good governance practices for the protection of human rights

In Ecuador, transparency in the budget process enabled an informed public
debate about expenditures and ultimately contributed to more funds going to
education, health, welfare, employment and housing. In Lebanon, the publication
by a non-governmental organization of the procedures involved in issuing
construction permits empowered the public by clearly stating citizens’ rights visà-vis
government agencies. In India, grass-roots mobilization demanded and gained
greater access to government documents leading to greater accountability on
the part of public officials.
5. Public education and awareness-raising on human rights strengthen efforts to
reform social and legal practices
Public education efforts raise awareness of human rights and social issues, spark
debate and enable informed social dialogue. Rights awareness is especially important
among vulnerable and disadvantaged groups as well as the State and civil
organizations working with them.
In an effort to combat corruption, activists in India educated the public about the
right to access government documents and information and its close link to their
livelihood. This public education effort facilitated the subsequent mobilization
in favour of right-to-information legislation and the public gatherings “auditing”
the work of local governments. In the Republic of Korea, activism by civil society
brought to national attention the plight of migrant workers. Building on this
work, the National Human Rights Commission presented its recommendations
to strengthen the protection of migrants’ rights, which led to the adoption of new
legislation. In Poland, public awareness campaigns on corruption in the healthcare
sector contributed to an informed public discussion and more transparent
procedures in managing hospital waiting lists.
6. Strengthening accountability of public officials is an important contributor to
human rights protection
The accountability of public officials may be strengthened through the adoption
of sound legislation, the establishment of institutional checks and balances,
the establishment of systems providing redress to victims of violations,
and the training of State officials on human rights and good governance
principles. For example, in Botswana, the Directorate of Corruption and
Economic Crime strengthened the accountability of officials by investigating
complaints of alleged offences from the public and recommending the adoption
of anti-corruption procedures by State institutions.
7. Addressing inequalities requires a focus on the marginalized and vulnerable
Good governance practices for human rights can empower members of disadvantaged
and minority groups to defend their rights by ensuring their inclusion
and representation in politics and policymaking.
6