Effectiveness in Furthering Human Rights

A large part of my Kenya program was academic. Here is a blurb of my final paper and I can see the Evans School (one of my graduate degrees) already giving me a clearer understanding of organizational operations and structures:

While all human rights practitioners strive towards realizing human rights, it is important to analyze the definition of the realization of that goal. The definition then defines the success of an organization and its mission. For the KHRC, the mission is very broad in that it endeavors “to promote, protect and enhance the enjoyment of all human rights for all individuals and groups in Kenya.” If one conceptualizes the achievement of human rights to be human emancipation, then it can be argued that KHRC is not successful for the extremely comprehensive goal is too ambitious to have been adequately attained at this point.

However, that is not to say that a mission statement should not be broad and all encompassing. Such an approach can certainly be a powerful and flexible one, as is the case for the KHRC. While the overall outcome of human emancipation is yet to be achieved, smaller outcomes are steps in that direction. By measuring success by smaller outputs contributing towards a longer-term outcome, an organization can gage success, the now progressing (or not) towards larger future accomplishments.
A caution, though, for organizations that employ broader mission statements like KHRC: it is critical that a specific methodology is used in prioritizing, selecting and linking strategies in order to ensure clarity and focus within a broad framework. Otherwise, an organization may flounder and become lost in the extensive options available to them. While KHRC is not at a dangerous point, at this time, it is a danger for they do not have:
“a clearly delineated methodology in the form of methods and organizing principles that inform and underlie their work and help link their strategies to their objectives. Indeed, even the strategies listed are not formulated in the manner of a carefully detailed plan of action to achieve specific goals, but are rendered merely as lists of activities to be performed.”

I have definitely seen KHRC strategies presented as a list of activities, and often a slightly different list of activities depending on where it is being presented—in the operational manual, a grant proposal, or a training presentation. There also does not seem to be a clear understanding among staff on how policies or strategies are selected by the organization. The few people I talked to really do not know, but I cannot make a truly accurate judgment on either the general perception or reality on organizational policy making because my information was limited to very few people. Therefore, it would be beneficial to KHRC to adopt a clear methodology that informs their strategies and avoids organizational incoherence and ambiguity; it is then important to include all staff in understanding how organizational principles guide the strategies and activities in which they are engaged, resulting in organizational cohesion and effectiveness.