Human Rights Economics

Human Rights Economics strives shares many of the values and objectives of other strands of alternative economic thinking such as Doughnut Economics, Ecological Economics, Buen Vivir or Wellbeing Economy.

It adds to these by bringing the human rights legal and advocacy toolbox to bear in favour of efforts for an economic system that is just for people and respectful of the planet, that promotes social and economic justice, that integrates a plurality of views and traditions and that is human rights-consistent in both its processes and outcomes. 

Human Rights Economics is rooted in globally accepted human rights principles of dignity, substantive equality, non-discrimination, participation and accountability. It posits that economics is blind with respect to the experiences of groups and individuals who are not represented at the policy-making table. Economics’ culture-blindness and lack of attention to the experiences of different groups affect economic policy findings and policy proposals and tend to favour those who are already privileged.

The notion that economic actors must take responsibility – be accountable – for economic processes and the impacts of their economic proposals, policies and practices is at the heart of Human Rights Economics. It emphasizes the need for economic decision-making to be participatory and consistent with human rights principles, and requires feedback loops to permit adapting economic policies as new evidence emerges.