This briefing paper maps the key features of the sustainable livelihoods approaches and human rights-based approaches to poverty reduction and their foundation, content and contributionto analysing poverty in specific contexts, also identifying operational entry points (Section 2). In Section 3 the two approaches are compared, with synergies identified as well as differences. Section 4 then provides some ideas on how the two approaches could be combined, and what could be gained from such a two-pronged approach. Section 5 pulls together some of the most relevant issues and makes initial recommendations for the reader.