In Cambodia, as in many nations, citizens have fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution, including access to essential services like fishing lots, healthcare, and education. A human rights-based strategy is a framework used to empower communities to realize and exercise these rights, transforming them from passive recipients of services into active participants in their own development.
Defining a Human Rights-Based Strategy
A human rights-based strategy is fundamentally about empowering individuals to claim their rights and ensuring that the government fulfills its duty to respect, protect, and promote them. This approach divides people into two key roles:
Rights Owners: These are the people who are entitled to certain rights and services, such as the right to a free education for children. When these rights are not fully met, the rights owners have the responsibility to advocate for them.
Duty Bearers (or Governors): These are the individuals and institutions, such as government officials, police, judges, and parliamentarians, who are responsible for ensuring that the rights of citizens are protected and promoted. Their role is not to give rights as a gift, but to fulfill a responsibility that is owed to the people.
Community-Led Advocacy and Action
A human rights-based strategy is not a top-down model. It requires active participation from the community. When a problem is identified, community members are encouraged to come together to discuss, learn, analyze, and share information. This collective effort gives a community independence and a sense of ownership, enabling them to find and mobilize their own resources effectively to address issues.
This approach strengthens a community's ability to hold duty bearers accountable and ensures that their development is self-reliant and sustainable. By understanding their rights and collectively advocating for them, local people can improve their livelihoods and ensure that their constitutional rights are fully realized.
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