Rethinking Macro Economic Strategies from a Human Rights Perspective

The current economic climate has generated a space for reflection on the effectiveness of macroeconomic policies. There is an emerging recognition that the existing models not only fail to fulfil macroeconomic expectations of sustained growth and stability, but these policies do not promote their citizens´ development and thus do not guarantee their social and economic rights. The formulation of economic policy and the realization of human rights have traditionally been seen as separate disciplines. Civil society groups that advocate greater consideration of human rights often lack the appropriate language, in-depth macroeconomic knowledge, political negotiation skills and practical tools to work with these entities to develop dialogue and initiate advances in this area. The purpose of this workshop will be to help activists understand macroeconomic policy from a human rights perspective. The workshop aims to provide Civil Society Organizations with an introduction about how to intervene in economic policies and impact government spending. The workshop should generate interest in the strategic use of human rights not only as a moral framework but also as a concrete legal tool to hold governments and other actors accountable.