Ethical responsibilities of human rights NGOs

Abstract

As the power of human rights NGOs (HRNGOs) increases, legitimate questions are being raised about their responsibilities. NGOs are not bound by international law. Nevertheless, HRNGOs have ethical responsibilities that flow from their mission and in turn from international human rights law. Key principles such as respect for human dignity, non-discrimination, and universality translate into specific responsibilities for HRNGOs. These responsibilities are the focus of this article. Development NGOs have examined how to better protect human dignity by applying rights-based approaches. As the HRNGO sector professionalizes, HRNGOs should follow suit and develop an approach based on human rights to human rights work.