The emergence of human rights within development and the evolving relationship was increasingly brought to bear upon key debates and policies over the last couple of decades. This book provides a critically informed, comprehensive and multi-disciplinary entry-level account of this engagement between human rights and development.

It is theoretically and practically grounded and explores three over-arching questions and themes: First, why and how have human rights made this breakthrough? Second, is there agreement on human rights as a concept and how it is being used and understood within diverse development practices at global, national and local levels? Third, how can we gauge the impact of human rights based approaches upon development outcomes? The book concludes with what the future may hold for human rights and development. In-depth understanding of human rights as a development challenge and development as a human rights one, is presented and delineates the diverse responses and alternative critical approaches. Wide ranging in scope, it covers many examples of human rights within development, including global policy initiatives, and vulnerable groups, such as those living in poverty, socially excluded, people living with HIV/AIDS, residents of informal settlements, and human rights defenders.

This textbook will be an essential resource for social science students, particularly in the fields of development studies, human rights and geography, as well as those interested in the intersection between law, human rights and social change. It should also appeal to practitioners in development and human rights.