The Right to Development (3rd Committee, Side Event)

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues and friends, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the side event on the right to development held at the margins of the Third Committee of the General Assembly 81st session. My name is Rio Hata from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York, and it's a privilege for me to moderate our discussion today. And this event is co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of China to UN and the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, and supported by OSCHR as part of our 40-year commemoration of the Declaration on the Right to Development. So this is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the progress made since 40 years, but also to look ahead and consider how we can translate the promise of the Declaration more fully into practice. So I hope our discussion today can be both reflective, but also forward-looking. So without further ado, I'd like to turn directly to our distinguished keynote speakers. First, it is my honor to invite His Excellency Ambassador Sun Lei, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, as one of the co-hosts of today's event. Ambassador Sun, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, moderator, for introducing me, and also thank all the colleagues to come to this very important side event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. And I'm delighted to join all of you to renew our commitments to the right to development and share insights to inspire actions. Let me also take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation to the Non-Aligned Movement and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for co-organizing today's event. Colleagues, as we all know, development is a timeless theme for humanity. Only through continuous development can people's aspirations for a better life and social stability be realized. The Declaration proclaims that the right to development is an inalienable human right and lays the foundation to advance the United Nations' agenda designed to integrate development into human rights. We are meeting at a time when implementation of the 2030 Agenda is woefully behind schedule, and the North-South gap keeps widening. Development has become politicized and pushed to the margins when it needed most. Divisions and confrontation is being fueled when solidarity is more critical than ever. Meanwhile, people around the world are yearning for stronger cooperation. Countries of the global south are embracing modernization, and a new wave of scientific and technological renovation. Revolution is opening up vast opportunities for global development. In this connection, realizing the right to development provides a roadmap to addressing global challenges. and deliver a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future. It requires governments of all countries to design and deliver development policies suited to their own realities, while concerted efforts of the international community are urgently called for. Today, I wish to share four points. First, let us recognize and defend the right to development. The right to subsistence and development are basic human rights of paramount importance. Equal importance should be placed on different types of human rights. We therefore call for steering global human rights governance onto a more balanced course and build a political consensus for respecting the right to development. Second, let us reinvigorate partnership for development. Without development, there would be no human rights to speak of, nor could any enjoyment of rights be sustainable. Development should be put front and centered on the international agenda. It is vital for us to foster a united, balanced, and inclusive global development partnership. to ensure that human rights progress is shared more broadly. Third, let us improve the environment for development. The legitimate rights and the development opportunities of developing countries are anchored in international law. Unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction are inimical to development and must be rejected. What we need is a more just and equitable economic and financial architecture, and an inclusive economic globalization that benefits all. Fourthly, let us foster new drivers for development. Innovation is a primary driving force for development. We call for speeding up technology transfer and knowledge sharing, closing the digital and AI divide, and accelerating low-carbon transition. It is equally important for all of us to facilitate institutional innovation in order to create more favorable conditions to science and technological advancement. Excellency, colleagues, as China's development is closely intertwined with all of the countries, China remains committed to promoting shared prosperity and contributing to the global cause of human rights. The Global Development Initiative proposed by China five years ago embodies this commitment. It has brought the vision of shared development to the forefront of global agenda and underscored the vital role of development in advancing human rights. With more than 23 billion US dollars in funding mobilized, the GDI has supported over 1,800 small and beautiful projects, delivering tangible benefits to local communities in more than 120 countries. What began as a vision has been translated into concrete actions, drawing broad participation from the international community and making meaningful contributions to the realization of the SDGs. Colleagues and Excellencies, looking ahead, China stands ready to work with all parties to strengthen international cooperation and create an enabling environment for the realization of the right to development. Let us join hands to bring the promise of development within reach of all and make new contributions to build a shared community with a shared future for humanity. With that, I thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Ambassador Sun, for those opening remarks and setting the scene for our discussion today. Now, it is my pleasure to invite His Excellency Ambassador Godfrey Kova, Chair of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement and Chargé d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Uganda. Ambassador, you have the floor.

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I wish to thank the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for joining the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement in convening this important side event marking 40 years since the adoption of the Declaration on the Right of Movement. I also extend our appreciation to the distinguished speakers, panelists, and all participants joining us today. My delegation underscores the importance of recognizing the right to development as an integral component of human rights, as established in relevant international instruments, including the Declaration on the Right to Development. We have consistently reaffirmed that the right to development is a universal and inalienable human right, with the human person as the center of it, as the subject matter and the beneficiary of that development. As you all know, the Declaration of Right to Development was adopted in 1996. At that time, it was a landmark achievement. 40 years later, its fundamental promise remains as relevant as ever. Every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in and contribute to, as well as enjoy, the movement in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized. This anniversary is both an occasion to recognize progress and an opportunity to reflect on the considerable work that remains. We know there is widening inequalities, financing constraints, poverty, climate change, food insecurity, technological divides, and other interconnected challenges that continue to impede the full realization of the right to development. The 40th anniversary also provides an important opportunity to move from reaffirmation and words to implementation. The principles contained in the declaration must be translated into practical policies and actions at the national, regional, and international levels, including measures that expand development opportunities, reduce inequalities, and enable all persons to participate meaningfully and benefit from all that development. In this regard, my delegation attaches particular importance to the forthcoming intergovernmental process on the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development. The Non-Aligned Movement has long supported the elaboration of a comprehensive, legally binding international instrument on the right to development. We believe that constructive engagement by all members is essential in this process as we move forward. The draft covenant offers also an opportunity to strengthen international framework for the realization of the right to development and to give practical effect to the principles that were articulated in the 1986 declaration. As we commemorate 40 years of the declaration, The task before us is clear. We must renew our political commitments to right development, address the obstacles that continue to impede its realization, strengthen international cooperation, and advance concrete measures that place people and their development at the center of all our development programs. As I conclude, today's discussion will contribute meaningfully to the objective and provide useful perspectives on how the United Nations, member States, and other stakeholders can work together to advance the full realization of the right to development. I thank you.

Thank you very much, Ambassador. It is now my pleasure to invite Ms. Claudia Fuentes Julio, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Claudia, please.

Thank you, Chair. Let me start by with my deep appreciation for the organizers, the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations, and also the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Alignment Mumbler. It is a pleasure for the office to organize this event together. So distinguished excellencies, distinguished friends. We gather today to mark 40 years of the right to development. But what does this right mean in practice and why does it matter today? Today, 3.7 billion people, or nearly half of the global population, live in countries that spend more on servicing external debt than on health or education. When resources are diverted from essential public services, The consequences are ultimately borne by people. Educational opportunities diminish, health systems weaken, and social protection erodes. Many obstacles to development are reinforced by structural inequalities in the international financial architecture. Access to affordable development finance remains deeply unequal, as many developing countries face disproportionately high borrowing costs and have limited influence in international economic governance. The right to development has an answer to these challenges. It reminds us that development is highly contextual. States need an enabling international environment that expands rather than constrains their ability to invest in people and in their human rights. At the same time, the right to development speaks just as clearly to action at the national level. Realizing this right requires transparent and accountable institutions, equality and non-discrimination, meaningful and inclusive participation, access to justice, the rule of law, a space for people to contribute to the decisions that shape their lives. Because development is not simply about economic growth. It is about ensuring that the benefits of development are shared fairly and equitably. It is about ensuring that those who have traditionally been excluded can have a meaningful voice in determining development priorities, and having strong institutions and systems keep those who exercise power in check as well. This matters profoundly at a moment of widening inequalities, economic insecurity, climate disruptions, and growing social polarization across the world. No society is immune when development fails to deliver fairness, inclusion, and dignity. Dear friends, we have a sovereign reality. The world is dramatically off track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This is not simply a financing challenge. It is also a challenge of governance, participation, and let me add, is a challenge for solidarity as well. Next year, the 2027 SDG Summit will offer a critical opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in its remaining years and to consider how we advance sustainable development by 2030 and beyond. The right to development has an important contribution to make. It offers a powerful normative framework that brings together economic progress, social justice, environmental sustainability, meaningful participation, equality, and international cooperation within a human rights framework. It reminds us that development is not an act of charity, nor merely a technical process. The right to development as a human rights belonging equally to every person and all peoples provides a clear pathway towards 2030 and beyond. As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration, our focus must be on implementation. How do we translate these principles into tangible improvements in people's life for current and future generations? One important avenue is the ongoing consideration of an internationally legally binding instrument on the right to development. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights encourage all States to engage constructively and in good faith with a view to achieve the widest possible agreement on an instrument that can strengthen the practical implementation of the right to development. Beyond the normative framework, our office is also working to translate the right to development into economic policy through our work on a human rights economy, placing human rights, inclusive economic, social and cultural rights, and the right to development at the center of decisions on budget, taxation, debt, and development. We are also actively engaging in the negotiation of the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation to help ensure that international tax rules are aligned with human rights and strengthen a state's capacity to mobilize resources for their realization. Throughout this anniversary year, we have witnessed a renewed commitment to harnessing the power and potential of the right to development. OHCHR remains committed to working with the States, civil society, and all partners to turn the promise of the right to development into lived reality for everyone, everywhere. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Claudia. You and ambassadors before you have highlighted the contribution that the right to development can make. as we look towards the remaining years of the 2030 Agenda and beyond. Which brings me to our final keynote speaker. I'm delighted to invite Ms. Bjorg Sanche, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Bjorg, the floor is yours.

Thank you so much, Ryo. And excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed my pleasure to join these distinguished panelists here today for this very timely discussion. And I would like to start by aligning myself with the previous speakers in saying that 40 years on from the adoption of the right to development, the message remains profound and it remains relevant, that all, every person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy development. And I think it's so important that the Declaration places people at the center of the development process, not just as beneficiaries, but as active participants in shaping their own future. The declaration also makes very clear that development is a comprehensive economic, social, political, and cultural process where human rights and fundamental freedoms need to be realized and in which the benefits must be fairly distributed. And this is an important distinction. For a very long time, we've had this discussion where development has been measured by economic growth or economic progress alone. But this helps us to see how development also needs to be assessed by whether people have greater opportunities to live in dignity, to exercise their rights, and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives. That means that it requires attention not only to the pace of progress, but also its reach. So this way, the right to development is inseparable from the promise of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind. So over the past 40 years, some progress has been made in advancing the human dimensions at the heart of the right to development. We heard some of this already. We know that more than 1 billion people have escaped extreme poverty. Access to education, to healthcare, and to social protection has expanded, and the international community has built stronger norms and institutions for sustainable development and human rights. But we also know that that progress remains uneven and fragile. Inequalities within and among countries remain deeply entrenched. Today, the world's richest 1% own more wealth than 95% of humanity. The richest 1% combined earn more than the 95% combined, and two-thirds of the world population live in countries where income inequality has grown since the 1990s. So these stark disparities, together with constrained fiscal space, high debt burdens, Conflict and climate shocks continue to deny many people a fair opportunity to participate in and to benefit from development, and they undermine the ability of countries to invest in their own people. So these challenges remind us that the realization of the right to development depends both on national policy choices and on the enabling international environment. Countries need the capacity to mobilize resources, to create decent jobs, to provide quality public services, and expand social protection. This requires international cooperation on finance, on debt, on trade, and on technology, on structural transformations that support these efforts rather than constrain them. We heard about the Global Development Initiative from Ambassador Sun. I think it's a very welcome contribution. to this effort. The emphasis on development as a priority, a people-centered approach, and practical cooperation aligns closely with the right to development and the 2030 Agenda. The challenge, as always, is to translate those shared principles into sustained action and to tangible improvements in people's lives. We have some great momentum to build on moving forward. I would like to just recall two very important conferences that culminated in important political resolutions last year. First, the Second World Summit for Social Development and the Doha Political Declaration that came out of it, which renewed the global commitment to three mutually reinforcing priorities: poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and social inclusion. And of course, these priorities, again, very central to the right to development. The second important declaration from last year that I would like to mention is the severe commitment that came out of the financing for development conference, which helps point a way forward for some of the financing issues that we've talked about today, including handling crippling debt, as well as looking forward around how we could negotiate an international convention on tax. So we need this agenda now to translate into implementation. We need this universal, adequate, and sustainable social protection systems, quality public services, decent work, meaningful participation in public decision making, and we need policies that address inequalities in opportunities and outcomes, and that ensure that women, young people, and groups facing persistent disadvantage can participate fully in development. We need to judge progress not only by aggregate gains, but also by whether those gains reach people and communities that have too often been left behind. So, ladies and gentlemen, let's use this 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, not simply to reaffirm the right, but to advance the policies, institutions, cooperation needed to realize it. On the part of DESA, we are ready to support member states through evidence-based policy analysis, through capacity development and cooperation that connects social, economic, and environmental priorities. Our common objective must be development that expands people's opportunities, upholds the dignity of every human being, regardless of their distinction, and that promotes shared prosperity across countries communities and generations. With that, I look forward to the discussion, and I thank you.

Thank you very much, Bjorg. And my sincere thanks to all four of our keynote speakers for providing such a rich framing for today's conversation. We have heard about the right to development from different but complementary perspectives, its continuing normative importance, people as the center of development, the role of international cooperation in creating enabling environment, its relevance to current development challenges, and above all, the need to translate commitment into implementation. So I would now like to turn to our panel and explore some of these questions in greater depth. And we are fortunate to have with us five distinguished panelists who bring different perspectives to this discussion. But given our limited time, I will very much invite our panelists to keep it with five minutes each so that we can have some time for interactions afterwards. So let me begin with the intergovernmental process perspective, and I'd like to invite His Excellency Ambassador Zamir Akram, who is the chair rapporteur of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Right to Development under the Human Rights Council.

Thank you. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I want to begin by thanking the organizers, the Permanent Mission of China, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and, of course, the NAM Coordinating Bureau for organizing this event and for inviting me to participate in this very significant conversation. The 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development offers an important moment for reflection and for renewed commitment. We have a rapidly changing global landscape that presents a promise of opportunities and profound challenges for the realization of this inalienable human right. As the chair rapporteur of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Right to Development, I am aware of the conviction of states experts, civil society, and United Nations mechanisms for advancing this agenda. Several countries have also adopted national development policies, yet the right to development is rarely explicitly reflected in these policies. The aspiration embodied in the Declaration on the Right to Development remains widely shared but the means of achieving it remain the subject of considerable debate. In many respects, the right to development has achieved broad normative recognition. Its core principles, participation, equality and non-discrimination, justice, international cooperation, and the fair sharing of the benefits of development are reflected across the international development and human rights agendas. On a number of occasions, it has been relied upon by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the African Court on Human Rights and People's Rights. Yet the gap between commitment and implementation remains. This gap has become even more visible in an era marked by multiple and interconnected crises. It is precisely in this context that the ongoing efforts towards an international covenant on the right to development assume particular importance. This draft covenant, which I was mandated by the Human Rights Council to put together and present to the council in consultation and with the help of a very distinguished group of jurists, was submitted to the Human Rights Council in 2023 and was then transmitted to the General Assembly. This draft covenant builds upon decades of efforts by previous mechanisms. And more importantly, it reflects the determination of many member states to strengthen the normative framework and to provide greater clarity regarding the obligations and responsibilities necessary for the realization of this right. I see this process not as an exercise in symbolism, but as an opportunity to strengthen implementation of the right to development. In my view, it reinforces existing regional mechanisms while providing a clearer international framework for the right to development. As I mentioned in my statement earlier this morning to the Third Committee, after 40 years, it is high time to make the right to development a reality for all and to move from a declaration to a legally binding covenant, as advocated by a large majority of member states. This effort also speaks directly to the broader reflection on the future of the development agenda beyond 2030. The realization of the right to development requires more than national policies. It requires an enabling international environment. States have the duty to cooperate. with one another in ensuring development and eliminating obstacles to development. This comes at a time when development assistance is under pressure, while global military expenditures continue to rise. In this sense, the right to development can also be viewed as a measure of the health and the credibility of multilateralism itself. If the international community is unable to address persistent structural inequalities and development gaps, particularly for those furthest behind, then the promise of both development and international cooperation risks being undermined and becoming irrelevant. The right to development also offers an important lens for addressing emerging challenges. As artificial intelligence and digital techniques reshape economies and societies, We must ensure that these advances benefit all countries and peoples equally, rather than deepening existing divides between them. For many countries, the impacts of climate change are no longer a distant prospect. They are a living reality affecting their livelihoods. In this regard, the right to development provides a vision and a practical guide. As the global landscape evolves, and new challenges emerge, it is even more urgent to strengthen the international legal framework that can guide implementation, promote cooperation, and help ensure that no one is left behind. I look forward to hearing the perspectives of my fellow panelists and to our discussion on how we can move forward on this objective, on this stated agenda. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Ambassador Akram, for sharing your perspective from the rich discussion that you have led on the draft covenant. And let us now complement that perspectives by looking more closely at how the right to development is already being translated into practice. And it is my pleasure to invite Ms. Juana Maria Ibanez Rivas, Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, which has been examining practical experiences across a wide range of areas and identifying good practices. So, Juani, drawing on the work of the mechanism, we would like to hear some of your perspectives on what are the most promising ways to realize that right to development. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Moderator, Excellencies, colleagues, friends. I thank the Permanent Mission of China, the Coordinating Bureau of Non-Aligned Movement, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for organizing this event, and I am honored to join such a distinguished group of experts. Two days ago, we concluded our 14th session in Geneva, dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Our discussion there confirmed a simple point: this is a key moment to reaffirm the necessary and urgent realization of the right to development. The Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, as a subsidiary body of the Human Rights Council, has the mandate to search for, identify, and share good practices with member states and to promote the implementation of the right to development worldwide. It is clear that today there are several important obstacles to the right to development, among them, the continued absence of an international legally binding instrument for this protection. However, without losing sight of the challenges, allow me to make a positive and hopeful assessment of the realization of the right to development. At the regional level, it's necessary to highlight declarations such as the Asian Declaration on the Promotion of the Right to Development and the Right to Peace, as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Binding instrument also recognizes the right, such as the African Charter of Human and People's Rights at Article 22, and the Protocol of San Salvador within the Inter-American system in the preamble. Regarding jurisprudence, the Inter-American Court and human rights and the Commission of Human Rights have recognized the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination with regard to their development processes and the definition of their own well-being, as well as the importance of the full participation of women in achieving sustainable development. Furthermore, they have referred to development cooperation as cooperation that must go beyond the economic field and support the achievement of the national objectives and priorities of States. Since 2017, the Inter-American Court has invoked the Charter of the Organization of the American States, which recognize the duty of states to ensure that people achieve integral development, to recognize the direct justiciability of different economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights. For their part, the African Court and Commission on Human and People's Rights have recognized the link between the right to peace and the right to development, and have found that this right requires, with regard to indigenous people and their ancestral lands, their participation, equity, accountability, respect for communities' ways of life, the right to be consulted about decisions that affect them, and measures to ensure that the community share in the benefits. As is well As of now, this jurisprudence will be enriched by the general comment on the right to development of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, which is currently being drafted. At the national level, we can also mention a number of constitutions in the Americas and Africa that recognize the right to development or incorporate principles related to it. For example, in Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Ethiopia, Uganda, Malawi, and Cameroon. Likewise, today, within the framework of its mandate, the Expert Mechanism has issued 11 thematic studies that identify good practices on the right to development linked to the sustainable development goals, the fight against racist and racial discrimination, international investments law, social protection, the duty of states to cooperate, the duty of non-state actors to cooperate, women's active, free, and meaningful participation participation, the individual and collective dimension of the right to development, climate justice and sustainability, climate finance, vulnerability and responsibility, and artificial intelligence and cultural rights. We are currently working on two new thematic studies, one on peace and security and the right to development, and the other on illicit financial flows and the right to development, already identifying good practices of the States in the realization of this right. Mr. Moderator, Excellencies, Colleagues, Friends, this contribution must be strengthened at the national, regional, and universal levels through political, jurisprudential, and institutional dialogue. Synergies between different actors are indispensable to achieve solid standards for the protection of the right to development, as well as principles, public policies, and finally, good practices that serve as an example and inspiration among states, making it possible to guarantee the full realization of this right for all individuals and all peoples. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Juani, for highlighting that there is already considerable experience to build upon, including through developments at the national and regional levels, jurisprudence, and emerging good practices. So now, let me turn to Surya Deva, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to development. His work has explored how the right to development intersects with some of the major challenges of our time, including gender equality, climate change, and the role of business. And so he's a very much a bridge builder. And in his latest reports, he turns to the mutually reinforcing relationship between peace, human rights, and development. So Surya, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Ryo. At the outset, I would like to thank the Permanent Minister of China, the NAM Coordinating Bureau, as well as OHCHR for convening this meeting. It's very timely that we are having these conversations because, as the moderator mentioned, it's absolutely crucial to have these informal dialogues to build consensus and build bridges to achieve greater progress in realizing the right to development. So when we talk about the age of 40, we often talk about the midlife crisis. But I will suggest that in relation to right to development, the right to development provides a solution to crises rather than the right to development itself facing a crisis. Of course, we need a covenant and And hopefully, states can come together to build consensus to adopt this covenant this year, or at least early next year. My aspiration was when I joined as a special rapporteur in 23 that we should adopt this covenant this year, by the 40th anniversary. But anyway, that's not in my hands. But what I wish to do is that when I travel and talk to different stakeholders, including government representatives, civil society, businesses, they ask me one pertinent question: What is the value addition of right to development? Why do we need this human right? And I just want to mention three elements. Some of the panelists and keynote addresses already covered it, but let me be reinforcing some of those elements. All human rights challenge power and injustices. But right to development is especially powerful because it challenges historical injustices and discriminations. It demands creation of a fair and international, just and fair and just international order, something that was already highlighted. Secondly, the right to development is not merely about the outcome, the process matters. Active, free, and meaningful participation of people is absolutely crucial. Third, right to development does not focus merely on procedural or formal equality. It demands substantive equality because it requires fair distribution of benefits. So building on the numbers that were said, there are also other numbers, like the 12 men in the world, and there is no single woman, only men. They have as much wealth as 4 billion people in the world. So how can we have a system in which 12 people have so much wealth? So I think definitely we need some work to be done here. Now I'll briefly mention about the report that I presented this morning to the third committee, peace, human rights, and development. And a key message in my report is very simple. And I was glad that there was universal support in the third committee to my report. And the message is this, that states and private companies must move away from funding war economies to investing in a peace economy. What does it mean? Now, if you look at how much the world spent last year on military expenditure, it is 2.9 trillion US dollars. Not billion, trillion dollars. But when it comes to climate finance, how much we have in the loss and damage fund? Not even 1 billion. The commitments are only around 750 million. So when it comes to climate finance, when it comes to hunger, poverty, gender equality, states say we don't have money. But when it comes to spending on war economies, plenty of money is there. I gave the example this morning that US alone had spent so much money on attacking Iran that it can fund the entire UN budget for 14 years. So no country needs to pay a single penny to UN for the next 14 years if that money is diverted just to the UN budget. So that is what we're talking about. So what I'm saying is more weapons alone will not bring peace. We need definitely weapons, but we need to invest in collective security. We need to reform Security Council. But we also, more importantly, need to invest in positive peace. Because peace is not merely about absence of physical violence. Peace requires creating a dignified life for everyone everywhere. And that demands That right to development is taken very seriously. That means that the sustainable development goals is still remaining couple of years that we have and the beyond 2030 agenda, whatever we develop, that ensures that equality. But right to development is also unique because it talks about very explicitly that we must eliminate occupation, aggression. So that is what we are seeing again. That certain countries are breaching the well-established norms of international law. And article five of the declaration makes it very clear that the occupation is inconsistent with the idea of right to development, colonization, aggression, threats of war, they must stop. Disarmament, again, is reinforced by article seven. So if we can use the saved resources to achieve peace, that will be very crucial. But finally, let me conclude by this, international cooperation. Cooperation is difficult, let's face it, but there is no substitute to cooperation. We must cooperate, and states have an obligation, a duty to cooperate. And including International Court of Justice has highlighted this more recently last year in the climate change advisory opinion that the states have a duty to cooperate. We do not have any challenge in the world. that we can overcome without cooperation. Whether we're talking about poverty or inequality, or talking about migration or technologies, or climate crisis or conflicts, cooperation is the underpinning common thing. So thank you very much, and I very much hope that we can start implementing some of these core elements of right to development in practice, and I look forward to working with all the stakeholders and my fellow mechanism of right to development to promote that. Thank you.

Thank you very much. You highlighted that the right to development can offer solutions and pathways for prevention and sustainable peace, but also for addressing inequalities and structural injustice. which, in fact, gave me a bridge to the next speaker. It's my pleasure to invite Laura Turcotte from UN Women, acting Chief of the Research and Data Section in Policy, Program, and Intergovernmental Division. So, Laura, how can the right to development help us address the structural barriers to gender equality and place women's rights, agency, and leadership more firmly at the center of development?

Thank you so much. Excellencies, delegates, dear colleagues, I would also like to start by thanking the organizers of this event. Thank you to the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China, to the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, and to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It's a pleasure to be here on behalf of UN Women. and a pleasure to have the opportunity to join this important discussion marking 40 years since the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development. As others have said, the Declaration established a powerful principle that development is not simply about economic growth. It is a human right through which all people must be able to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from economic, social, cultural, as well as civil and political progress. And for UN Women, this principle has profound implications. Gender equality is both an essential condition for realizing human rights, including the right to development, and all of those human rights that are interdependent and universal, but it's also an outcome of its realization. And as the Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Siradeva, emphasizes in his excellent report on gender equality, we must leverage the transformative potential of this right to address the root causes of discrimination and inequality. So this means going beyond ensuring that women benefit from development, it means transforming the structures that determined whose labor is valued, who controls resources, whose voices shape decisions, and who bears the costs of our current development models. And so I'd like to highlight four priorities. First is about recognizing and addressing the structural foundation of gender inequality. There's been decades of progress on gender equality, including the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995. Yet globally, women's opportunities still remain constrained by discriminatory laws, unequal access to land and productive resources, patriarchal social norms, and the unequal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work. And these inequalities are not incidental to development. They are deeply embedded in the way there are economies and societies are structured. We know that women continue to provide the overwhelming majority of unpaid care work, which sustains households, communities, and economies, but at the same time are excluded from the resources, rights, and recognition they deserve. So realizing the right to development requires transforming economic and social institutions, including, as others have said, through universal social protection, quality public services, investment in care systems, and decent work. And it also requires recognizing women not simply as the beneficiaries, but as rights holders and the agents of change. So second, in terms of priorities, is about ensuring meaningful participation and the redistribution of power. So the rights development is distinctive in its insistence that people must participate in shaping development, not simply receive its benefits. But women remain vastly underrepresented in political and economic decision making. from national parliaments and finance ministries to international institutions, and women facing intersecting forms of discrimination, including women from ethnic or religious minorities, indigenous women, women with disabilities, and those living in poverty encounter even greater barriers. Meaningful participation requires more than a seat at the table. It means ensuring that women can concretely influence priorities, shape policies, and control resources, and hold decision makers to account, and it also means protecting civic space and investing in women's rights organizations and feminist movements, which have been historically among the most powerful drivers of transformative change. The third priority I want to emphasize is about ensuring development is environmentally sustainable as well as socially just. And I think the climate crisis really exposes some of the deepest contradictions of our prevailing models of development. Those who have least contributed to global emissions are bearing the greatest costs. Women and girls living in poverty, particularly in developing countries, face disproportionate impacts on their livelihoods, health, access to water and food security, and unpaid care responsibilities. UN Women's forthcoming Progress of the World's Women report argues that climate change is not simply an environmental crisis, it is a crisis of inequality, rooted in economic systems that have concentrated wealth and power while undervaluing both the natural world and women's labor. The report advances a framework of feminist climate justice grounded in recognition, redistribution, representation, and reparation. And these principles, I believe, resonate strongly with the right to development. Recognition means valuing women's knowledge, rights, and contributions. Redistribution means shifting resources away from polluting economies and the pursuit of profits at any cost towards meeting human needs and protecting the planet. Representation means ensuring that women, particularly those on the front lines of climate change, have real power over decisions. And reparation means addressing historical injustices, including through reforms that prevent the continued reproduction of inequality and environmental harm. So my last priority is about strengthening international cooperation to create an enabling environment for gender equal development. And as the declaration recognizes, Realizing the right to development is not solely the responsibility of individual states. It requires an equitable international economic order. Today, many developing countries face severe constraints on their ability to invest in gender equality, public services, and climate resilience. High debt servicing costs, unequal access to affordable finance, and an international financial architecture in which developing countries have limited influence all restrict their policy choices. And as we've heard, climate finance remains vastly inadequate, difficult to access, and too often provided through loans, which further compound existing debt burdens. So addressing these structural barriers will require reform of the international financial institutions, expanding affordable and grant-based finance, strengthening international tax cooperation, and ensuring that developing countries have a meaningful voice in global economic governance. And many of these issues, all of these issues, in fact, are issues for gender equality, because when countries can't invest in those essential public services and in social protection and care services and so on, it is women that really fill those gaps and feel it the hardest. Crucially, it also means ensuring that resources are mobilized for development and climate action to advance substantive gender equality. Member States like China and initiatives like the Global Development Initiative can play an important transformative role in strengthening cooperation and financing for gender equality through greater South-South, triangular, and multilateral cooperation. To conclude, the transformative promise of this declaration lies in challenging the assumption that development can be measured by aggregate economic growth while inequalities in rights, resources, and power persist. Development can't be considered successful if it depends on women's unpaid labor, excludes them from decisions, or undermines the environmental foundations on which future generations depend. The right to development offers a framework for a different future, one in which economies serve people and the planet, development is shaped democratically, and its benefits are shared fairly. And realizing that vision requires placing women's rights, agency, and leadership at the center of development, not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental measure of its success. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. And let me turn to our final speaker, who is Mahinor El-Badrabi, Global Partnership Lead at the Center for Economic and Social Rights. So from a civil society perspective, a lot has been said about international economic environment, but I hope you could help us in bringing those into more concrete policy choices to what, you know, looking at what needs to change in the areas of debt, trade, taxation, et cetera. So you have the floor.

Yes. All right. Absolutely. Thank you so much, Rio Excellencies, distinguished panelists. and colleagues. Like Kriyo said, my name is Mahinor. I work with the Center for Economic and Social Rights. And CSR, we've been working for the past 30 plus year with partners and allies to advance a just global economic system that can help fulfill social and economic rights and build a global economy that works for the people and the planet. And it's an absolute pleasure to be here celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, definitely it's an opportunity to assess the progress and also look at the global architecture of the global economy and the international financial architectures to see how it could help us finance the right to development. And I think it's important from a civil society perspective to also join the voices in the room to say that We must start by remembering that the Declaration names legacies of colonialisms and the impacts of extractivism and denial of self-determination among the historical causes for human rights violations and deprivations, and building on that recognition, I want to share maybe four more points. First, to connect the right to development to economic and social and cultural I know it's obvious to many in the room, however, it's a very obvious tool and a binding tool for us that we use in our research and advocacy to advance what is not yet a binding declaration for the right to development. So we connect the right to development with economic, social, and cultural rights in the set that we see the convention as binding obligations, and we try and remind member states that it forms the steps or the obligation to take steps individually as well as through international cooperation to use maximum available resources to realize rights, and that these obligations also include non-discrimination and progressive realization of of rights over time and that any retrogression must be really scrutinized and cannot be unjustifiable when it comes to resourcing rights. So all these standards are what should shape rules of taxation, spending, debt, and international cooperation agreements. Today, we see the status quo as providing challenges to women and girls, as has been already pointing, when public budgets are cut, women and girls lose access to health care, education, social protection, justice, bodily autonomy, and sexual reproductive health rights are set back to decades that may be very difficult to recover if we don't keep that as a priority. And all of this is exacerbated by the war economy, to also address the digital transformation where it could create opportunities. Women and girls still face unequal access to technology and to decent work, alongside other risks of formed by AI, if it's not regulated like any other force, can reproduce discrimination and set us further behind. Insofar as tax rules, we need fair distribution of taxing rights over the booming economy, especially around cross-border digital services, and how they affect whether countries can really tax the income of services that are sold in their markets and use that revenue to finance rights. So all of the wonderful achievements that we have arrived at the BG and plus 30 Doha Declaration, the several CSW focuses and how we really work towards the realizing the 2030 agenda all depends on whether or not we have fiscal space to really finance those rights. So one thing I really want to focus on today is the debt systems and how they are really a legacy of historic inequalities and how until today, they're presenting challenging realities that we must put at the center of global cooperation if we have any chance at making strides in the development agenda. So in our analysis, we see that the That architecture carries historical inequalities forward, where developing countries often borrow at unequal terms and much higher costs, leaving less public money for health, for education, for care, and for climate action. We know from UNCTAD reports that developing countries paid almost 1 trillion in net interest on public debt in 2025. And the average interest rate for borrowing is 2.5 compared to, I'm sorry, 5.2 compared to 2.2 in developing countries. And we've seen how the international financial institutions, the IMF surcharges, for example, have added additional costs. countries that prolong their and intensify their debt burden. After years of advocacy by civil society, some of these surcharge have been reduced, but they're still with us. They are not completely gone. And I think it's also important to remember that the debt crisis is global, although it's unequal in its in its terms, higher borrowing costs also in advanced economies can affect financing conditions elsewhere. So we know that in France, we're seeing knockoff effects of the inability to provide equal services to people, and we're seeing similar protests in Serbia, all over the globe, and the cost of that in the Global North will inevitably have knock-off effects on Global South, widening further inequalities. So if we can maybe highlight some of the opportunities that we have ahead of us, We've celebrated the Seville commitments as a triumph for multilateralism. That is wonderful. It has also committed to the UN tax Convention, we really encourage all member states to not step back from that commitment where there is a one country, one vote level playing field at taxing rights that can finance future of people and the planet. Similarly, the commitment to paragraph 50F that calls for an intergovernmental process for debt resolution, we see some nations States after the commitment, disassociating from that paragraph. But so we really hope that the commitment to it can really remain in place. We are also seeing other stepping stones that can support countries in making those transitions on that, like alternatives to credit rating agencies. We see some leadership from the Group of Africa, BRICS and other young countries, these are all very welcome opportunities. And just to wrap up, just by really the power of the convening in this room by member states, UN bodies, human rights experts, and civil society, we really can take this moment forward by taking advantage of the opportunities that open up when the system seems that it's bursting at the seams, it's also an opportunity for a brighter future. So thank you so much for having us.

Thank you very much. The time is running out, but I know that a handful of member states would like to make comments, so I hope you will agree to extend a little bit to allow this. So I will first like to invite the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Namibia to give us some thoughts.

Thank you, moderator. On behalf of the African Group, allow me to thank the co-host for convening this important dialogue and to express appreciation to the experts for their insights. It is essential to recall that while the matter concerning different dimensions development was being debated in the 1970s within the UN, the Senegalese jurist Kéba Ndiaye first proposed the idea of the right to development, and it was first recognized by the African Charter on Human Rights and People's Rights. Having recently commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the Group believes that the Declaration remains a blueprint and a point of reference in addressing inequalities within and between developed and developing countries. Africa considers the right to development a key pillar in the achievement of human rights and fundamental freedoms of its people and realization of the SDGs through an equitable, value-based partnership that prioritizes interest of developing countries in general and Africa and African agency in particular. The right has its own value addition that helps to bridge the seemingly political motivated ideological gaps in the conception of human rights and foster more balanced relations. Your Excellencies, the African Group affirms that civil and political rights cannot be disassociated from economic, social, and cultural rights in their conception. universality, and that the realization of economic, social, and cultural rights is a guarantee for the enjoyment of civil and political rights. We emphasize the need for meaningful operationalization of the right to development in international development cooperation practices and ensure their effectiveness, especially as we approach the expiration of the 2030 Agenda. In conclusion, Master Moderator, The Group attaches paramount importance to the Declaration as an instrument to rectify global structural inequalities and the need for meaningful participation of the Global South in international economic governance. We would therefore be grateful to hear from the experts on how the possible translation of the Declaration into a binding international instrument would advance the achievement of its objectives especially as we look towards a post-2030 international development agenda. I thank you, Mr. Moderator.

Thank you, Ambassador. So now I have Cuba, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan. And then we will really have to wrap up. So Cuba, please.

Thank you, Mr. Moderator, dear ambassadors and panelists. We would like to first wish to thank the organizers of the event, as well as the panelists. It's very good to see some of them again, as I had the privilege of working with them in the past during my tenure here in New York. Of course, I would have to reiterate the support of Cuba to the UN. related mandates with regards to the right to development, and we are very eager to support their work and to move forward a legally binding instrument. I say also this as the penholder of the resolution within the Non-Aligned Movement, Cuba has the honor and the trust of the movement in that regard. Of course, as others have said already, the adoption 40 years ago of the Declaration on the Right to Development marks a milestone for a more just, equitable, democratic, and solidarity-based international order by recognizing development as an inalienable human right. Four decades later, the central promise of that declaration remains unfulfilled. Millions of people and numerous countries, particularly in the Global South, continue facing exclusion, poverty, growing inequality, unsustainable debt, discriminatory restrictions on access to financing and technology, and the imposition of unilateral coercive measures which are contrary to international law. The case of Cuba, colleagues, is eloquent. Most of you should know that the United States blockade on Cuba for over seven decades now, is the main obstacle, not only for the realization of the right to development and other human rights in the country, but also to our ability to achieve the 2030 agenda on sustainable development. It goes all the way to gender equality, to climate change efforts, and any other of the important common causes that we have discussed here today. So this brings me to the idea that I think was already mentioned by some of the panelists, that the realization of this human rights requires full respect for the sovereignty of states, their self-determination, and their ability to define their own development priorities and strategies, as well as the path to achieve them. Perhaps that is why it's taken 40 years to have a legally binding instrument. I'm turning 40, so I don't have a crisis. And I do believe, Mr. Devia, that the right to development can help solve most of the issues that we are facing today in the world. And in that regard, I think it is of most importance to recognize the contribution of the Global Development Initiative launched by President Xi Jinping some years ago now to the promotion of international cooperation, development, and the legitimate aspirations of the Global South. We are a founding member of the group of friends of that initiative, and I can reaffirm our willingness to contribute to the success of this initiative with our modest experiences. We will continue to work through multilateralism and international cooperation to ensure that development ceases to be deferred as an aspiration. It is a long overdue commitment for our nations and peoples that needs to become a reality sooner rather than later. And in that regard, I would like to ask the panelists, what more can be done within the discussion of the right to development, including when it comes to the legally binding instrument, on how to frame the issue of UCMs and their impact at the level of other things that have already been framed, such as occupation, aggression, disarmament, because for us, this is, as you can imagine, an existential discussion. And with that, I would submit the floor back to you, Rio. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Now I invite Indonesia, so please keep your remarks very short.

Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Ambassador, Excellencies, and panelists, Indonesia appreciate the Permanent Mission of People's Republic of China, Coordinating Bureau of Non-Aligned Movement, and also the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for convening this timely event. And also, we appreciate the panelists on elaborating the importance of realization of right to development as a fundamental human rights. And 40 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights to Development, we see that the core principle remains as relevant as ever, which is putting people at the center of development, enabling everyone to participate and contribute to and benefit from development. The high-level meeting last September was an important milestone, reaffirming our collective commitment to translating this right into concrete actions. And in this regard, allow me to highlight three key messages. First, the realization on the right to development begins with strong national commitment. Indonesia's constitution guarantees the right of every person to develop themselves, fulfill their basic needs, improve their quality of life, and contribute to their society. This commitment is reflected in our national development policies, which emphasize sustainable development principles, inclusive approaches, and meaningful public participation. Second, national efforts must be supported by an enabling international environment. Growing conflicts, rising unilateralism, Inward-looking policies and persistent inequalities continues to pose challenges to development. Rapid technological transformation, particularly artificial intelligence, risk widening existing gaps. We therefore support initiatives such as Global Development Initiative that foster people-centered development, international cooperation, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. And lastly, regional and multilateral cooperation must translate commitments into action. The ASEAN Declaration on the Right to Development and the Right to Peace reinforce the interdependence of peace, development, and human rights. And moving forward, we encourage stronger international cooperation and a more equitable global economic architecture and continued progress on the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development. The right to development must move beyond commitments towards tangible improvement in people's life. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Pakistan, please.

Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, we warmly commend the Permanent Mission of China, the Coordinating Bureau of NAM and OHCHR for convening this timely discussion. The collective leadership reflects the spirit of partnership essential to realizing the right to development. We also particularly appreciate China's sustained commitment to development cooperation and contribution to advancing its implementation. 40 years after the Declaration on the Right to Development, its promise remains compelling. Every individual and all peoples must be able to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy development. Let me quickly highlight four priorities. First, development must remain people-centered. National policies must expand education, healthcare, and social protection, ensuring meaningful participation and opportunities. for all. Second, national efforts require international cooperation. Developing countries need affordable financing, effective debt relief, and access to technology. Reforming the international financial architecture must strengthen their voice and capacity to pursue development priorities. Third, technological progress must benefit all. Artificial intelligence can transform healthcare, education, and productivity, but also risks displacing jobs. reinforcing discrimination and widening inequalities. Equitable access and inclusive international governance are essential to ensure that AI advances the right to development. Pakistan welcomes China's Global Development Initiative and its people-centered approach. Its fifth anniversary provides an opportunity to deepen practical cooperation, supporting the 2030 agenda. Finally, we must advance the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development towards its adoption. We appreciate Ambassador Zameer Akram's sustained leadership of the Intergovernmental Working Group, alongside the valuable contributions of the Special Rapporteur and also the Expert Mechanism. Colleagues, this anniversary must translate renewed commitment into concrete action. Pakistan remains committed to making the right to development a lived reality for all. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Now I invite Azerbaijan, please.

Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China and the Coordinating Bureau of NAM and OHCHR for bringing us together and convening this very important, timely discussion. I also would like to thank all the speakers for their very valuable insights. I will try to be very brief since the very important message have been already expressed. So, when the declaration was adopted, of course, we all were that we affirm the fundamental principle that development is not simply an economic objective, but it's also a human right. And given the global situation now, we think that this principle is perhaps more important than ever. We think, we believe that the realization of the right to development requires a strong commitment, international cooperation, and solidarity. And in this regard, I think as an answer to one of the questions, the multilateral frameworks, as well as some state-led initiatives, are very important. In this regard, we would like to express our gratitude to the People's Republic of China for for GDI, for proposing and driving GDI as an important initiative to foster global cooperation and sustainable growth toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We also appreciate and commend the work done by His Excellency Mr. Zamir Akram as a chair rapporteur of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Right to Development. So, dear colleagues, During our chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, we strived for strengthening solidarity among developing countries and to ensure that their perspectives were better reflected in international decision-making. During the chairmanship, Azerbaijan also contributed to advancing right to development agenda through leading and facilitating the Human Rights Council resolution 54/18 of 2023, which is entitled Right to Development. And as, of course, you As you are all aware, by adoption of this resolution, Human Rights Council submitted the draft of International Covenant on the Right to Development to the UN General Assembly. As a non-member, Azerbaijan consistently supports the adoption of this resolution as one of its main sponsors. And during our COP29 presidency, Azerbaijan also placed means of implementation, finance, technology transfer, and capacity building at the heart of global climate efforts. Just let me conclude by reaffirming that the right to development must remain a shared priority and a guiding principle for all our efforts. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Now, I invite South Sudan for a short statement, please.

Thank you for giving us the floor. Protocol observed. South Sudan aligns itself with the statement delivered by Namibia on behalf of the Africa Group. South Sudan views the right to development as inseparable from peace, security, and human dignity. As a young nation emerging from years of conflict, we believe that development must go beyond economic growth. It must translate into tangible improvements in people's lives through investment in education, health care, infrastructure, strong institutions, and sustainable livelihoods. We also emphasize that women, young people, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable communities must be active participants in shaping and benefiting from development. In this regard, We wish to ask, how can the international community strengthen international cooperation, development financing, and capacity building to help countries emerging from conflict move from humanitarian dependency towards sustainable, nationally and own development? I thank you.

Thank you very much. And finally, Speaker from NGO, I believe, over there. Could you identify yourself?

Hello, everyone. My name is Priscilla Garces, and I am representative of Women's Federation for World Peace International on behalf of this organization. Well, I would like to speak And first of all, I would like to say thank you to all of the organizers, the permanent missions, for allowing this very important discussion commemorating the 40th year of the international right to development. Now, I would like to say a couple of things that are important. And the right to international to development should be focused and to be people-centered. And to all of the speakers that are here, thanks for this very insightful discussion and for addressing this important right to development. And that, first of all, one of the things that I would like to say is that it should be more inclusive. to people with disabilities and conditions as well, because in different countries, even though there are different international policies relating to this focus, some countries don't have the inclusive rights to people with disabilities in terms of employment opportunities, economic development. And even though policies are changing and they are in the positive goals in terms of sustainable development, there are ways in which countries should have more investment. So my question for everyone here is, What efficient ways are being done in order to invest in international cooperation, in terms of investing in policies, international policies that are effective in order to make sure to focus on the improvement of the right to development? we should have better peace. We should be more focused on improving the dignity and making sure that people have equal right to economic growth, sustainable food, because when we don't have food security, we don't have peace. When we don't have equal health care access, we cannot have any peace. So the most important The most important part here is that the right to development should also focus on peace development as well. Thank you.

Thank you very much for that reflection and question. Unfortunately, the time is really running out. We cannot have responses from panelists, but I hope we will all reflect on those important questions. We need to vacate this room before 3 o'clock. Thank you very much for this very important exchanges. And thank all our keynote speakers, panelists, and our co-hosts for supporting this event. There is a small exhibition outside towards the room 2012. So I would like to invite all the panelists, speakers to for a quick walk through, and of course, invites all of you to not only view the exhibition, but contribute. It's a participatory thing. So thank you very much, and thank you.