The rights-based approach aims at promoting all human rights, be they civil or political, also through development cooperation and sees them as a means to and a goal of effective development cooperation.
The fulfillment of human rights is to become an integral part of the identification, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all EU development policies and projects.
The Council notes that the implementation of a rights-based approach to development cooperation should be based on the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the principles of inclusion and participation in decision-making processes; non-discrimination, equality and equity; transparency and accountability. In addition, the Council highlighted the importance of EU Delegations staff training on rights-based approach with assistance of specially developed Toolbox on its application in practice. The Council further suggested carrying out the first assessment on application of the rights-based approach in 2016.