A/HRC/33/24
70.
The “data revolution” for sustainable development must fully embrace not only
human rights-sensitive indicators, but also a human rights-based approach to the collection,
production, analysis and dissemination of data. That requires attention to be given to the
following human rights principles: participation of all population groups, in particular the
marginalized, in the data collection process; the disaggregation of data to prevent
discrimination based on grounds prohibited by international human rights law; selfidentification, without reinforcing further discrimination of these groups; transparency to
guarantee the right to information; respecting the privacy of respondents and the
confidentiality of their personal data; and accountability in data collection and use.14
G.
Accountability
71.
The “circle of accountability” concept put forth in the technical guidance explains
that accountability must be at the heart of a rights-based approach, not an afterthought once
a violation has occurred. In the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,
specific attention must be given to assessing existing accountability mechanisms for
women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, building accountability into
interventions and strategies, monitoring the functioning and effectiveness of those
mechanisms and processes and taking remedial action to ensure that they are responsive to
individual’s rights. Establishing and maintaining such accountability mechanisms requires
dedicated and sustained resources. Ensuring effective participation of rights-holders in all
aspects of implementing the 2030 Agenda is fundamental to establishing an effective
system of accountability.
72.
The technical guidance further emphasizes the need for accountability through
multiple forms of review and oversight, including administrative (e.g., internally within
health facilities), social (e.g., community-based oversight), political (e.g., oversight of
parliaments over the executive branch of government), legal (e.g., oversight by the
judiciary or national human rights institutions) and international (e.g., reporting to
international human rights mechanisms). Identifying responsibilities also requires looking
beyond individuals to capture systemic failures and looking beyond domestic State
authorities to the role of the private sector and donors.
73.
As mentioned above, details for the “follow-up and review” framework of the
Sustainable Development Goals are still under discussion at the time of writing the present
report. A robust multi-stakeholder accountability framework is needed. At the global level,
the high-level political forum on sustainable development will review progress through
both country reviews and thematic reviews. Those reviews should systematically draw
upon information and recommendations from the United Nations human rights
mechanisms, ensuring that implementation of the 2030 Agenda is consistent with binding
human rights obligations. Close coordination with the Independent Accountability Panel
established under the Global Strategy will be critical for providing additional, more detailed
information specifically on the health and rights of women, children and adolescents.
Participatory, inclusive and transparent monitoring mechanisms are also needed at the
national and regional levels to enable people to provide diverse perspectives on progress
towards the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as compliance with
human rights standards. It is equally important that the actions of private actors, including
private hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and public and private-donor institutions, are
14
OHCHR, “A human rights-based approach to data : leaving no one behind in the 2030 development
agenda” (2016).
17
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