Maximizing Achievements in Human Rights Development: Arguments for a Rights-Based Approach to Land Tenure Reform

In the past, the human rights agenda lacked persuasive power over international development practitioners for two main reasons: 1) human rights are inherently political and therefore threaten the acceptance of international development agendas by recipient governments, and 2) human rights are not conducive to benchmarks and indicators, which donors require as measures of accountability, transparency, and proof of effectiveness. This paper provides a case for how and why a “rights-based approach” (RBA) to land management creates better development outcomes than a traditional development approach, even when measured with the same indicators such as poverty reduction, household level food security, women’s empowerment, and sustainable development.