Ute Hausmann: Germany's implementation of human rights policy disappoints

The German government has made human rights a pillar of development cooperation. But how committed is it in enforcing the policy?

This is a matter that will take center stage during a conference the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is organizing this week. FIAN Germany Executive Director Ute Hausmann told Devex Editor Rolf Rosenkranz at the 2012 European Development Days she expects to be there and will hone in on how the ministry implements the policy for its partnerships with the private sector.

Hausmann expressed concern about the impact of these public-private partnerships on human rights.

“Actually, if we ask the German government to provide evidence how they actually want to implement the human rights approach in their cooperation with the private sector, they don’t have much to offer,”  Hausmann said.

Watch the conversation between Rosenkranz and Hausmann on private sector engagement in food security initiatives, part of a series of conversations we video-taped with global development leaders in the center of the action at last week’s EDD.

Check out our complete coverage of European Development Days 2012.