Incorporating a Human-Rights Based Approach to SUMERNET

Introduction

The following guidelines are structured into two parts. First, they provide a brief background on human rights and states obligations in the Mekong region. It also briefly introduces the right to water, as one of the key elements of SUMERNET research. In the second part, the document highlights how researchers themselves can incorporate human right-based approaches into planning, developing and executing research projects. In its Annex, the document also highlights the ‘good practices’ drawn from the Special Rapporteur on integrating human rights to environmental issues.

It must be noted that these guidelines are a simple rendering of the human rights background and law.

They do not comprehensively represent the complexities of human rights obligations but rather focus on providing an overview of these.