A holistic human rights-based approach in the Arctic governance?

Introducing Human Rights to the Arctic Council

Adam Stepien

The Arctic: Between Competition and Cooperation

Wroclaw, 23 November 2012

Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law

Arctic Centre, University of Lapland

ARKTIS Doctoral Programme

What is HRBA?

Holistic perspective on human rights

Why to use it in the Arctic?

How to use it?

Institutional approach

Why not?

Conclusion

HR-based approach?More than HR mainstreaming

Utilising human rights language

Practical tool of governance

Policy design - goal, implementation, evaluation

Framework of analysis

Process and outcome

Accountability

Vulnerable groups

Power and re-politicization - de-technicalization

Non/presence of HRBA in the Arctic Council

Arctic Council’s documents avoid „rights” vocabulary

AHDR and Arctic Social Indicators

Tromso Declaration 2009:Recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples and the interests

of all Arctic residents

Holistic HR outside the scientific discourse

Why to use HRBA in the international Arctic governance?

Every form of governance has a HR impact

HR offer a powerful language

Strengthening HR advocacy in the Arctic

Rights of Arctic non-indigenous residents of rising importanceDevolution throughout the region

Many issues within the scope of SDWG are easily HR-transferable

Climate change discourse

HRs as part of Human Security

How?Goal of Arctic governance: promoting human rights

Greater knowledge and awareness of HR in the Arctic

Practically?

Arctic HR Ombudsman?

Working Group on Human Rights?

Expanding SDWG mandate?

Using HR language?

Reports on the HR situation?

Human rights impact assessments?

AC as a forum for grieviances

Prioritisation of projects?

Allocation of funding?

Greater involvement of NGOs in the work of the Arctic Council?

Evaluating effectiveness of Council’s work?

Why not?Fluffy, fuzzy HRBA idea

Criticism towards HR

Sometimes HR are better protected without mentioning HR

Re-politicisation, de-technicalisation of governance

HRBA if taken seriously would need to be holisticDanger for indigenous peoples’ interests?

Ovelapping agendas (CoE, IACHR, OSCE, NC, national systems)

Resistance of Arctic actors

Is it effective? (anywhere!?!?)Realm of development; Baltic cooperation

Disappointing conclusion...

Probably too early for the HRBA in the Arctic Councilnot necesserily in the Arctic in general

HRBA may be detrimental for Arctic cooperation

Holistic, „the rights of all Arctic inhabitants” approach dangerous from the indigenous point of view

But HR language slowly making its way even to the Arctic Council

Maybe in the future, with rising importance of the institution?

HRBA as a research tool for analysis?

Thank you