Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers within the Human Rights Perspective

Abstract

This chapter outlines how far the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) exercise, which covers many very poor countries and involves significant resources, adds to the realization of human rights, and whether changes in the process might raise this contribution. The question that is considered is whether the realization of human rights could be ameliorated by the PRSP process. The chapter begins by presenting an overview of PRSPs. It also addresses how far the process of the PRSPs contributes to empowerment. It then considers whether the process has actually changed poverty reduction programmes, compared with what has happened previously. In addition, it describes changes to the PRSP process which might improve the contribution to empowerment and poverty reduction. The limited experience with PRSPs so far would indicate that PRSPs have not gained very much in enhancing the realization of human rights.