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Thematic Review of the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR)

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Thematic Review of the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) FINAL REPORT Thematic Review of the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) 21 September 2009 Thematic Review of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) Final report September 2009 Contents Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................. 5 Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 6 1. Objectives, methodology................................................................................................................... 18 2. Context .............................................................................................................................................. 21 2.1 Transition - pioneer to consolidation.......................................................................................... 21 2.2 DIHR as a duty-bearer ................................................................................................................. 22 3. Comparative advantages & capacities .............................................................................................. 27 3.1 Overview...................................................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Core NHRI role – advising on Denmark’s human rights obligations............................................ 28 3.3 Core NHRI criteria – independence & public accountability....................................................... 29 3.4 Treaty body recommendations .................................................................................................. 31 3.5 Holistic Statute ............................................................................................................................ 32 3.6 Expertise and capacities .............................................................................................................. 35 4. Priority-setting – geographic, thematic, strategic............................................................................. 40 4.1 Geographic focus over the last 2 years ....................................................................................... 40 4.2 Efforts to apply a regional approach ........................................................................................... 43 4.3 Thematic focus over the last 2 years........................................................................................... 46 4.4 Funding related to geographic and thematic priority setting ..................................................... 48 4.5 DIHR consultancies ..................................................................................................................... 50 4.6 Findings & recommendations: implications for strategic priority-setting .................................. 52 5. Aid effectiveness principles............................................................................................................... 58 5.1 Ownership – state and non-state................................................................................................ 59 5.2 Alignment .................................................................................................................................... 62 5.3 Harmonisation & donor coordination......................................................................................... 64 5.4 Mutual accountability and managing for results ........................................................................ 66 6. Organisational consolidation............................................................................................................. 76 6.1 Organisational learning – suggested next steps.......................................................................... 79 2 | P a g e Thematic Review of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) Final report September 2009 Annex I: Terms of Reference ................................................................................................................. 81 Annex IV: Principles of human rights based approaches to development ........................................... 88 Annex II – Meetings (separate) Annex III – Documents (separate) 3 | P a g e Thematic Review of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) Final report September 2009 Abbreviations CAA Co-operation Application Agreement (annual application by DIHR for draw- down of funds within the MFA Co-operation Agreement DIHR Danish Institute for Human Rights FNIS Forces Nationales d'Intervention et de Sécurité, the rural police (Niger) HR Human Rights HRBA Human Rights Based Approaches HR&B Human Rights & Business Department (in DIHR) HRDs Human Rights Defenders M&E Monitoring & Evaluation MFA Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Denmark if not otherwise specified) NHRI National Human Rights Institution PCM Programme Cycle Management RBM Results Based Management 4 | P a g e Thematic Review of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) Final report September 2009 Acknowledgements The team, led by Karen Kenny (International Human Rights Network, Ireland; with the research support of Hannah Grene, IHRN) and including Charlotte Ørnemark and Rasmus Jørgensen (Nordic Consulting Group), would like to thank first and foremost all the staff at DIHR who generously contributed with their time, personal insights and reflections throughout this process. In particular, the team would like to thank Hans-Otto Sano as DIHR’s focal point for the review, and Jonas Christoffersen as Director, for generously making themselves available throughout the process. The team is also grateful to interviewed staff in MFA for providing documentation, for providing valuable information and insights and engaging in workshop discussions; as well as to those who facilitated or participated in, email surveys (to partners of DIHR, international development partners, Embassy staff). Regarding field visits, a particular word of thanks is due to the DIHR HQ staff and field colleagues who facilitated the visits in every way to maximise the time available. Lastly, the team has appreciated DIHR and MFA’s approach to the review as a process which does not start or end with the production of this output, but rather that it is seen as a component in the longer term mutual learning process for future collaboration. 5 | P a g e Thematic Review of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) Final report September 2009 Executive summary “National Human Rights Institutions are recognised globally as critical partners in the protection and promotion of human rights ” – Louise Arbour, High Commissioner for Human Rights 2005 1 Context Below is a table summarising key findings and recommendations. The key overall finding is that the review has taken place at a time of transition within the Institute’s management and governance structures, on foot of self-identified need for a period of organisational consolidation after a period of rapid expansion, re-structuring and changed management. This transition presents a genuine opportunity to strengthen DIHR’s management structures, systems, procedures, accountability and ability to undertake systematic organisational learning. As such, the review has focussed on the future and applied a process-oriented approach to maximise engagement with DIHR staff and managers and to contribute where possible to processes of change currently underway within the Institute. The key recommendation of this review is that DIHR should continue to prioritise organisational consolidation by allocating the necessary time and resources to that process - and that it is strongly recommended that it receive the support of MFA in doing so at this key phase in its evolution. The report addresses the ToR issues grouped under the following headings, each section building on the previous. Having outlined key aspects of the objectives and methodology (1) applied in the review the report notes two key aspects of the (2) review context : DIHR transition from pioneering to consolidation phase; and its identity as a duty-bearer under international law, setting the parameters for its work as a public body. In addition, DIHR has been recognised as meeting the international criteria for recognition as a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) . This entails in particular: an advisory role regarding Danish human rights obligations; application of international human rights law; independence; and public accountability. Meeting these criteria for NHRI recognition is recognised by the Institute as one of its most important comparative advantages (3) , with the status, advocacy opportunity, networking possibilities and obligations that this entails. In this context, the new phase of consolidation of management structures and systems is expected to equip DIHR to set priorities (4) for its international work starting from a position of clear organisational identity and comparative advantage as a public body applying human rights based approaches to its work, and as an NHRI. DIHR’s contribution to the application of the Paris aid effectiveness principles (5) in key areas such as DIHR’s partnership approach and methods is reviewed. This section also considers the importance 6 | P a g e Thematic Review of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) Final report September 2009
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