V. >> F ramework in Practice - Implementing and Monitoring Rights
>> Interpreting statistical information from a human rights perspective
When indicators are readily available, an analysis and assessment combining three measurement
perspectives can be systematically carried out,
especially using outcome and process indicators.
The “average perspective” shows the country’s
overall progress, the “deprivation perspective”
shows the progress for its most deprived groups
and the “inequality perspective” shows progress in
narrowing inequalities between its population
groups or regions. UNDP in its Human Development
Report 2000 brought out the significance of
applying these distinct perspectives for studying a
human rights situation (fig. XVI).
To illustrate this, consider the census of India statistics
on literacy for the population aged 7 years or more.
It is a useful summary outcome indicator for tracking
the right to education. In 2001, the national overall literacy rate was 64.8 per cent, 75.3 per cent
Fig. XVII
for men and 53.7 per cent for women. In 2011
the overall literacy rate increased to 74 per cent,
82.1 per cent for men and 65.5 per cent for women. So, on average, nearly three quarters of the
population (7 years or more) was literate by 2011,
up from about two thirds in 2001. The deprivation
perspective shows that in 2001 only 5 out of
10 women were literate as against 7 out of
10 men. Though in 2011 women continued to be
more deprived than men on this front, the gap
between them in literacy fell from 21.6 percentage
points in 2001 to 16.7 percentage points in 2011.
While in 2001 there were 7 literate women for
every 10 literate men, in 2011 there were 8. The
gender inequality gap in literacy is being bridged
as women catch up. Such analysis and assessment,
illustrated in figure XVII, can be carried out using
additional disaggregated information.
Visualizing the three perspectives for literacy in India
India, 2001 and 2011
Population literacy rates, 7 years or more (per cent)
90
Men-women
inequality
declining
80
Men
Men
Average
70
Average
60
Women
50
Women
40
2001
Women
are more
deprived
Year
Source: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India,
Provisional population totals, Paper 1 of 2011 India Series 1 (chap. 6).
128 Human Rights Indicators
2011
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