ActionAid Australia - Essay Example

This essay is for the study of action aid Australia The following discussion would be an analysis of the approach adopted by one of the better known non-government organizations - ActionAid Australia, which makes use of the rights-based approach for tackling relevant issues regarding to development. A rights-based approach to programming recognizes local populations as the primary stakeholders in their own development; the idea therefore is that they must live with the long-term outcome of the development activities that are undertaken keeping them in mind; therefore they must have an active role to play in the formulation and implementation of these policies (Richmond and Carey, 2006, p155). The approach, in essence, emphasizes the right that we have, as human beings, to a secure dignified existence, and, ay the same time, the responsibilities we all have to assist each other’s realizations of these very rights. The approach treats indigenous communities as responsible actors, and more about helping people gain control than about providing them with a specific product. To this end therefore an NGO that functions on back of a rights based approach would be automatically then focused more on empowerment of people through devising self help strategies than about helping people as a one-off instance. The approach works based on an aim that seeks to further the achievement of human rights target, utilizing the concept of rights that we, as human beings, have as the benchmark for provisioning development oriented strategies (Gruskin, 2005, p101). This would have ramifications, in terms of, not just economic and political rights but also in terms of social and cultural rights. The role of the organization is of an important social cause as it looks at ensuring that it creates awareness among those who are facing difficulties that the problems are due to the fact that there has been a violation of their human rights. It aims at ensuring that it can create awareness about the role of the failure of the system to uphold their basic human rights. The main aim of the organization is to ensure that it can empower those who have been marginalized by the society so that they become more aware of their rights. Through such actions the organization aims to create awareness among the marginalized so that they come forward, and can voice their needs and through these actions achieve a better life which is based in safety and stability. There have been, over time, detractors that question the ability of an NGO such as Action-Aid Australia to use and to implement factors of the rights based approach, integrating them within their own strategies for helping people. At the heart of the debate is the fact that the origin of the concept itself is debatable. There are those that contend that the rights approaches derive, in essence, from gender and human rights struggles (Mossman, 1986, pp32-46), yet others contend that the origins are traceable the struggle for freedom itself (Sen, 1999, p21). There are also those who argue that the concept originates from the struggle for the rights of disabled people (Menasveta, 1997, p2). Others still have an interpretation that explains the rights based approach as a natural progression from the struggle for rights, both political and civil, in terms of rights to up-liftment of social status and economic ability along with cultural and social entitlements (Curtis, 2003, p558). Yet another explanation of the origins of the approaches, discussed by Sano (2000, pp734-752), is that the different branches of development related disciplines, including the study of human rights has been brought together by the debate on rights, united by the post Cold-war context that emphasizes the importance of rights. The previously separate disciplines, economics and human rights, have been linked by this, given the fact that rights affect every aspect of life in civil society. Together, these two disciplines have seen an evolution. The idea now is to favor a novel needs based approach towards development that tends to make sense for all actors involved working in the favor of development related works. How an NGO, such as ActionAid Australia, interprets the origins of the rights-approaches is crucial to how it develops an explicit rights policy (Curtis, 2003, pp558-562.). If one were to discuss the work that an NGO could do in terms of the implementation of strategies that are in spirit, part of the story, one would assume that they could help communities to carbon credit trade markets, increase capacity for mitigating effects of climate change and environmental degradation and in aiding communities gain higher share of profits by aiding value added enterprises. Where ActionAid Australia is concerned there is a sense of self proclaimed purpose in the manner in which ActionAid Australia seeks to project itself as a right based NGO. The areas of functioning it covers is an exhaustive list which is inclusive of emergency and conflict related work, furthering the rights of women and the girl child, recognizing the importance of and working towards an increasingly educated world, working with HIV and Aids awareness. However the two most innate aspects of the work done by ActionAid Australia, which further the equation of the rights-based approach is the work the Ngo does with respect to food security and governance. The idea innate to both the causes is that there is an inherent right of the people to get education, to live a healthy life free of Aids, get enough food for sustenance and the overall right of people to live a poverty free existence. There is an innately socialist quality about the tone and tenor of the work that the organization carries out, given the fact that the stated purpose of the organization is mired in the belief democracy is incomplete until and unless, governance is carried out keeping the interests of the people in mind-reiterating a utilitarian philosophy behind the nature and purpose of governance. Founded in spirit on the 1948, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the rights-based approach is centered around and is concerned with the equation of both the processes that go into making development actually happen and the results of these processes at both the macro and the micro level (Wilson, 2005, p215). Hence in case of an NGO such as ActionAid Australia, one finds an innate recognition of and acceptance for, the facts that monitor and ultimately impact the long term nature of development work. Thus one finds that work has the ability to relate the fact of water availability with the progressive betterment in the standard of living where women are concerned, because drinking water is a right, and the worst sufferers in its absence are women. The fact that education is a right and when imparted could act as an empowerment tool is reflected in Action-Aid’s programs across 70 countries. It also helped co-found the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) a decade back managing to gain commitments from 185 countries for providing strong educational networks. The overarching principle governing the underlying philosophy of 10the Paris Declaration, is the acknowledgment that associate governments have more control over their country’s progress than the contributors- the idea therefore remains that it is the onus of the partner country to commit to lead and take responsibility for their country’s development, with support from donors (Bruce, 2008, p48). The problem therefore is that according to the Paris Declaration, partner countries need to commit to lead their growth policies and strategies, and to coordinate development assistance. In the absence of such ownership, aid would have limited and temporary impact on the overall process of poverty reduction, thereby grounding the Paris agreement in practicality, of the fact that in all political reality donors can, under no circumstances, “buy” reform from unwilling governments. The problem with the functions provided by ActionAid Australia is rooted in the very factor that made the Paris Declaration mired in reality. Much of the work done by the organization is a direct effort, with little or no help from local governments and administration bodies. This makes the overall process shallow and superficial, with no real lasting impact whatsoever. The fact that ActionAid, as a donor, has multiple aims in providing this aid is a problem; given that because of dissection, not all of the aid goes for poverty reduction meaning that ActionAid allocate and spend aids in accordance with objectives other than poverty alleviation alone. The changing nature of the poverty problem requires a coordinated international response. The current method of working is poorly designed and ill equipped to effectively manage these challenges. The problem with the work that ActionAid does first is with respect to transparency, because of the fact that a donor when he gives money would like, in all probabilities, to know the use to which his/her money is being put. The second problem is with respect to implementation, given the fact that an international NGO such as ActionAid could not function in the absence of support from local governing bodies. So while the rights-based approach works in theory, there are numerous impediments in its actual implementation where real projects are concerned. Reference: ActionAid Australia. retrieved June 25, 2010, Bruce, M., Working together to make aid more effective: Oral and written evidence. The Stationery Office. 2008. Curtis, E. M. Rights based approaches-Issues for NGOs. Development in Practice. 13(5). (2003) Gruskin, S., Perspectives on health and human rights. Routledge Books. (2005). Mossman, M. J. Feminism and Legal Method: The Difference it Makes. Australian Journal of Law and Society, Vol. 3, (1986) Menasveta, P. Intensive and efficient shrimp culture system – the Thai way – can save mangroves. Aquaculture Asia. (2). (1997). Richmond, O. P., and Carey, H. F. Subcontracting peace: the challenges of NGO peacebuilding. Ashgate Publishing. (2006) Sen, A. Development as Freedom. Oxford, Oxford University Press. (1999) Sano, H. O., Development and Human Rights: The Necessary, but Partial Integration of Human Rights and Development’. Human Rights Quarterly. Vol. 22. (2000). Wilson, E. F. The Human-Rights based approach to development: The right to water. Netherlands Quaterly of Human Rights. 23(2). (2005) Read More

Yet another explanation of the origins of the approaches, discussed by Sano (2000, pp734-752), is that the different branches of development related disciplines, including the study of human rights has been brought together by the debate on rights, united by the post Cold-war context that emphasizes the importance of rights. The previously separate disciplines, economics and human rights, have been linked by this, given the fact that rights affect every aspect of life in civil society. Together, these two disciplines have seen an evolution.

The idea now is to favor a novel needs based approach towards development that tends to make sense for all actors involved working in the favor of development related works. How an NGO, such as ActionAid Australia, interprets the origins of the rights-approaches is crucial to how it develops an explicit rights policy (Curtis, 2003, pp558-562.). If one were to discuss the work that an NGO could do in terms of the implementation of strategies that are in spirit, part of the story, one would assume that they could help communities to carbon credit trade markets, increase capacity for mitigating effects of climate change and environmental degradation and in aiding communities gain higher share of profits by aiding value added enterprises.

Where ActionAid Australia is concerned there is a sense of self proclaimed purpose in the manner in which ActionAid Australia seeks to project itself as a right based NGO. The areas of functioning it covers is an exhaustive list which is inclusive of emergency and conflict related work, furthering the rights of women and the girl child, recognizing the importance of and working towards an increasingly educated world, working with HIV and Aids awareness. However the two most innate aspects of the work done by ActionAid Australia, which further the equation of the rights-based approach is the work the Ngo does with respect to food security and governance.

The idea innate to both the causes is that there is an inherent right of the people to get education, to live a healthy life free of Aids, get enough food for sustenance and the overall right of people to live a poverty free existence. There is an innately socialist quality about the tone and tenor of the work that the organization carries out, given the fact that the stated purpose of the organization is mired in the belief democracy is incomplete until and unless, governance is carried out keeping the interests of the people in mind-reiterating a utilitarian philosophy behind the nature and purpose of governance.

Founded in spirit on the 1948, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the rights-based approach is centered around and is concerned with the equation of both the processes that go into making development actually happen and the results of these processes at both the macro and the micro level (Wilson, 2005, p215). Hence in case of an NGO such as ActionAid Australia, one finds an innate recognition of and acceptance for, the facts that monitor and ultimately impact the long term nature of development work.

Thus one finds that work has the ability to relate the fact of water availability with the progressive betterment in the standard of living where women are concerned, because drinking water is a right, and the worst sufferers in its absence are women. The fact that education is a right and when imparted could act as an empowerment tool is reflected in Action-Aid’s programs across 70 countries. It also helped co-found the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) a decade back managing to gain commitments from 185 countries for providing strong educational networks.

The overarching principle governing the underlying philosophy of 10the Paris Declaration, is the acknowledgment that associate governments have more control over their country’s progress than the contributors- the idea therefore remains that it is the onus of the partner country to commit to lead and take responsibility for their country’s development, with support from donors (Bruce, 2008, p48).

Read More