“There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

- Robert F. Kennedy

When I was first introduced to the human rights-based approach to development (HRBA), the discussion revolved largely around its impracticality. While few quarreled with the legal and moral soundness of its premise—that development should be grounded in the rights and obligations established under international law, rather than reliant on the charitable spirit of the donor—most considered it irrelevant in light of the politics surrounding development. If countries were inclined to give, they would. If not, reminding them of their obligations would not do much good. Like many other conversations about international law and human rights, the tone of this one was cautious, if not cynical.

Through my internship at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, my vision of what is possible began to change and I started to see the practical applications of this approach. A government does not have to accept the HRBA wholesale for it to provide a helpful, and often well received, critique of its programs and policies. And the HRBA is not limited to government actors, as is clearly evinced by the RFK Center, whose model fully embraces it.

Rather than launching independent initiatives, the RFK Center works with human rights defenders on existing projects, empowering them and their communities to claim their rights and assert their voice. Every year the center chooses an activist to honor with the Human Rights Award, which is accompanied by a six year partnership. Through this collaboration the Center supports the activist and advocates on their behalf. For the RFK Center, empowerment, participation, and local ownership serve more than a rhetorical function; they are the foundation of the Center’s work.

Unique in its approach, the RFK Center is the perfect living memorial for a man who lived with legendary boldness and idealism. Ever aware of the obstacles he faced, Robert F. Kennedy pushed the limits of law and politics with imagination and compassion. In his memory, the RFK Center and its laureates continue to do the same.