Gender Integration

IV. Gender Integration in
Democracy, Human Rights, and
Governance Programming Modules
MODULE 1: INTEGRATING
GENDER INTO HUMAN RIGHTS
PROGRAMMING
Human rights are “rights inherent to all
human beings, regardless of nationality, gender,
sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin,
religion, language, or any other status.” 1 Several
conventions and protocols comprise what is
referred to as the International Bill of Human
Rights, which outlines universal legal guarantees
from the rights to be free from discrimination
and violations of physical integrity to the right
to due process of law and the collective right
of peoples to self-determination. 2
International human rights law is grounded in the premise
that states have obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill
human rights. States institutionalize respect for and protection
of human rights through laws that regulate both public
practices and private behaviors impacting individuals’ and
communities’ enjoyment of their rights. Although there are
differences among states, there are three core principles
that define how states should reaffirm human rights in their
legal systems:
1. Universal and inalienable. All human beings are born
with human rights that can not be taken away and they
can not be given up.
2. Indivisible and interdependent. The protection of
one right is likely to protect other rights. Denying one
right may violate another right or rights.
3. Equal and non-discriminatory. Universality has been
affirmed and specified by human rights conventions, such
as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
12 USAID | Gender Integration in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) Programming Toolkit