Outcome indicators capture attainments, individual and collective, that reflect the status of realization of objectives intended by statutory or procedural instruments enacted in a given system.


Use and clarification in the context of International Human Rights Instruments

Outcome indicators capture attainments, individual and collective, that reflect the status of realization of human rights in a given context. It is not only a more direct measure of the realization of a human right but it also reflects the importance of the measure in the enjoyment of the right. Since it consolidates over time the impact of various underlying processes (that can be captured by one or more process indicators), an outcome indicator is often a slow-moving indicator, less sensitive to capturing momentary changes than a process indicator would be1For example, life expectancy or mortality indicators could be a function of immunization of the population, education or public health awareness, as well as of availability of, and access of individuals to, adequate nutrition. It is therefore instructive to view the process and outcome indicators as “flow” and “stock” variables, respectively,2 with a caveat that often more than one process may be responsible for the same outcome and on other occasions the same process may be impacting more than one outcome.

Source: Report on indicators for promoting and monitoring the implementation of human rights (United Nations, HRI/MC/2008/3, 6 June 2008).