The Handbook series Haki Zetu is intended for civil society groups in Africa. It was written by international and African experts, and much of the advice given reflects the strategies and actions that African NGOs have undertaken to make human rights a reality. The series consists of this main handbook plus additional manuals on monitoring particular rights.
Part I: Basic information describes ESC rights and the obligations of States under international and African human rights treaties. It considers the rights of different groups of people and the roles of different actors like governments and NGOs in realising ESC rights. It outlines the “theory” of human rights, illustrated by examples.
Part II: Working with ESC rights turns the theory into practice. After an introduction, two sections deal with understanding the priorities of a particular target community and making strategic choises. Sections 4 to 10 are about working with the community to monitor ESC rights and taking action to bring positive changes to people’s lives. Section 11 suggests additional forms of action.
