Integrating Development Aid with Human Right Issues: The Case of Ethiopia
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Date
2008
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
The 2'd half of the by gone century has witnessed the evolution of the concept of human
rights to assume a universal jurisdiction. Today a violation of human rights in one part of
the planet is a violation against international community. Not only individual states but
also states functioning at the international level are duty bearers regarding human rights.
In short individual states and international community are required to respect, protect and
promote human rights in every part of the world.
The right to development is one of the recently emerging human rights. Tracing its
ideological birth in Africa back in 1970s, the right to development proved to be one of
the cherished rights of peoples and individuals, especially those living in economically
poor countries to which Ethiopia squarely belongs.
Obligations attached to human rights in general and the right to development specifically
required the international community (especially the economically developed ones) to
extend aid of various forms to the peoples I iving in poor countries. One form of sllch aid
is development aid.
Paradoxically development aid from the donors has a potential of affecting hmnan rights
in the recipient cOllntries both positively and negatively.
Human rights status in a given recipient country has also a role in determining the
effectiveness of development aid in that country.
The normative framework build upon human right law, the multidimensional effects of
development aid on human rights and the instrumental value of human rights for aid
effectiveness all induced this thesis to argue that donors should integrate human rights in
to their development activities.
In this thesis I have argued that donors of Ethiopia should redesign their development
policy in such a way that it accommodates human right consideration in a meaningful
way.