Equality, Capability and Human Rights

LSE
16 Mar 201525:32

Summary

TLDRThe speaker discusses the capability approach, developed by economist Amartya Sen, emphasizing its role in integrating equality and human rights. They introduce key concepts like substantive freedom and capability, and how it values individual lives over collectives. The talk covers the equality measurement framework, which uses this approach to assess inequality in various life areas. Criticisms such as individualism, idealism, and lack of specificity are addressed, along with the framework's strengths in promoting policy change.

Takeaways

  • πŸ“š The capability approach is a framework for understanding and addressing injustice, focusing on what individuals are enabled to do and be.
  • πŸ‘§ The approach captures various forms of injustice, such as a schoolgirl unable to participate in a trip due to financial constraints, highlighting inequality of outcome and opportunity.
  • πŸ‘΄ It also considers constraints on choice and control, like an elderly person receiving home care with no say in their meal choices or schedule.
  • 🏒 The capability approach acknowledges discrimination and lack of respect, exemplified by a gay couple being refused a hotel room.
  • 🌟 Developed by philosopher and economist Amartya Sen, the capability approach emphasizes substantive freedom, or the freedom to achieve important things in life.
  • πŸ”‘ The concept of 'capability' is central, referring to what an individual is enabled to be and do, influenced by personal characteristics, social context, resources, rights, and societal structures.
  • πŸ”„ The approach promotes integration of equality and human rights by aligning values such as fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy.
  • πŸ“Š It accounts for variations in need between individuals, suggesting that different people may require different resources to achieve the same standard of living.
  • 🌈 The capability approach is multidimensional, incorporating both objective and subjective outcomes, such as housing security and self-respect.
  • πŸ“ˆ The equality measurement framework applies the capability approach to monitor inequality and human rights, using international human rights frameworks to guide the selection of capabilities.
  • πŸ› It critiques traditional income inequality measures for not considering differences in need and instead evaluates equality of outcome, autonomy, and process.

Q & A

  • What is the capability approach?

    -The capability approach is a theoretical framework developed by philosopher and economist Amartya Sen. It focuses on evaluating individual well-being in terms of the range of valuable 'functionings' a person can achieve, rather than just their resources or utilities.

  • How does the capability approach differ from traditional economic measures of well-being?

    -The capability approach emphasizes 'substantive freedom' or the real freedom to achieve important things in life, contrasting with traditional measures that focus on income or utility. It considers individual capabilities as the key to evaluating well-being.

  • What are the three types of inequality that the capability approach identifies?

    -The capability approach identifies three types of inequality: inequality of outcome, inequality of process, and inequality of autonomy. These refer to disparities in what people achieve, how they are treated, and the degree to which they can shape their circumstances, respectively.

  • How does the capability approach integrate considerations of equality and human rights?

    -The capability approach integrates equality and human rights by focusing on the actual capabilities people have to lead the lives they value. It aligns with human rights principles such as fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy, and can be used to monitor compliance with human rights standards.

  • What is the Equality Measurement Framework and how does it relate to the capability approach?

    -The Equality Measurement Framework is an application of the capability approach that was developed to monitor inequality and human rights. It uses a set of capabilities derived from international human rights instruments to evaluate the state of equality and human rights in a given context.

  • Why is the capability approach considered both a strength and a weakness for its multi-dimensionality?

    -The capability approach is considered a strength for its multi-dimensionality because it can incorporate both objective and subjective outcomes, reflecting the complexity of human well-being. However, it is also seen as a weakness because it requires a significant amount of data and information across various domains of life, which can be challenging to gather.

  • How does the capability approach address the criticism that it is too individualistic?

    -While the capability approach focuses on individual well-being, it does not ignore the role of communities, groups, and structures. It acknowledges that individual capabilities are shaped by various social and environmental factors, including family, community, and national/global contexts.

  • What are some of the practical applications of the capability approach mentioned in the script?

    -The capability approach has been used by various organizations such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission for Great Britain, government equalities offices, Children's Commission in England, local governments, public service organizations like the NHS, and local equality networks.

  • How does the capability approach handle the criticism that it is too abstract or academic?

    -The capability approach is grounded in a strong theoretical foundation, which allows it to be defended against charges of being arbitrary. However, there is an ongoing task to translate these abstract principles into concrete examples that are relevant to people's daily lives.

  • What are the potential radical implications of the capability approach if taken seriously?

    -If the capability approach is taken seriously, particularly with an emphasis on equality of capability, it can highlight significant structural constraints on people's capabilities. This could lead to radical policy implications, challenging existing social and economic structures to ensure a more equitable distribution of capabilities.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ“š Introduction to the Capability Approach

The speaker begins by introducing the capability approach and its potential role in integrating equality and human rights. They use hypothetical examples to illustrate different types of injustices such as a schoolgirl unable to afford a trip, an elderly person with limited choices in home care, and a gay couple denied a hotel room. These examples highlight issues of inequality, constraints on choice, and discrimination. The speaker then outlines the plan for the discussion, which includes an introduction to key concepts, using the capability approach to monitor inequality and human rights, its applications, addressing criticisms, and summarizing its strengths and weaknesses.

05:02

🌟 Key Concepts of the Capability Approach

The capability approach, developed by philosopher and economist Amartya Sen, is explained with a focus on substantive freedom, which is the freedom to achieve important things in life. This is contrasted with negative freedom, emphasizing the ability to participate in society and pursue personal goals. The term 'capability' is central, referring to what an individual is enabled to be and do, influenced by personal characteristics, social context, resources, rights, and societal structures. The approach is useful for thinking about equality and human rights as it promotes integration of values such as fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy.

10:02

πŸ” The Equality Measurement Framework

The speaker discusses the equality measurement framework, an application of the capability approach, which involves identifying and prioritizing capabilities of concern. It accounts for variations in need between people, focusing on what individuals are enabled to do rather than just outcomes. The framework is multi-dimensional, incorporating both objective and subjective outcomes, and addresses three parts of equality: outcome, autonomy, and process. The framework uses characteristics protected under equality legislation for analysis and breaks down inequality into three components: outcome, process, and autonomy.

15:04

🌐 International Human Rights and Capabilities

The selection of capabilities in the equality measurement framework is guided by international human rights frameworks, resulting in 10 domains with extensive subdomains. These capabilities were identified through a deliberative consultation process involving the public, particularly groups at risk of discrimination. The capabilities were then translated into empirical measures, such as the percentage of different groups who have experienced violence. The framework has been used by various organizations to evaluate equality and human rights.

20:05

πŸ€” Criticisms and Interpretations of the Capability Approach

The speaker addresses criticisms of the capability approach, including its individualistic focus, potential distraction from wealth redistribution, and being seen as both idealistic and an apology for capitalism. They explain that while the approach is centered on individuals' lives, it does not ignore the role of communities and structures. The approach treats income as a means to an end, not an end in itself, and can have radical implications depending on its interpretation. The speaker emphasizes the importance of the analytical framework behind the capability approach in understanding how to expand capabilities.

25:05

πŸ”— Integrating Equality and Human Rights

The speaker summarizes the capability approach's potential for integrating equality and human rights. They acknowledge its informational demands, the potential weakening of the link to legally enforceable rights, and its academic and abstract nature. However, they also highlight its strengths, such as being multi-dimensional, grounded in theory, and adaptable to local contexts. The speaker concludes by inviting further discussion and providing a link for more information on the equality measurement framework.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Capability Approach

The Capability Approach is a theoretical framework developed by economist and philosopher Amartya Sen. It focuses on evaluating the freedom or real opportunities individuals have to achieve valuable 'functionings' or states of being in life. In the video, this approach is used to discuss inequality and human rights, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond just resources or income to consider what people are truly able to do and be.

πŸ’‘Injustice

Injustice refers to unfairness or the violation of rights, which is a central theme in the video. The script uses hypothetical examples to illustrate different types of injustices, such as a school girl unable to participate in a trip due to financial constraints or a gay couple being refused a hotel room, to motivate the discussion on the role of the capability approach in addressing such issues.

πŸ’‘Substantive Freedom

Substantive Freedom is a core concept within the capability approach, contrasting with negative freedom. It refers to the real opportunities individuals have to achieve outcomes they value. The video explains that this concept moves beyond mere absence of interference to consider the actual ability to participate in society and pursue personal goals.

πŸ’‘Capabilities

Capabilities, in the context of the capability approach, are the various things a person is able to do or be. They are shaped by personal characteristics, social surroundings, resources, rights, and broader societal structures. The video uses the capability to participate fully in school life or to go on holiday without fear as examples to illustrate this concept.

πŸ’‘Equality

Equality is a central theme in the video, particularly in relation to how the capability approach can integrate considerations of equality into human rights frameworks. It is discussed in terms of outcome, autonomy, and process, with the approach aiming to address various forms of inequality beyond just income or resources.

πŸ’‘Human Rights

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, and the video discusses how the capability approach can be used to monitor and evaluate these rights. The approach is seen as a tool to promote the integration of human rights values such as fairness, respect, and dignity into policy and practice.

πŸ’‘Inequality of Outcome

Inequality of outcome refers to disparities in what people achieve or attain, such as income, health, or education. The video uses this concept to discuss one aspect of inequality that the capability approach seeks to address, emphasizing that it's not just about income but about what income allows people to do.

πŸ’‘Inequality of Process

Inequality of process pertains to how people are treated or the procedures they go through, which may be fair or discriminatory. The video highlights this concept as part of the capability approach's focus on ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect, not just in terms of outcomes but also in the processes that affect their lives.

πŸ’‘Inequality of Autonomy

Inequality of autonomy is about the degree to which individuals can shape their own lives and have agency. The video discusses how the capability approach considers the constraints and opportunities individuals have to make choices and control their circumstances as a form of inequality.

πŸ’‘Disaggregation

Disaggregation is the process of breaking down data to analyze specific subgroups within a population. In the video, this concept is used in the context of the capability approach to analyze inequality by various characteristics such as gender, age, disability, etc., to better understand and address disparities.

πŸ’‘Measurement Framework

The Measurement Framework mentioned in the video is an application of the capability approach used to monitor inequality and human rights. It involves translating capabilities into measurable indicators, such as the percentage of people who have experienced physical violence, to assess the state of equality and human rights in society.

Highlights

The capability approach is introduced as a tool for integrating equality and human rights approaches.

Three hypothetical examples are presented to illustrate different types of injustices.

The capability approach captures inequality of outcome, constraints on choice, and discrimination.

Substantive Freedom is defined as the freedom to achieve important things in life.

Capability is described as what an individual is enabled to be and do, influenced by personal characteristics, resources, rights, and societal structures.

The capability approach promotes the integration of equality and human rights by aligning values such as fairness, respect, and autonomy.

The approach accounts for variations in need between individuals, such as additional income for disabled persons.

Both objective and subjective outcomes are incorporated, such as housing and self-respect.

The concept of equality in the capability approach includes equality of outcome, autonomy, and process.

The equality measurement framework is an application of the capability approach for monitoring inequality and human rights.

The framework uses international human rights frameworks to guide the selection of capabilities.

The capability to live in physical security is translated into empirical measures, such as the percentage of people who've been victims of violence.

The equality measurement framework has been used by various organizations to evaluate equality and human rights.

Critics argue that the capability approach is too individualistic, ignoring the importance of groups and communities.

The approach is also criticized for potentially reducing the focus on wealth redistribution.

The capability approach is accused of being both hopelessly idealistic and an apology for capitalism.

The approach is informationally demanding, requiring extensive data gathering across various domains of life.

The capability approach is seen as both a weakness and strength for its lack of a pre-specified list of capabilities, allowing for adaptation.

Transcripts

play00:02

I've been invited to talk about the

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capability approach and what role it

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might play in helping to integrate

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equality and human rights approaches but

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I thought it might help to start by

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motivating our discussion with some

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hypothetical examples of the types of

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Injustice we might be interested in

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trying to capture and indeed to

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tackle the first example is a school

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girl who's unable to participate in a

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school trip but because her parents are

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unable to afford it the second example

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is an elderly person receiving home care

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services but given no choice over what

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the meal is that he receives or when he

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receives it perhaps only being helped to

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get out of bed in the morning uh as late

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as 10:00 and then having the lunch

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delivered at halfast

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11 the third example a gay couple being

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refused a double room in a hotel on the

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grounds of not being married three very

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different examples of injustices but all

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ones that would be captured by a

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capability approach in the first case

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inequality of outcome and inequality of

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opportunity for the school GR in the

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second case constraints on choice and

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control for the Home Care user and in

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the third case a clear instance of

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discrimination and a lack of respect on

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grounds of

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sexuality so what I'm I'm going to try

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and cover today is the following first

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of all an introduction to some of the

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key Concepts in the capability approach

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secondly how we might use the capability

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approach to monitor inequality and human

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rights through an application of the

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equality measurement framework which

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I'll say more about in a

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minute thirdly some ways in which the

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equality measurement framework in

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particular and the capability approach

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in general have been used in monitoring

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equality and human

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rights fourthly of course the capability

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approach has its critics and its

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weaknesses and I will discuss some of

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those and what possible responses there

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might

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be finally I will summarize by talking

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about the overall strengths and

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weaknesses of the capability approach as

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I see

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it so first of all some of the key

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Concepts the capability approach was

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developed by philosopher and Economist

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the mar sen who was subsequently awarded

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a Nobel

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Prize and the foundational concept is

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the idea of substantive

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Freedom substantive Freedom meaning

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freedom to be able to achieve important

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things in

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life and the term substantive is used to

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contrast it with negative Freedom or

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mere Liberty so it's not about fre

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freedom from interference it's not about

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freedom from the state it's not about um

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civil and political Liberties

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alone it's about the freedom to be able

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to participate in society and to pursue

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your own

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goals indeed it's sometimes been

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described as flourishing or as having a

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wide range of

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capabilities the term capability itself

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is of course key to understanding the

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approach the capability is what you're

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enabled to be and

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do and that depends on your own

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characteristics on the people around you

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on the resources and services that you

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draw on the rights you can access and

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more broadly the institutions structures

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and legal framework of

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society so we might think about an

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example the example of being able to

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participate fully in school life being

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able to decide what and when to eat

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being able to go on holiday with your

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partner without fear of being harassed

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these would all be

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capabilities so why might the capability

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approach be a useful starting point for

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thinking about equality and human rights

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well first of all I think it does serve

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as one tool to promote the integration

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of equality in human human rights we can

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see this at the integration of the level

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of

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values so the Freeda principles are

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sometimes used in connection with human

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rights the principles of fairness

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respect equality dignity and

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autonomy and those apply equally to the

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human rights approach as to the

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capability

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approach secondly there's potential for

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integration at the level of which areas

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of life are of concern I'll explain a

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bit more in a minute how that might work

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but it's to do with the selection and

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prioritization of which uh capabilities

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we might be concerned

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with another reason why the capability

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approach is attractive I think is

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because it takes account of variations

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in need between

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people because it focuses on what you're

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enabled to do the

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outcomes even if one person needs more

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resources than

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another that will be taken into into

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account so a disabled person may need

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additional income in order to achieve

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the same standard of living as a

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non-disabled

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person capability equality is assessed

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in terms of their achieved standard of

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living the actual outcome that's of

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importance to them a more traditional

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focus on income inequality without

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making allowance for differences in need

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would in this case produce the wrong

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answer so taking account of variations

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in need I think is one of the attractive

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features of the capability

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approach another important feature is

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the ability of the approach to

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incorporate both objective and

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subjective

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outcomes so some valuable capabilities

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are subjective happiness or self-respect

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for example whilst others are more

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objective like having somewhere warm and

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dry to

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live the capability approach doesn't

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attempt to wrap everything up into a

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single measure of well-being

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it's inherently

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multi-dimensional and that gives it the

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potential to incorporate both both

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objective and subjective

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components another strength is the three

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parts of the concept of equality which

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we work with in the capability approach

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and the measurement framework in

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particular equality of outcome equality

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of autonomy and equality of process the

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three examples the three injustices that

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I started with are examples of each of

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those types of of

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inequality and finally the capability

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approach has a strong theoretical basis

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which means that it can be non

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arbitary it's easier to defend an

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approach based on something like the

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capability approach uh because it draws

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on a very wide uh academic basis an

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academic

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Foundation

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the equality measurement framework is an

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application of the capability approach

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developed by Polly vizard and myself in

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collaboration with many others including

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the equality and Human Rights Commission

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for

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Britain and this slide shows a number of

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building blocks of the equality

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measurement

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framework in the first case are the

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characteristics that we disaggregate or

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all analysis uh as far as possible

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by these are six of the characteristics

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protected under equality legislation

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plus social class one might also want to

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look at particular intersections between

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these characteristics and of course the

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list can be expanded depending on the

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particular focus of the analysis or the

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context so in some instances it would be

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very relevant to consider pregnancy for

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example as an additional characteristic

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for disaggregation

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systematic disaggregation of this kind

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is required for human rights monitoring

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um as in the ohchr best practice on

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monitoring human rights and that's

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following on from the general

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prohibition on discrimination embedded

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in many human rights

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instruments so that's the first building

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block secondly we've got the concept of

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inequality as I described just

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previously the foundational concept is

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one of substantive Freedom or a wide

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capability set but of course you can't

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directly monitor or evaluate substantive

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Freedom what could that possibly really

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mean in practice so in order to unpack

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that we talk about three components of

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inequality inequality of outcome

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inequality of process and inequality of

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autonomy outcome I think are reasonably

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self-explanatory but by equality of

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process we mean how people are treated

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are they treated with dignity and

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respect or are they subject to

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discrimination the third component

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autonomy and it's really about the

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degree to which the individual

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themselves has had a chance to shape

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their

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circumstances and the extent to which

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they're consulted and have uh decisions

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made with them and including them rather

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than for

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them there's of course a significant

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question about which capabilities we

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should include in an

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analysis so the equality measurement

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framework looked to the international

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human rights Frameworks the

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international human rights covenants in

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order to guide the selection of

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capabilities this produced the 10 Dem

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domains listed on the slide and an

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extensive list of subdomains under each

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so for example we might take from the

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human rights uh framework the

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international Covenant on civil and

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political rights the right to Liberty

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and security of the person article

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9 that then is translated into a

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capability which is the capability to

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live in physical

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security and that translation took place

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through a process of deliberative

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consultation with around 200 uh

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individuals members of the public so

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those were uh both uh drawn randomly

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from the

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population and also oversampled uh

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groups at particular risk of

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discrimination and

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disadvantage and we invited those people

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in small groups to reflect on and

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consider what they regarded as the most

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important

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capabilities to include in an evaluation

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of equality and human rights in Britain

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in the 21st

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century and through a process of

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iteration between the human rights

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framework and the initial list of

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capabilities we drawn up from that

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framework and the deliberative

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consultation we arrived at a

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comprehensive list of

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capabilities that goes to make up the uh

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set of capabilities included in the

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equality measurement framework

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then in a final stage those capabilities

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were translated through expert and

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stakeholder consultation into specific

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empirical measures so for example the

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capability to live in physical security

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identified from the international human

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rights instruments and then subject to

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the process of deliberative

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consultation was translated amongst

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other things into a measure of the

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percentage of different gender ethnic

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and social class groups who've been the

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victims of violence uh over the past 12

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months so this slide gives one example

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of such a

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measure and we can see that the types of

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violence have been broken down into

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mugging stranger violence acquaintance

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violence and domestic violence and in

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this case by uh social class

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groups the those who've never worked and

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who are long-term

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unemployed have a much higher likelihood

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of having experienced physical violence

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in the past year than do those in the

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higher managerial and professional

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social

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classes but the types of violence have

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different patterns across the different

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social class groups that's of course

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also important to take into account the

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data source here is the British crime

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survey so it's not Reliant purely on

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reported crime uh to the police the

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equality measurement framework has a

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number of applications and uses perhaps

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perhaps the most significant is the

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equality and Human Rights Commission for

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Great Britain who've used the

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measurement framework in their trienal

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review and their quinquennial review to

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report on the uh development of equality

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and human rights the state of equality

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and human rights in

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Britain it's also been used by the

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government equalities office uh under

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the previous administration in

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Britain by the Children's Commission in

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England by local governments evaluating

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equality in human rights at a local

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level by some Public Service

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organizations such as the uh NHS in some

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areas of

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England and by local equality networks

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and pressure

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groups but its wide use doesn't mean to

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say it's without its criticisms or

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weaknesses

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and I'm going to go through now a number

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of the key critiques of the capability

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approach one that recurs very frequently

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is the idea that the capability approach

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is too

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individualistic and there are perhaps

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two variants of this

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criticism the first is that the

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capability approach ignores the

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importance of groups and

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communities the second version of the

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individualism critique is that the

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capability of approach ignores the

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significance of structures and

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institutions and I think the reason why

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this criticism is recurrent is because

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the capability approach does have a very

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strong focus on the individual but what

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I mean by that is that the capability

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approach has at its heart the idea that

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what's of value is the lives that

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individuals are able to

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lead and it puts that ahead of valuing

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groups in themselves or communities or

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cultures or any of the other

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collectivities to which we belong but it

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is in no sense individualistic in

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ignoring the role that communities

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groups families cultures have in shaping

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the capabilities that individuals have

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so yes the capability approach is

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individualistic in terms of the holders

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of value individuals uh but no it's not

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individual istic in terms of its

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analysis of what shapes individuals

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lives so we can see this on the onion

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diagram as I like to call it the

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individual there right in the middle and

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their characteristics are one of the

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important Shapers of their capability

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set but around them uh may be

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family and that is both an enabler and a

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constraint on

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capabilities in different ways in

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different cases around the family there

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is a

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community again that can be an enabler

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or acting as a constraint on different

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capabilities and we can think about the

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community both in terms of uh religious

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groups or other identity groups to which

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the individual belongs but also a

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geographical community in terms of local

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Services more generally the local labor

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market the infrastructure available to

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an individual is a key determin

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of their

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capabilities beyond that of course the

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national picture and indeed the global

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where we need to take into account for

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example migration flows trade agreements

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indeed climate change so the individual

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is nested within a whole series of

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different layers of um capability

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enhancers and capability constraints and

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taking that into account when we unpick

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and analyze observed differences in the

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capability set of of different

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individuals is of course entirely

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crucial a different criticism of the

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capability approach is that by through

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its

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multi-dimensionality it reduces the

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focus on redistribution of wealth or

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income from the rich to the poor so one

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line of criticism is that it's a

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distraction and that it allows wriggle

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room for policy makers and others to um

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reduce the focus on the hard objective

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facts of the income

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distribution I think there is a real

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risk there and perhaps particularly in

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times of austerity um with very

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significant changes in the income

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distribution it's important to retain a

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clear focus on um

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income but the capability approach I

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think is useful in reminding us that

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that income is a means to an end rather

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than an end in itself and just as I

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explained in relation to the example

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earlier of the disabled person who may

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need more resources in order to achieve

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the same standard of living as a

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non-disabled person so here when we're

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talking about income I think it's

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important to remember uh that different

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incomes are needed by different people

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in order to achieve the same valuable

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outcome the same capability in the way

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of standard of

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living so the cap ility approach doesn't

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ignore income but it treats income as a

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means to an end a very important means

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to an end and one that feeds into a very

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wide range of capabilities in fact not

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just that in the standard of living

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domain the final two criticisms of the

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capability approach that I want to

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Canvas are in a sense Polar Opposites so

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the capability approach is sometimes

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accused of being hopelessly

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idealistic and on the other hand it's

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sometimes accused us of being an apology

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for

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capitalism and again there is Justice in

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some ways in both of these

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criticisms the capability approach

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itself as developed by Martia sen is

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open to quite a wide range of different

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interpretations and it can be used to

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justify some market-based inequalities

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for

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example in that sense it's correct that

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it doesn't automatically in imply a

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criticism of capitalism

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itself on the other hand in other

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interpretations if we take seriously an

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idea of equality of capability and if we

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look at the kinds of structural

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constraints that operate on people's

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capabilities it can have really quite

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radical

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implications so I think the important

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thing to note here is that it's all in

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the interpretation and that as with any

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tool it can be put to a range of uses

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some more radical than others the

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analytical framework that lies behind

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the capability approach our

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understanding of what constrains

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capabilities and what levers we can pull

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in order to expand capabilities is key

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in understanding how the approach can be

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taken forward in policy

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terms so to try and summarize some of

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what I've said today then about the

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capability approach and its potential

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for integrating equality and human

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rights approaches

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is one weakness is that the capability

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approach is informationally demanding by

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which I mean that if one is to take a

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very multi-dimensional approach and look

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for evidence across a whole different

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range of domains of an individual's life

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then look to disaggregate that

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systematically by gender age disability

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religion and belief and so on that means

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an awful lot of of data Gathering an

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awful lot of information is requ re ired

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and that can be

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challenging but I think on the other

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side the fact that it is genuinely

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multi-dimensional and doesn't seek to

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combine apples and pears into an overall

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index something called subjective

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well-being say or simply a measure of uh

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GDP or resources is itself a

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strength particularly people coming from

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a human rights background and especially

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a legal human rights background are

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sometimes concerned that using a

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capability approach weakens the link

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with legally enforcable and specific

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rights and again I think to a certain

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extent that is true although some uh

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some human rights are at least in in

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principle enforcable under domestic and

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international law capabilities are not

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linked article by article and hence are

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not directly actionable it moves us one

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step away from a purely legal

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framework I think there are ways in

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which one can link it back through two

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specific legal uh rights and indeed the

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human rights measurement framework uh

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that poly vizard developed alongside the

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equality measurement framework uh has

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done exactly that but by itself

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capabilities are not do not have share

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that that direct link uh to legally

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enforcable

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rights

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on the other hand because it does draw

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both on human rights principles human

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rights values and on human rights

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Frameworks in terms of identifying the

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capabilities that should be a priority

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some versions of the capability approach

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specifically for example the equality

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measurement framework do I think serve

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to help to integrate equality and human

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rights thinking and

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perspectives another weakness of the cas

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capability approach that may be seen is

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that it's too academic too abstract too

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far removed from people's daily

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lives the the flip side of that I think

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is that it is well grounded

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theoretically and so can be defended

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against charges of being arbitrary

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perhaps more easily than some other

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approaches but there is a task to be

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done in terms of translating these more

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abstract principles into really concrete

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examp examples such perhaps as those

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that I started the talk with

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today finally it may be seen as a

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weakness of the capability approach that

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it's underspecified Although our

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application the equality measurement

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framework has developed a comprehensive

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list of capabilities and indeed measures

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to set against those

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capabilities the capability approach

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itself in a Martis s's version has no

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spec pre-specified list of

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capabilities and in that case it is open

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to a number of different

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interpretations but that very openness

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does mean that there's plenty of room

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for adaptation to local context and

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indeed more participatory bottom up

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approaches to uh defining a capability

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list uh and putting the capability

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approach to pract into practice in a

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particular setting and

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circumstances well thank you very much

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for watching and thank you for your time

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please do feel free to get in touch with

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me to follow up and continue the

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discussion I'd love to hear what your uh

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questions and comments are uh and I hope

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I may have a chance to do so in the

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future if you want more information uh

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there are Publications and further

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details of the equality equality

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measurement framework um at this link

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here or you can simply search for

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equality capability and human rights

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Thank you very very

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much

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Capability ApproachEqualityHuman RightsSocial JusticeEconomic PhilosopherInequalityDiscriminationFreedomSubstantive FreedomHuman Rights Framework