Development as Entitlements

The notion of entitlement to development comes from the idea that every human being has a right to the same protections and rights. By doing this, the emphasis is shifted from numbers (such as population) to human lives. Development and human rights were initially considered to be two distinct fields with distinct methodologies and goals. Human rights and development were, however, intertwined in the 1945 United Nations Charter, and the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights established human rights as a legitimate international concern for all UN member states. The initial opposition between human rights and development, however, meant that development organizations, including aid organizations and donor countries, did not prioritize human rights in their development activities.

Even though the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognized both economic, social, and cultural rights in addition to civil and political rights, these two categories of rights were opposed to one another during the Cold War because of the ideological gap between the two major superpowers. The western governments were thought to support civil and political rights, while the communist governments were thought to support economic, social, and cultural rights. The division between the two sets of rights and the inclusion of human rights and development in international discourse were both brought to an end with the end of the Cold War.

One of the things that made it possible for human rights principles to be incorporated into development was the bridging of the ideological gap; another was the failure of conventional development models to end world poverty. With the advent of globalization and the opening of markets in the developing world as well, aid organizations, human rights activists, and development experts observed that while wealth increased at the macro level, the gap between the rich and the poor also widened at the micro level. High mortality, limited access to high-quality healthcare and education, and limited chances to live in better conditions all continued to be problems for the poor. Additionally, globalization encouraged development methods that were detrimental to the planet's finite resources and ultimately unsustainable. Existing development models, such as the basic needs approach, which emphasized economic growth as a means of eradicating poverty, underwent a change in this context. The development community eventually realized how ineffective this model was at eradicating poverty and began searching for alternatives. The significance of including human rights in development strategies was recognized by the international development community during this process.

The Declaration on the Right to Development was approved in 1986 by the UN General Assembly. This Declaration helped establish international recognition of the relationship between human rights and development. To put it another way, after its adoption, the two sets of human rights, i. e. Civil and political rights, as well as economic, social, and cultural freedoms, were regarded as inseparable. The Declaration also reemphasized the fundamental concepts and objectives of development. Prior to the adoption of the Declaration, the primary goal of development was economic expansion in order to meet peoples' most basic needs. Now, however, the primary goal of development is people and their welfare. Numerous United Nations articles make reference to the Right to Development or development as a human right. Developing nations' discourse in the context of the New International Economic Order (NIEO), in which they emphasized the necessity of eradicating injustices and inequalities, can also be seen as the source of the slogan "development as a right or entitlement.".

At the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna, the integration of human rights and development was approved. The interdependence of development and human rights was acknowledged in the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action. Following this, numerous UN organizations, most notably the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and a number of development sector organizations, incorporated human rights principles into their development initiatives. Participation, equality, accountability, and the interdependence of rights are the guiding principles of the human rights in development approach.

Prior to 1997, the majority of UN organizations adopted the basic needs approach to development, which involved determining the basic requirements of the intended beneficiaries and then supporting initiatives that would increase service delivery and access to essential goods and services. Prioritizing human rights throughout the UN system was emphasized in both the 1997 UN Secretary General's Programme for Reform and its second phase, An Agenda for Further Change, both of which were conducted in 2001. Some UN organizations committed to integrating human rights into the national development plans of which they were a part adopted the Common Understanding on a rights-based approach in 2003. The Common Understanding was founded on the six guiding principles of Universality and Inalienability, Indivisibility, Inter-Dependence and Inter-Relatedness, Equality and Non-Discrimination, Participation and Inclusion, and Accountability and Rule of Law. The international development industry and local NGOs changed their strategies after the UN adopted these programs and agendas, moving away from meeting the basic needs of beneficiaries and toward ensuring that everyone, including the most disadvantaged and vulnerable, can exercise their fundamental human rights.

The human being is the primary focus of development (rather than economic growth or basic needs), which is one of the key characteristics of the development as entitlement approach that distinguishes it from earlier models of development. Second, it cares just as much about the manner in which development occurs as it does about the results of development. The existence of rights-holders and duty-bearers, as noted by Amartya Sen, is the third and other crucial central element of the development as entitlement approach. To put it another way, this development model views human rights as entitlements that individuals can exercise. This implies that there are corresponding duty-bearers (both state and non-state, such as NGOs), whose responsibility it is to make sure that there are policies in place to ensure that people have these entitlements. If someone's rights are violated, they have the right to seek legal redress.

By recognizing that these rights exist, the development as entitlement approach places a strong emphasis on individual human rights. The government is obligated to defend and uphold peoples' rights as a result of this strategy. Governments are prohibited from interfering with the rights of the people; instead, they must enact laws that uphold these rights, protect them, and stop the state and other actors from violating them; in addition, they must establish social and institutional structures and allot funding to enable people to exercise their fundamental rights.

By changing the discourse of development from a needs-based structure to a rights-based one, the development as entitlements approach is seen as crucial because it empowers the poor. This implies that the poor should not just be considered as the recipients of charity from a state or non-state organization. Instead, they are rights holders who have been given more power by realizing that it is their legal obligation to pursue policies that will improve their lives and their access to better health, education, and employment opportunities. Therefore, the voice of the underprivileged and vulnerable groups in society is strengthened by linking the human rights discourse with development. Thus, the duty-bearers are not dispensing charity but rather administering justice to the underprivileged.

The duty-bearers, both state and non-state, are required by this development model to take responsibility for their actions when it comes to carrying out development strategies and plans. Respecting, defending, and upholding human rights are the three main responsibilities of duty-bearers. This means that all national governments must make sure that laws passed in their nation uphold generally accepted standards for human rights in the post-Declaration of the Right to Development world. Second, the state must safeguard the human rights of common people by making sure that any violations committed by non-state actors are punished and that those whose rights have been violated can receive adequate legal redress and compensation. Last but not least, the state has a responsibility to make sure that there are sufficient legal, judicial, and administrative frameworks in place so that people can fully exercise their rights.

The development as entitlements approach aims to involve the intended beneficiaries, or the locals, in decision-making and program implementation. In other words, rather than a government agency or development organization identifying the needs of a particular vulnerable group of the population, the local population is actively involved in selecting their priorities, issues, and needs. This strategy aims to include all groups and concerns in the development process, not just the local men but also the women, kids, minorities, and indigenous groups. This strategy has been deemed more beneficial than the needs-based, top-down strategy because NGOs that work with the poor locally would have a better understanding of local issues, priorities, and requirements, and would be able to highlight them for development programs. Locals who are included in the development process as stakeholders feel more empowered and contribute to its long-term sustainability.

In order to strengthen the capacities of right holders, the development as entitlements approach aims to transfer capacities from the level of the government and NGO to that of the local population. This strategy basically aims to make interventions sustainable by focusing on rights. In addition to assisting governments in reducing their own reliance on outside aid, sustainability is anticipated to assist local communities in monitoring government assistance without the need for outside intervention. In order for local governance entities like municipalities and Gram Sabhas to effectively carry out their duties, it also simultaneously aims to improve their administrative, financial, and resource capabilities. The human being is positioned at the center of all development interventions in a development as entitlements approach, as a member of a larger community. In addition to being unalienable, human rights impose a duty on governments to guarantee that their citizens can exercise them and that there are effective legal channels available to address any violations or threats of violations.

Needs and rights are not the same thing. As was previously stated, rights are entitlements that people can claim and whose enjoyment governments are required to ensure through various institutional mechanisms. On the other hand, needs are thought of as human aspirations whose fulfillment is not the duty or responsibility of the government. When a need is not met, a person may feel unsatisfied; however, when a right is not upheld, there has been a violation that may be rectified through legal means. A right and human dignity, i.e. e. Is it linked to being or existing rather than aspire to or possess?

Any development intervention process that centers the human being through a rights-based approach must acknowledge the unnegotiable nature of human dignity. Human dignity is non-negotiable and has been acknowledged by international standards and treaties because it cannot be altered by time, place, or culture.

A focus on the economic, social, and cultural rights of individuals replaces the discussion of human rights violations in a development as entitlements perspective. Basic human rights, such as the right to food, clothing, and education, were initially viewed as tools for achieving growth and development, i. e. A state would gradually fulfill these rights as more resources became available. They were therefore not considered to be the people's natural entitlements.

The development as entitlements approach's central tenet, the intrinsic value of economic, social, and cultural rights, is best understood within the context of Amartya Sen's capabilities approach. Sen claims that by enhancing people's capacities, these rights increase their freedom to decide how to live a better life. Because poverty prevents people from living honorably, it should be viewed as a capability failure. Similar to this, a short life expectancy should be viewed as a failure to have access to resources and high-quality medical care necessary to live a healthy life. Sen sees the expansion of economic, social, and cultural rights as enhancing people's freedoms and potential. Additionally, in Sen's view, all of these rights are intertwined. For example, having access to a high-quality education can improve a person's ability to take advantage of employment opportunities while also laying the groundwork for a citizenry that is aware of the need to uphold democratic principles and human rights in society. Sen's capability approach is important in understanding the relevance of viewing economic, social, and cultural rights as non-negotiable entitlements rather than as aspirations to be fulfilled once development is accomplished.