UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR)
Global Trends Report for Human Rights
Empowering strategic planning efforts through futures research
Challenge
Faced with the challenge of adapting to an evolving global landscape, the OHCHR engaged us to develop a Global Trends Report. This effort was designed to assist their strategic planning for 2024-2029, focusing on anticipating emerging human rights issues in alignment with their broader goals outlined in "Our Common Agenda”.
Approach
Our approach was thorough and participatory. We began with Futures Research, pinpointing key societal, economic, technological, and environmental trends. Through expert collaboration and iterative analysis, we deciphered patterns and assessed their impact on human rights, ensuring an in-depth grasp of future dynamics.
Outcomes
Improved Strategic Planning
The report became a cornerstone for the OHCHR's 2024-2029 strategic planning efforts, offering trend insights that enabled proactive integration of human rights dynamics into their strategic framework.
1)
Cultivating Foresight in Strategy
The report also prompted a shift towards a strategic foresight culture at the OHCHR. It spurred reflection and acknowledged uncertainties, equipping the organization to adapt and adopt a more resilient, proactive stance on human rights advocacy.
2)
Alignment with "Our Common Agenda”
By understanding and addressing emerging challenges across focus areas, the OHCHR ensures that its efforts are aligned with broader global objectives, reinforcing its role as a proactive force for positive change.
3)
“The choices we make, or fail to make, today could result in further breakdown, or a breakthrough to a greener, better, safer future.
The choice is ours to make; but we will not have this chance again.”
— Quote from OUR COMMON AGENDA Report of the Secretary-General used in the report