Empowerment, Participation and Non-Discrimination: Operationalizing a Human Rights Based Approach to Development

The objective of the research project is the operationalization of the human rights approach to development in international law, with particular focus on self-determination as its fundamental legal basis and empowerment, participation and non-discrimination as its essential elements. The project devotes special attention to certain groups in need of empowerment, participation and protection against discrimination with regard to development in some selected developing countries. Beneficiaries of development studied are indigenous communities, women and children, including indigenous women and children. The countries included in the project are, amongst others, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Malawi, Paraguay and Tanzania.

The individual research themes cover: the right of self-determination of all peoples as a legal basis for the right to development; the concept of a human rights based approach to development; the right of indigenous communities to participation, empowerment and non-discrimination in development processes under international law; empowerment and participation of women, including indigenous women, in development processes in some Latin American countries, with particular focus on their right to freedom of association; primary education as a prerequisite for empowerment; and indigenous peoples' right to food in development processes.