Key Publications
Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights
UNFPA at Work: Six Human Rights Case Studies
Working from Within
Human Rights-Based Programming
Culturally Sensitive Approaches
Guiding Principles for Working from Within
In the decade since the International Conference on Population and Development, UNFPA has initiated culturally sensitive approaches in diverse cultural and social contexts. Through this work, a number of common themes have emerged, which are examined in more detail in the case studies themselves. For example, we have learned that:
- Communities can be encouraged to incorporate universally
recognized rights into their own realities through an exploration
of how human rights and gender issues contribute to the well-being of men,
women, children and families.
- Promoting behaviour change often begins by identifying
individuals who have the capacity and legitimacy to motivate and mobilize
communities. Partnering
with local 'agents of change' has become an invaluable strategy in gaining
wider acceptance and ownership of programmes.
- Effective negotiation requires an understanding of the interests of diverse stakeholders -- from political leaders to civil society organizations, cultural leaders and the private sector. Until their interests are clearly understood, it will be difficult to find common ground.
Decades of UNFPA experience with the faith-based sector have gone into producing these Guidelines for Engaging Faith-Based Organisations as Cultural Agents of Change. They outline a framework of partnerships, including principles, the strategies and operationalization at national, regional and global levels.
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Gaining the support of agents of change and local power structures is often necessary before engaging effectively with communities. One way to do this is by presenting evidence-based data on issues of concern to the community, such as the health of mothers and children, the impact of violence against women, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Such information can help defuse potential tensions by focusing on the shared goal of people's well-being. Once trust develops, discussions can be expanded to more sensitive issues.
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Avoiding value-laden language can help create neutral ground in which understanding and support for programme objectives become possible.
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Carefully developed advocacy campaigns, closely tailored to the cultural context in which they are launched, can make it easier to deal with sensitive subjects. These campaigns should reflect a clear understanding of the views of both allies and potential adversaries, and draw from sources that are popular within a given culture. In Uganda, for example, the use of African music, poetry and drama has proven to be an effective way to reach a wide audience. In Muslim contexts, using Islamic references in advocacy campaigns has helped to dispel suspicions and promote local ownership.
Culturally sensitive approaches include
- Cultivating an understanding of the cultural context in which projects are implemented
- Creating a positive negotiating environment with partners and stakeholders
- Being patient
- Respecting the cultures of others
- Honouring commitments
- Promoting universally recognized human rights in ways that enable communities to own these rights.