Press Release ECE/STAT/00/9
Geneva, 9 September 2000
Measuring
Human Rights: It Can and Should Be Done!
"Statistics is a powerful tool for the
defence of human rights. It permits to identify the good performers, name and shame the
laggards, stimulate emulation and competition for the adoption of best practise in human
rights policies", says Paolo Garonna, Director of the Statistical Division of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). "Even though, as in most
social sciences, the quantification of the violations of human rights and the measurement
of progress is difficult, it can and should be done".
This issue is being discussed at a Conference on "Statistics
Development and Human Rights" sponsored by UN/ECE and organised by the Swiss Federal
Statistical Office and the International Association of Official Statisticians, in
Montreux, from the 4 to the 9 of September 2000.
Measurement of human rights requires the development of statistical
concepts, definitions and classifications. For example what do we mean precisely by
"participatory democracy" or "equal opportunities for all"? It
requires also to accompany policy efforts with investment in data, so that it becomes
possible to measure the impact of programmes on discrimination, human security, social and
cultural rights. "Reporting on human rights performance should be based on a solid
and common framework of questions and information, and accompanied by policy relevant
indicators and comparable data" further stresses Mr. Garonna. "Standard concepts
and indicators have to be set at the global level so that data and trends can be compared
across countries and regions".
"What was done for national accounts and inflation in the past, or
more recently with the Maastricht criteria for public deficits and debts, needs to be done
now for human rights: construct indices and benchmarks to measure progress and evaluate
performance. In the new context created by the information society, showing precisely what
countries have done, and not done, can be even more effective than sanctions.
"I appeal - concludes Mr. Garonna - to the world of research,
social scientists, economists, statisticians, to work with the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) and other international organisations for building a system
of measures and indicators to make human rights policies more transparent and
effective".
For further information:
Mr. Paolo Garonna,
Director, Statistical Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Telephone: (+41 22) 917 41 44
Fax: (+41 22) 917 00 40
E-mail: [email protected]
In order to provide you with a better service, we would appreciate it if
you would send a copy of your article to: Information Unit, United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), Palais des Nations, Room 356, CH - 1211
Geneva 10, Switzerland,
Tel: +(41 22) 917 44 44, Fax: +(41 22) 917 05 05,E-mail: [email protected]
Thank you. |