Details

Technical Note

A Note on Devolution and Human Rights: An opportunity availed or lost?

Ahmed Nazir Warraich

INDUSTRY :

AREA : Devolution & Governance

ORGANIZATION : Soan Valley Development Programme

LENGTH : 15

LUMS No : 20-008-2006-2

PUBLICATION YEAR : 2006

KEYWORDS:

Devolution,Governance,Human Rights,Opportunity,Rationale of Devolution,Empowerement of Citizens,Sociology,Local Government Ordinance

DESCRIPTION:

This paper focuses on the relationship between the ongoing devolution process in Pakistan and human rights. It is divided into four sections. Firstly, it looks at the rationale of devolution, which is essentially the empowerment of the people and their elected representatives at the local level, through improved institutional and legal mechanisms, and administrative accountability. In the second part, various political rights conferred by the new Local Government Ordinance and the Police Order are enumerated and an assessment is made of their adequacy to achieve the objectives of devolution. It is argued that the focus of the new institutional framework is somewhat restricted, as it does not encompass all those categories of human rights, which could have been achieved through a process like this. In the third part, an analysis of human rights is done in a sociological, cultural and economic perspective, to ascertain the success or failure of devolution. Elements of tension and discord which underpin the new governance paradigm and the social and political structures in traditional local politics are highlighted, along with their effect on fundamental human rights. Finally, a list of interventions has been developed to improve the processes to achieve the primary goal of devolution: the empowerment of citizens.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

SUBJECTS COVERED:

Governance