Introducing the DHRTTD Directory: Revolutionizing Human Rights Implementation with Digital Tools

27 June 2023

Human rights implementation challenges abound and, besides representing a growing field of research, hinder progress on the ground. Government ministries and implementing actors often work in isolated siloes, resulting in weak coordination, limited visibility, and, ultimately, inefficiency. The consequences are dire, with duplicated efforts, inconsistent messaging, and an overwhelming reporting burden.

Recognizing the pressing need for effective management and access to human rights information, new digital human rights tracking tools and databases represent the latest promise for more coordinated, accessible and ultimately efficient national human rights and development strategies.

Our Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP) just launched a global study on these digital human rights tracking tools and databases (DHRTTDs). This one-year initiative aims to contribute to better implementation, reporting, and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through the power of digital technology.

DHRTTDs, an umbrella term coined by our GHRP, encompass a diverse array of software, each serving distinct functions and users. These tools can be broadly classified into three categories, each playing a vital role in the quest for human rights progress:

1. Digital human rights tracking tools: designed to track the implementation cycle of country-specific recommendations by regional/United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms and link these to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. Human rights measurement projects: employing defined methodologies, including AI and machine learning, to build indicators, and indexes for measuring human rights progress by country or by-theme
3. Human rights databases: Acting as information repositories, these databases compile country-specific recommendations from regional and UN human rights mechanisms, along with case law and international standards.

Some DHRTTDs are developed by international organizations and specific states, facilitating information management within line ministries and National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up (NMIRFs). Others are open access, developed by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and civil society organizations, promoting transparency and inclusivity. Academia is at the forefront of human rights measurement projects.

The Directory