Human Rights and Statistics: A Reciprocal Relationship

• Activity Number: 543
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Committee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights
• Author(s): Jessica Mary Wyndham*+
• Companies: AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program
• Keywords: human rights ; responsibility ; freedom

Abstract

Statistics and statisticians are vital to society, as indicators of progress, identifiers of responsibility and interrogators of fact. As such, statisticians have been at the forefront of efforts to apply scientific methodologies to human rights questions, including the development of information management systems to identify large-scale human rights violations. At the same as the role of statisticians in human rights becomes increasingly evident it is imperative to identify and address the role of human rights in statistical processes and outcomes. From the way data is collected, to its analysis, structure, and presentation, the process of statistics has human rights implications that require clear identification and analysis. This paper will contribute to this process by bridging the technical elements that comprise the process of statistics and the outcome of statistical analysis with applicable international human rights law and standards.