This review presents a broad overview of the most prominent and well-evidenced programmes providing safe spaces for girls in six selected countries. Key findings The criteria for defining a ‘safe space’ followed the Population Council’s guidance, and the following programmes all contain these elements: A physical space where adolescent girls (10-19 years old) meet regularly An ...» more
Human rights
Poor people’s rights and successful legal actions
Key finding: Landmark rulings by South Africa’s Constitutional Court in favour of poor people’s social and economic rights since the 1990s have drawn widespread attention to the law as a tool for realising poor people’s rights and tackling the underlying systemic problems in a way that empowers individuals and communities. But while there has been broad support for using the ...» more
International legal frameworks for humanitarian action
International legal frameworks for humanitarian action provide guidance on delivering assistance in a variety of challenging contexts. They can also be powerful tools in advocating for, and achieving, the protection of civilians. ...» more
Interventions to tackle sex selection in Asia
The key finding of the literature is that the most effective strategies address social norms and beliefs, as well as providing technical solutions. Strategies need to take into account the specific drivers and expressions of sex selection in each context. The effective interventions identified are:Restricting the use of sex-selection methods: Restricting technology and ...» more
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and Aid
Strategies that have been tried by development agencies (government and NGO) to secure and protect the rights of LGBT people, particularly in Africa, include: Action on HIV/AIDS: Donor and NGO concerns about the links between health and economic, social and political vulnerability opened up spaces to talk about the human rights of people marginalised by their sexuality. ...» more
Donors’ and agencies’ humanitarian protection frameworks
This report provides information on the strategy documents that frame different donors’ and humanitarian agencies’ approaches to protection, and highlights the key focus of each document. Many definitions of humanitarian protection exist, with many donors supporting, and agencies undertaking, protection activities. These are mostly in situations of conflict, or as a result of ...» more
Vulnerable groups in Burma and access to services
Key fndings: This report focuses on vulnerable groups in Burma and access to basic services. The first part of the report outlines groups considered to be vulnerable and marginalised. These include minority ethnic groups (such as the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Rohingyas, Shan). In some cases, minorities’ ethnic identity is closely linked with a religion other than ...» more
The Arab Spring and its impact on human rights in the MENA region
The Middle East and North Africa region is large and diverse, and it is difficult to make regional generalisations about the impact of the Arab Spring on human rights. Long-standing authoritarian rulers have been overthrown in Tunisia and Egypt, and in Libya, a new interim government controls much of the country. In other countries, changes have been less radical but ...» more
Policies on Displacement and Resettlement
Displacement can be caused by a number of factors, including conflict, natural disaster and development. Most donor and NGO policy appears to focus on conflict-induced and natural disaster-induced displacement. Multilateral agencies, however, have generated more comprehensive guidelines and principles to address issues relating to development-induced displacement and ...» more
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting and gender indicators
FGM/C is rooted in gender inequality and is used as a form of social control over women. While the practice and the decision of putting a girl through FGM/C may be taken by the girl’s mother or another female relative, there is a need to contextualise these decisions within societies that are strongly patriarchal. Underpinning early marriage, early pregnancy, lack of girls ...» more
The impact of human trafficking on people and countries
Human smuggling and trafficking have become a world-wide industry, incorporating millions of people annually, and generating an annual turnover of billions of dollars. The impacts of trafficking are felt both in the countries from which people are trafficked, and the countries to which they are trafficked. In both sets of countries there are implications for: Society, including ...» more
Combating human trafficking – approaches and lessons
Human Trafficking is a global problem. International legal consensus on the issue was reached with the ratification of the Convention on Organised Crime in Palermo in 2000, ratified to date by 117 countries (146 Parties in total), and its associated Protocols (the Palermo Protocols), including the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially ...» more
Governance in Southern and Eastern Africa
This literature review identifies key governance issues and trends in Southern and Eastern Africa. Some of the issues and trends reflect developments and challenges common throughout the continent. This review highlights a range of governance issues and trends, including: the emergence of hybrid regimes mixed results on human rights and rule of law the persistence of ...» more
Child Marriage
This short report summarises some of the main evidence presented in recent literature about the prevalence, trends and impact of child marriage (defined by UNICEF as customary or statutory union where one or both of the partners is under the age of 18). It is based on a 2-day survey of prominent (widely-cited) literature published by credible institutions. It does not ...» more
Religion and Democracy in Secular States
The literature notes that various approaches have been adopted by democracies in dealing with the relationship between religion and the state. These range from excluding religion as a political force altogether (such as in Turkey); to constitutionally privatising religion (such as in France and the US); through to recognising the communal nature of religion (such as in Israel). ...» more
Equality and Human Rights Commission
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is a non-departmental public body established under the Equality Act 2006. It began its operations on 1 October 2007. It brings together the work of the three previous equality commissions - the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). The EHRC also takes ...» more
Increased religiosity among women in muslim majority countries
It has hitherto been assumed, at least by western development practitioners, that women's rights are best attained through secularist liberal interpretations of equality, of the sort reflected in conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Yet what does increasing use of the veil and greater religious observances ...» more
Prevalence as an Indicator for Anti-forced labour and Anti-sex Trafficking Projects
Prevalence does not seem to be currently used to measure the impact of anti-forced labour, anti-sex trafficking or other anti-slavery projects, although there is no evidence to suggest that it is not a suitable indicator. Instead, the following types of indicators have been used or suggested by experts for measuring the impact of justice interventions: changes in knowledge or ...» more
Literature on Yemen
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Social Exclusion Issues in Afghanistan
None of the literature surveyed applies the term ‘social exclusion’ to the Afghan context and most of the relevant discussion is couched in terms of ‘vulnerable groups’. These are identified primarily as women, returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), people with disabilities, and ethnic groups such as the Kuchi nomads. Children, the elderly and ex-soldiers are also ...» more
