Ethics in human rights work

"Do No Harm" is perhaps the foremost ethical principal in human rights work. The CDA website provides a number of resources on how to integrate this principle into your professional practice, including a complete training manual. - [Read more]

“Why are concepts basic to sustainable development not systematically applied in human rights fieldwork?” The host society voices question the impact and sustainability of the current model of human rights fieldwork which they see as failing to address impunity, as excluding economic, social and cultural rights and gender analysis as well as marginalising the society in whose name it purports to act. - [Read more]

Human rights NGOs often advocate in the name of victims of violations. But where does their legitimacy come from? An important policy question explored in this series of ICHRP papers. - [Read more]

The latest effort in producing a set of standards for NGO accountability, produced by a group of major international NGOs (see link to PDF at bottom of page). Also see the Sphere Project (www.sphereproject.org) and the Red Cross and Red Crescent code of conduct (www.ifrc.org/publicat/conduct/index.asp). - [Read more]

Many NGOs collect information on violations. If care is not taken, this can cause harm to both sources and victims (reprisals by perpetrators). This outstanding paper identifies some essential precautions to take, in an application of the do-no-harm ethical principle. written by Mike Wessels, then of Christian Children's Fund, now with New York University, and Sarah Wikenczy of the International Rescue Committee. - [Read more]