The international community, including the EC, is increasingly working towards the integration of international human rights frameworks into development cooperation. This is generally referred to as the adoption of a human rights based approach (HRBA). While there are different definitions and approaches to HRBA, the UN Common Understanding provides a foundation for international efforts in this area and it includes three core elements:

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While the intent of the EC’s policy framework is to mainstream child rights in all policies and programmes, a child rights-based approach (CRBA) is a means to achieve this end. The mainstreaming of child rights in development cooperation is a relatively new process in the international community. At the moment, child-rights-based approaches to programming and policy-making - as developed by actors such as UNICEF and Save the Children International – represent the most advanced and tested approaches on bringing the CRC to life in development cooperation.