Defending Dignity A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions on Monitoring Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
OUTCOMES
POLICY
EFFORTS
RESOURCES
ASSESSMENT
Measure aggregate levels
of rights enjoyment
Measure disparities in
rights enjoyment
Measure progress
over time
Minimum core
obligations
Non-discrimination
Progressive realization
Identify legal and
policy commitments
Examine policy content
and implementation
Analyze policy
processes
Take steps
AAAAQ criteria
PANTHER principles,
right to remedy
Evaluate resource
allocation
Evaluate resource
generation
Analyze policy
processes
Maximum resources
Availability of
resources
PANTHER principles
Identify other
determinants
Understand
state constraints
Determine
state compliance
Indivisibility and
interdependence
Respect and protect,
duty to cooperate
Obligation to fulfill
3.3.1. Step one: Outcomes
To prioritize the perspective of the rights holder, step one starts with obligations of result. It suggests
ways to identify socio-economic indicators that measure well-being (e.g. mortality rates, literacy rates,
employment rates) and interrogate them against international standards. Key questions include: What
are the current levels of enjoyment of the right? Do these levels appear high or low when compared to
similar countries? How do these levels change when we look at the situation of particular social groups?
Has the level of enjoyment of the right become better or worse over time? Has progress been rapid or
slow, consistent or sporadic?
Measure aggregate levels of rights enjoyment
• Why? Widespread deprivations suggest the obligations of result (e.g. reaching minimum essential
levels of a right) are not being met.
• How? Compare socio-economic outcome indicators to benchmarks or to similar countries (e.g.
in the region or according to level of development). Differences suggest whether or not a country’s
performance is reasonable.
Measure disparities in rights enjoyment
• Why? Differences in the enjoyment of a right raise concerns about possible discrimination and
entrenched inequalities.
• How? Disaggregate socio-economic indicators by relevant population groups (e.g. ethnicity,
religion, sex, gender, residence, income level).
Measure progress over time
• Why? Identifying trends in the enjoyment of a right over time can show whether it is being
progressively realized and whether disparities are growing or reducing.
• How? Compare the same socio-economic indicators over time (aggregate and disaggregated).
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