Learning Objectives
Human Rights and National Development

After studying this unit, you should be able to:

• Understand the value and uses of human rights for deepening democracy;
  
  
• Understand the role human rights plays in securing good governance in society and a nation;
  
  
• Realize the potential that human rights can help foster for pro-poor development.

Introduction and Overview

There is now an acceptance among the international community about the centrality of human rights and their importance in democracy and development. This unit explores the link between human rights, democracy, good governance and pro–poor development. It emphasizes that human rights protection is indispensable to entrenching substantive democracy and promoting pro-poor development.