obligations.  In this context, the Human Rights Based Approach to programming which underpins Amkeni Wakenya’s activities requires that:

    All programmes must contribute to the protection of all human rights - civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the right to development, to a clean and healthy environment, and other group rights.

    All phases of programmes - from programme design, planning, implementation, to monitoring and evaluation - must be guided by international human rights standards and principles.

    Programmes contribute to the development of the capacities of duty-bearers to meet their obligations, and of rights-holders to claim their rights.