7th Meeting - 63rd Session of Human Rights Council

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I hereby declare open the seventh meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. Excellencies, dear participants, we will now begin the biennial discussion on the right to development, held pursuant to Council resolutions 42/23 and 60/7. This debate is accessible to persons with disabilities through provision of international sign interpretation and real-time captioning, together with other accessibility measures. I encourage those who may need reasonable accommodation to inform the Secretariat if they haven't done so already. Now, before we start our discussion, the Secretariat reminded me that we are running out of time. So we need to finish, as you know, on October 7th, so we need to speed up things a little bit. So as the presiding officer, I will also do my part in this regard. Now it is my honor to welcome to the podium, Ms. Awa Dabo, the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, who will deliver an opening statement. It is also my honor to welcome our distinguished panelists, His Excellency, Mr. Rodolfo Benitez Persson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Cuba to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva. Her Excellency Ms. Deka Potzo, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the European Union to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva. Mr. Frans Viljoen, expert of the Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, member of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, and Ms. Joana Maria Ibanez Rivas, member of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, the list of speakers will close in 15 minutes. I encourage all speakers to intervene in an interactive way, present comments, and ask questions that reflects the panelists' intervention and the discussion. The speaking time limit is one minute and 30 seconds for all. And this is for a maximum of 40 speakers. 40 speakers will be accommodated. Delegates inscribed on the list of speakers who cannot take the floor because of time constraints can upload their statements to the online system to be posted on the HRC portal. I now have the honor to invite the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights to deliver the opening statement. Madame, you have the floor.

Mr. President, Excellencies, colleagues, good morning. Development is a human right. States acknowledged this core truth 40 years ago when they adopted the Declaration on the Right to Development. 40 years ago, states made a promise to empower all people to participate in vital decisions. we agreed that development must ensure fair distribution of economic resources to everyone, including those who are often disempowered and excluded, and they include women, those living in poverty, and many others. This means identifying and dismantling the structural, multi-generational human rights violations that have deprived people of resources and a voice in their economy and society, driving inequalities between and within countries. Crucially, the declaration also demands more equitable governance of the international economic framework, with an equal seat at negotiating tables for countries that have been historically excluded. It is essential that the reforms to the international financial architecture that were agreed in the Pact for the Future are implemented urgently to strengthen the voice and representation of developing countries and to respond to their needs. Mr. President, the Declaration on the Right to Development has borne some fruit. Over the past 40 years, sound development policies broadly in line with the right to development have led to advances in the income, education, health, access to services and opportunities of people around the world. And as the World Bank's Pathways for Peace report has found, these policies have contributed to building economies and societies that are more stable because they are founded on the solid ground of respect for people's agencies and their human rights. In 1981, the right to development was incorporated as a binding obligation on states in the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. The declaration also played an important part in birthing the Millennium Development Goals, the Agenda for Sustainable Development, and a wealth of national policies. And yet today, many children around the world, including in my own country, Gambia, still grow up so lacking in opportunities or hope that they are willing to make perilous journeys, many times at the cost of their lives, far from their homes and their loved ones, in search of opportunities merely to live normal and meaningful lives, something you and I take for granted every single day. Inequalities tower over the lives of hundreds of millions of people, crushing their hopes and rights. The World Inequality Lab has calculated that half the world's adult population, approximately 2.8 billion people, share the same annual income as the richest 5,600 people in the world. This is roughly the seating capacity of a concert arena. We know that unequal terms of trade and unbearable debt repayments are still squeezing human rights and human dignity out of public sector budgets, stripping people of their rights to essential services. For example, The average education spending per child in African countries south of the Sahara is roughly 200 euros, compared with 7,400 euros in Europe and 9,000 euros in North America and Oceania. The Sustainable Development Goals, which have measurably improved the lives of billions of people, are now worryingly seeing their progress falter. The global SDG financing gap exceeds $4 trillion a year. Over 36% of measurable SDG targets are on track, only 36%, and 15% are in a worse state now than they were in 2015. Moreover, despite the declaration's clear call for greater resources for development, international development aid budget dropped by almost one quarter this year alone. while arms sales by the world's largest defense firms have doubled in real terms over the past two decades. Meanwhile, the accelerating existential planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss threaten the right to development most seriously in countries that have the least capacity to resist them. Today, the vision of the Declaration on the Right to Development is just as vital, transformative, and relevant as it was in 1986, but it is under considerable threat. This 40th anniversary is therefore a call to look critically at our current trajectory. We need to look squarely at the impact of underinvestment in human rights. When a state is forced to spend so much on repaying interest on debt that it cannot allocate funds to build hospitals and schools and public housing, the harm is done that lasts for decades. Full participation of all members of society in decisions regarding development and in fair distribution of its benefits is a core principle of the declaration, one that is closely connected to good governance, to accountability, and to harmonious, prosperous societies. The question, therefore, is, are states living up to this promise? The declaration also calls on all states to co-create a fair and enabling global environment and to cooperate within it. All states must have an equal voice in decision making. Access to finance must be equitable. Development cooperation must be strengthened and not decimated. Regulations on trade must be transparent and legal and fair and not used as a tool for coercion. OHCHR has done its utmost to support states to implement the right to development and the Sustainable Development Goals and advance human rights economies. Our work on critical energy transition minerals, on human rights impact assessment of trade agreements, on financing for development, on tax cooperation, and on a wealth of other issues speaks to our strong focus on the right to development. Mr. President, we cannot wait another 40 years. to realize the right to development. Let us seize this moment before it is too late and to come together across regional groupings to tackle deep inequalities and injustices and to, at last, devise development frameworks that must deliver human rights for all. Thank you.

Thank you. I will now give the floor to the distinguished panelists for their initial presentation of seven minutes each. And I now give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Rodolfo Benitez Ferson. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, President. We do indeed have many reasons to celebrate the declaration that the Assembly adopted in 1986. It was definitely a landmark event. The declaration formalises the recognition of the right to development as an inalienable human right. Another important element that the declaration enshrines is the comprehensive and much more holistic notion of development, which goes far beyond what is simply referred to when we talk about economic growth. I'd also like to highlight as an innovation the fact that the declaration establishes the duty of states to cooperate, to work together in order to overcome obstacles to development. There are other meaningful elements contained in the declaration, but I believe that those three alone suffice to show that this is a historic document. At the same time, over these 40 years that followed the adoption of the declaration, although we have gradually been consolidating the recognition for the right to development, and even though there have been many resolutions and declarations and programs that have been adopted on this right, the reality is that we have not achieved its effective realization. The declaration was a really important step forward, but unfortunately, because it was not a legally binding instrument, the declaration alone has not been enough in order to give real effect to the right to development. And the reality is that for the vast majority of the countries of the global south, this right remains an aspiration. It remains a chimera, which is why I'd like to focus on the near future, the steps we need to take in the very near future. Why do we need to adopt an international pact on the right to development? Well, in my opinion, one of the main restrictions that we currently face regarding international human rights law is precisely the lack of an international legally binding document that would make truly effective the human right to development. Therefore, I believe that it is not just appropriate but essential that we adopt as soon as possible, through the United Nations General Assembly, the international pact on the right to development. The pact would contribute to placing development at the heart of the international agenda and it would create an appropriate space for addressing the main systemic and structural challenges facing development. Such a document would also enable the full integration of the human right to development in international human rights law on an equal footing with the other human rights, with specific and enforceable obligations at the international level. We do not agree with the view held by some States whereby codifying the right to development and, in fact, codifying other human rights from the so-called third generation would be harmful. It would be harmful because they allege that codifying this right would in some way weaken or water down the relevance of traditional political economic, social and cultural rights. We believe the contrary. We believe that the right to development is a fundamental right and including it is essential for the enjoyment of the other human rights. Allow me now to share a few thoughts about the draft covenant, or draft pact, on the right to development, which was recommended in 2023 by the Human Rights Council for consideration by the General Assembly of the United Nations. In our view, that document is an excellent basis on which to work. We would not be in favour of modifying it significantly, because we believe that that would further complicate its adoption by the General Assembly. Of course, it can be improved upon. It is a draft that can be improved upon, and Cuba would have preferred a more ambitious document. For instance, we would have preferred to see reflected more clearly the obligation of States to work together, to cooperate. One distinctive and key feature of the right to development is precisely its international dimension. We are not calling into question the fact that the primary responsibility for the realisation of the right to development in a given country lies with that country. But at the same time, there has to be a degree of shared responsibility, because in this context, national measures alone are not enough. Structural and systemic obstacles to development can only be effectively addressed if States work together. Also, regarding the implementation and follow-up mechanism, we consider that the draft that was sent to the General Assembly does not succeed in establishing a strong draft treaty, at least not as robust as that which we have seen in other legally binding mechanisms regarding human rights. What this document would establish would be a conference of states parties that would be tasked with considering the implementation of the Pact or Covenant on the basis of voluntary reports from states, not mandatory reports. So we feel that this implementation and follow-up mechanism could be strengthened. But at the end of the day, Our view of the draft that the Council has recommended to the Council should be a framework convention, which in the future should be complemented by the adoption of additional protocols, which would make it possible to put into practice other obligations and commitments undertaken by states under the document. And finally, what is my view of the prospects for the formal negotiations and adoption of the covenant by the General Assembly? There has been little progress in New York since the time when three years ago this Council sent the draft to the General Assembly. There is still no clear roadmap that has been drawn up. That being said, we have seen that a majority of member states supports the adoption. And we trust that in the upcoming months, we will be able to step up the negotiations process in New York, and there, there will be an important role to play. We believe that… We need this document to be adopted next year, 2027, or at the very latest in 2028. We don't believe that it is realistic to expect an adoption by consensus. There'll have to be a vote. We are sure that there are some states that are not ready to adopt it, but as happened in 1986 with the declaration itself, we believe that the overwhelming majority of states will vote in favour of this covenant, which we feel is not just necessary, but absolutely vital. Thank you.

Thank you. And I now give the floor to Her Excellency, Ms. Deike Pozzo.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, thank you for the invitation to join this panel. It's an occasion to reaffirm for the European Union, development is an inalienable, universal right, indivisible from human dignity. It is a responsibility and solidarity in action. It is not just a principle, it is a practice, a promise and a partnership. And for 40 years, we have been committed to this vision. This conviction is rooted in the declaration itself, as it puts individuals as the central actors, drivers and beneficiaries of development. States, as duty bearers, carry the primary responsibility for realizing all human rights, including the right to development. This is not a technical formula. It is a statement about where legitimacy originates from, and it shapes what the EU does at home and abroad. Development, in our view, is only truly sustainable when economic progress walks hand in hand with the promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy. Neither development can be reduced to economic metrics alone, nor can development be a precondition for the fulfilment of human rights. They are simultaneous and mutually reinforcing. At the very foundation are good governance and the rule of law. Transparent and accountable institutions, fight against corruption, independent judiciary, meaningful participation of populations, including civil society, are what allow development gains to sustain. Equally, there can be no genuine development without gender equality. Development that leaves half of humanity behind is neither sustainable nor just. Ensuring women's and girls' equal access to education, health care, economic opportunity, land and property rights, and to full and participation in political and public life is not a separate agenda. Now, what does this mean for the EU in practice? Sustainable development is at the heart of EU's policies, both at home and abroad. Our approach is holistic. We seek to eradicate poverty, end discrimination, and reduce inequalities, guided by the 2030 Agenda and the principle of leaving no one behind. How resources are raised, allocated, and spent is a question of who benefits and who is consulted. Financing strategies must be assessed by their contribution to the realization of human rights, including the right to development. But I also want to focus on what this commitment means beyond our own borders. Last year, the EU, together with its member states that are members of the OECD, provided a combined US$112.5 billion in ODA. This figure is a testament of our collective commitment. It represents very close to 50%, essentially one out of every $2 of all development assistance provided last year by every DAC donor country in the world. Now, why do we do this? Because we believe the right to development is measured in resources as much as in resolutions. So how do we deliver? Our support is not just financial, it is transformational. Through the Global Gateway strategy, we have already mobilized over 306 billion euro in just four years to boosting sustainable development and funding projects that span digital connectivity, climate resilience, health, education, and energy. These projects are designed to respond more coherently to global challenges. They contribute to the practical realization of human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights. One of the best examples is the manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technology products in Africa. A project promoting local manufacturing of vaccines in Africa, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Ghana. This includes regulatory strengthening, access to finance for SMEs working on biotechnology development, support to development of MSc and PhD programs in biotechnology at the University of Rwanda and clinical trials, green energy sources for production plants and including wastewater treatment infrastructure. As you see, we support building capacity, resilience and opportunity. And why does this matter? The right to development is about creating societies where everyone can participate, contribute and thrive. It is about ensuring that development is inclusive, sustainable and aligned with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. Mr. President, as we mark 40 years of the Declaration on the Right to Development, let us remember that the right to development is a daily action. The EU continues to honor that. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Mr. Frans Viljoen. You have the floor, sir.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, thank you so much for this opportunity to say a few words in my capacity as a member of the Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The year 1986 occupies a special place in both the global and African histories of the right to development. As we mark the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration, Africa also commemorates a closely connected 45th anniversary. Adopted already in 1981, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights has by then gone further than the Declaration. It recognizes as a self-standing right in Article 22, the legally enforceable right of all peoples to their economic, social, and cultural development with due regard to their freedom and identity. It also imposes on states, individually and collectively, the legally binding duty to ensure the exercise of this right. And as of this year, Since the adoption of the Charter, it had entered into force in 1986, that is 40 years ago, and by today, 54 of the African Union member states, that's all but one, have become members to this Charter containing the right to development. Now, this right has not remained merely an aspiration. Through the work of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, it has become a standard against which actual exercise of state power has been assessed. I provide two examples briefly. In an interstate case, the Commission found that foreign military intervention and violence against the Congolese population and the exploitation of the country's resources violated the Congolese people's right to development. More significantly, in the Endorois case, the Commission held that development cannot legitimately be imposed upon a people without their participation, and it consequently found the government's displacement of this indigenous community from their ancestral lands and the exclusion from the benefits and decisions associated with that land to have violated this provision, Article 22. The year 2026 also brings yet another landmark, and that it is 20 years since the African Court on human and people's rights, which has been introduced to complement the Commission's protective mandate, had become operational. The Court has carried the Commission's jurisprudence forward. In its 2017 merits judgment in the Ogea case, the Court found that the government's failure to recognize and protect the Ogiek people's relationship with their ancestral land in the Mau Forest violated the right to development. And in its 2022 reparations judgment, it translated that finding into concrete obligations. Recognition of the Ogiek as an indigenous people, the delimitation, demarcation, and collective titling of the ancestral land, The effective consultation concerning development, conservation, and investment product, uh, projects, compensation, and measures to ensure that the community shares in the benefits. This jurisprudence demonstrates Africa's pioneering contribution to the international understanding of the right to development. The African experience presents the most compelling answer to objection that the right to development is too indeterminate, as it is sometimes said, or is politically too judicially, politically contentious to be applied. Its jurisprudence makes it clear that development is not reducible to economic growth. Rather, it is a human rights-based process characterized by participation, equity, accountability, and respect for communities' ways of life. However, at the domestic level, African states have only given limited effect to this unique right. Only a handful of African constitutions contain an explicit, legally enforceable right to development, and domestic case law by African courts on the right to development is even more sparse. A recent study on 51 national development plans of African states also reveals that none of these expressly provide for and is based on the right to development. Although these plans address socio-economic rights, they do not do so on the basis of a deliberately anchored provision, namely the right to development. To provide greater clarity and normative content to this right, the African Commission in 2024 embarked on a process to develop a general comment to provide greater understanding and to contextualize this right. The working group, consisting of three commissioners and five expert members representing the regions of Africa, which is one of the Commission's special procedures, is leading this process. The general comment on the right to development is intended to provide deeper understanding of these obligations of states and to ensure the realization of this right to the benefit of Africa's people. This process, which is ongoing. primarily draws on the African Charter and African jurisprudence and scholarship, but because Article 22 is not at variance with the UN Declaration and the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development, inspiration is also drawn from these and other comparative sources. Both the African Commission's General Comment and the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development remain work in progress. The two processes should not proceed in isolation. While the General Comment could be adopted within perhaps the next year, the path towards the adoption of the Covenant is likely to take slightly longer, and it remains uncertain in the face of political disagreement. But in the spirit of the Addis Ababa Roadmap, These two should be understood as opportunities for reciprocal normative exchange. On the one hand, the draft covenant and its commentary should inform the commission's interpretation of the right to development in the finalization of the general comment. And on the other hand, four decades of African experience with the right to development as a binding and justiciable treaty right should test, clarify, and enrich the emerging universal instrument by providing sincere examples of accountability and remedial redress. The relationship between development, natural resources and the environment illustrates the potential value of this exchange. By placing the right to development alongside people's rights to natural resources and to a satisfactory environment, the African Charter offers an integrated framework for addressing extractive industries, climate change energy transition, sovereign debt, and the exploitation of natural or critical minerals. It affirms that economic growth cannot properly be called development without communities that are dispossessed and excluded from the benefits or exposed to environmental harm. Africa thus brings to the UN process not merely a regional perspective, but the lessons of the world's longest-standing treaty-based experiment in giving legal effect to the right to development. At this juncture, Mr. President, as the international community considers how the transformative promise of the 1986 Declaration can be fully realized, my contention is that the African experience offers a rich source of both inspiration and practical guidance.

Thank you. I give the floor now to Ms. Joana Maria Ibanez Rivas. You have the floor, madam.

President, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, it is a tremendous honor for me to be on this biennial panel on the right to development as a member of the UN expert mechanism on the right to development. The 40th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration on the right to development is a key key moment for reaffirming the urgent need to ensure the realization of this inalienable right with the necessary features in order to address the global crisis confronting us. 40 years on from the declaration, regional mechanisms offer a valuable framework for taking stock in a positive and encouraging way of the realization of the right to development without losing sight of the challenges that remain. During the session in April this year in New York of the expert mechanism on the right to development, we held a thematic panel on the role of these regional mechanisms. It was obvious from the panel discussions that these mechanisms have enabled both direct and indirect protection of the right to development. Direct protection has occurred where regional mechanisms have invoked and applied the Declaration on the Right to Development, as well as regional declarations, such as that of ASEAN or the Abu Dhabi Declaration, or a binding treaty such as the African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights. Indirect protection has been clear when the sustainable development goals of agenda 2030 or other international instruments that identify comprehensive or sustainable development as a state obligation or as the ultimate goal for the protection of human rights have been invoked. The Inter-American human rights system through its two bodies reflects both forms of protection. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has invoked the Charter of the Organization of American States, which recognizes in its articles states' commitment to ensuring that their peoples achieve comprehensive development. Since 2017, Comprehensive development as an obligation or duty of states has been the starting point for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to recognize the enforceability through courts of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights. These are rights that require immediate and progressive compliance of obligations by states. Similarly, in contentious cases on indigenous peoples, the court has recognized their right to self-determination with regard to their development processes and the characteristics and scope of their own well-being. The court has even referred to cooperation for development, which should go beyond the economic sphere and extend also to the social, educational, cultural, scientific, and technological spheres. that the achievement of states' national objectives should be supported and each country's priorities should be respected without any political strings being attached. Moreover, in its recent advisory opinions on the healthy environment and the climate crisis, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has quoted, amongst other things, the Declaration on the Right to Development, the Sustainable Development Goals, and thematic studies by the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development. With regard to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and in particular through its Special Rapporteurship on economic, social, cultural and environmental rights, The Commission has underscored the importance of full participation by women for achieving sustainable development, recognising the crucial role played by women in ensuring that this development is equitable and effective. Similarly, the absence of guarantees for the right to development has been found to lie at the very heart of deprivation of these rights and the generation or exacerbation of vulnerability, poverty and climate change. In terms of cooperation, the Commission has highlighted that this obligation is particularly incumbent upon those states that are in a position to help others, and that said cooperation should be aimed at ensuring equal opportunities, the elimination of critical poverty, and equitable distribution of revenue, as well as full participation by peoples in decisions pertaining to their own development. Inter-American jurisprudence should be applied by all governments of states party to the American Convention on Human Rights. And therefore, the Inter-American system is very much shaping a roadmap for protection of the right to development. In this context, the constitutions found around the American region marked by a clear openness to international human rights law and they enabled the protection of the right to development under human rights instruments through pro persona clauses, through constitutional block provisions and through the recognition of implied rights. Constitutions such as those of Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, recognize the right to comprehensive development or to free development, or they include references to comprehensive or sustainable development or the development regime. And this reflects the direct and indirect approaches to protecting this right, and therefore offers a very fertile ground for achieving full realization in the American region. President, distinguished colleagues, the two inter-American human rights protection bodies account for major contributions towards the realization of the right to development. Of course, these contributions need to be further strengthened through achievements reached by other regional mechanisms through jurisprudential dialogue and institutional dialogue. These synergies are absolutely paramount in order to bring about robust protection standards for the right to development, as well as principles, public policies, and ultimately the identification of best practices that can serve as an example or inspiration for States for the well-being of all persons and all peoples. Thank you.

Thank you. We will now proceed with the first segment of the list of speakers. All intervention from the floor are limited to one minute and 30 seconds. The list of speakers is now closed. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Venezuela on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Chair. We are making this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of the UN Charter. The Group of Friends reaffirms that the right to development is a universal and inalienable human right whose full realisation is absolutely essential in order to ensure that all peoples can participate, contribute to and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development on an equal footing and in conditions of dignity. Forty years on from the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, its full and effective realisation continues to major challenges. In this context, the Group of Friends would like to underscore that the realization of the right to development requires strengthening cooperation and international solidarity, respecting the sovereignty of States over their own natural wealth and natural resources, and ensuring that developing countries have equitable access to financial resources, technology, and the necessary means in order to achieve their national priorities in the field of development. We would also like to reaffirm the importance of moving towards the adoption of a legally binding international instrument on the right to We would like to reiterate our position regarding unilateral coercive measures, which constitute an obstacle to the full and effective realization of the right to development. They exacerbate inequalities, restrict the abilities of States, and also hamper the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda on behalf of the NAM.

On this 40th anniversary of the commemoration of the right to development, I wish to start by thanking organizers for arranging such an important event and focusing attention of the Human Rights Council on the state of implementation of the right to development. At the outset, NAM reiterated its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, in particular the right to development as an inalienable and integral part of all universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms. We firmly believe that this panel discussion offers an opportunity for us all to take stock of the achievements, obstacles, and challenges encountered over the past four decades in the implementation of the Declaration on the Right to Development at the national, regional, and international levels.

At the same time,

the high-level discussion offers an opportunity to take stock of the progress and to confront persistent and emerging obstacles. Given the centrality of the right to development, the realization of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs Today's discussion is very important. In this regard, the NAM appreciates the work carried out by the relevant mandate holders working towards realization of the right to development. Activities of the Special Rapporteur and the expert mechanism on the right to development are complementary to each other and continue to inform our countries and individuals to better understand the benefits of the implementation of this right, both nationally and globally. We are hopeful that this discussion will help identify elements towards a roadmap for the concrete operationalization of the right to development, including through the adoption of the UN General Assembly draft international covenant on this right. Finally, the movement reiterates once again the need to make the right to development a reality for everyone and assures you of our dedicated and firm support in execution of the mandate. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Venezuela.

Thank you, President. For the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, development is not a matter of concession or privilege. Rather, it is an inalienable human right, the full exercise of which should be guaranteed on equal conditions and in conditions of equity for all peoples. The full realization of the right to development cannot solely depend on national efforts. It requires an enabling international environment and effective cooperation. especially with regard to the deep-rooted imbalances that persist in terms of access to finance, technology, markets, and knowledge. Therefore, the realization of the right to development requires respecting the ability of each state to sovereignly define their own priorities and national strategies to support genuine international cooperation, which contributes to overcoming inequality and broadening opportunities for development for all. Unilateral coercive measures undermine the capacity of states and also hampers the right to development of peoples. We reiterate our call for them to be immediately, fully lifted and unconditionally so. The challenge of our time is not just to reaffirm the right to development, but rather to build the necessary conditions to exercise it on an equal footing without exclusions. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka.

Thank you. Sri Lanka welcomes 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. The declaration affirms that development is not a privilege of charity. It is an inalienable right. Yet, 40 years on, this right remains far from fully realized.

Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals is falling behind, reduced development assistance, unsustainable debt,

Climate shocks and digital divide continues to constrain the policy space of developing countries, particularly vulnerable low and middle income countries. Sri Lanka is of the view that the economic recovery must put at the center. Protecting the vulnerable, strengthening social protection through and ensuring equitable access to health, education, decent work and economic opportunity remain priorities. Despite cyclone Dikwa, global instability and supply chain disruptions, Sri Lanka remains committed to ensuring that the benefits of development reach all segments of society. We firmly believe that development, human rights, and peace are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. National efforts alone cannot overcome global structural inequalities. We therefore call for the right to development to receive equal treatment with all other human rights and supports progress towards the draft international covenant on the right to development. We see the Covenant as an important step towards translating this universally recognized right into a meaningful and effective legal framework. Sri Lanka will continue to engage constructively towards this objective. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.

Thank you, President. My country's delegation has the pleasure of taking part in this discussion, a discussion about the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development, a declaration which enshrines this right as an inalienable right for all peoples, and all peoples must be able to contribute to it and benefit from it. President, we welcome efforts undertaken in institutional terms over the last four decades, however, the progress achieved has not been equal in several countries, and the debt burden has only grown. Difficulties and obstacles are having a harmful impact on development. It is therefore essential today that we recall the necessity of stepping up development while recognizing national specificities and the legal specificities of each country, while also recognizing national level priorities so that we can truly flesh out a roadmap by 2030 and going beyond that. We must also stress the importance of collective cooperation for a more just and more prosperous future for all. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to a distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mr. President, distinguished panelists, ladies and gentlemen, 40 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, its promise remains unfulfilled for millions. The question is no longer whether development is a human right, but why some states are still allowed to systematically deprive other people of that right. For decades, the United States has subjected the Iranian people to extensive unilateral coercive measures, obstructing access to financial resources, technology, medicine, and essential goods, and deliberately constraining our development. Today, the same United States has added military aggression to the economic coercion. When hospitals are attacked, When schools are destroyed, when children are killed in their classrooms, we are not merely witnessing casualties of war. We are witnessing the deliberate destruction of development itself. A school destroyed in seconds represents years of trauma for the students and challenges in education. A hospital struck means not only a damaged building, but the destruction of health, human capital, and future generations. Forty years after the declaration, commemoration is not enough. Those who destroy development through unlawful coercion and military aggression must be held accountable. Hereby, as the Secretary General of Iranian National Commission for UNESCO in Iran, the right to development must be a right for all people, especially the people who are living in the developing countries. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to a distinguished representative of Ethiopia.

Thank you, Mr. President.

We thank all stakeholders for organizing this timely panel and commend the panelists for their valuable contributions.

As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the

Declaration on the Right to Development, Ethiopia reaffirms its conviction that the right to development is an inalienable human right and an indispensable foundation for the realization of all human rights. For developing countries, development is essential to the dignity and well-being of our people. Its realization requires participation, equitable distribution of benefits, and an enabling international environment. Yet 40 years after the declaration, its full promise remains unrealized.

Developing countries continue to face widening inequalities, unsustainable debt,

inadequate development financing, unfair terms of trade, illicit financial flows, and the adverse impacts of climate change. These challenges require strengthened international solidarity and effective cooperation, respect for national ownership and policy space, and a more equitable international economic and financial architecture.

In closing, as we approach 2030, the right to development must guide future global development efforts, ensuring that no country or people are left behind.

I thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

President, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development and the fifth anniversary of the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi. China congratulates the Council on convening this high-level thematic discussion on the right to development. The right to development is an inalienable human right. While progress has been made over the past four decades in advancing this right, Today, the international situation is complex and volatile. Progress of the 2030 Agenda falls behind schedule. The development gap between North and South continues to widen. The global development still faces daunting challenges. Hence, the Global Development Initiative is even more relevant against this background. We must continue to prioritize development, promote the alignment of the Global Development Initiative with the UN development agenda, and work together to create a better future. President, This year also marks the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. In the first half of this year, China's economy grew by 4.7 percent and maintained a steady development despite multiple challenges, providing the world with valuable certainty. China stands ready to work with all countries to uphold the spirit of the declaration, advance the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, share development opportunities, and build a community of shared future for mankind. I thank you.

Thank you. We give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan.

Mr. President, we thank the distinguished panelists for their insightful contributions to this important discussion.

40 years ago, the Declaration on the Right to Development was a landmark affirmation that development is neither charity nor discretion, but an inalienable human right belonging to all peoples. Yet the normative clarity of the declaration remains in contrast to the lived realities across much of the developing world. Persistent inequalities, unsustainable debt burdens, climate vulnerability, widening technological divides, and the continued marginalization of developing countries in global decision-making continue to impede the full realization of the right to development. On the 40th anniversary of the declaration, Pakistan therefore underscores the urgency and importance of adopting the International Covenant on the Right to Development, a legally binding instrument with strengthened collective commitment and establish a framework for implementation, cooperation, and accountability.

Mr. President, new and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence have the power to

transform societies and economies and shape the landscape for the enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development. This is particularly true for the post-2030 development framework that today's panel has addressed. At the same time, the risk of digital divides widening across countries remain real and needs to be addressed. We would welcome the panelists' views on how access to new technologies could be made more effective in the post-2030 development framework, particularly to ensure that digital divides of today

are neither replicated nor further entrenched.

Thank you. Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia.

Mr. President, Malaysia welcomes this timely panel discussion to commemorate the fourth year anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Four decades after its adoption, the declaration remains highly relevant. Lesotho believes that greater political will and stronger international cooperation are needed to move this agenda forward. The promise of the right to development remains unevenly fulfilled. Persistent inequalities, debt burdens, inadequate development financing, technological divide, and structural imbalances in the international economic and financial architecture continue to constrain the policy space of many developing countries. This anniversary should therefore serve not only as a moment of reflection, but as an opportunity to translate commitments into practical action through stronger international cooperation, technical assistance, capacity building and more equitable access to development opportunities. At the national level, Malaysia continues to advance inclusive and sustainable development through the 13 Malaysia Plan 2026-2030, which seeks to raise incomes, strengthen social mobility, and improve quality of life while promoting environmental sustainability. Looking beyond 2030, the principles of participation, equity, international cooperation, and the indivisibility of human rights must underpin future global development efforts. To conclude, we ask the panelists what practical elements should be prioritized in a roadmap to operationalize the right to development beyond 2030. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of India.

Mr. President, Indian delegation appreciates the esteemed panelists for their insightful thoughts. India reaffirms that the right to development is an inalienable, universal, and fundamental human right.

Guided by the ethos that the world

is one family, India's development cooperation through grant-in-aids, lines of credit, capacity building, and the India-UN Development Partnership Fund

has been supporting transformational, sustainable development projects across the global south. India has adopted a human-centric approach to development, which encompasses advancing

health, education, housing, digital empowerment, targeted poverty reduction, gender equality, and climate resilience.

Our development agenda is a direct fulfillment of our commitment to the right to development.

The right to development cannot be realized without systemic global reforms, including access to technology and restructuring global financial frameworks

to prevent developing countries from being trapped by debt or unfair trade barriers.

As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development, we urge all the States for

early conclusion of the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development.

This International Covenant has the potential to form the basis

for next development framework, which is grounded in international human rights law.

India looks forward to contributing constructively to this milestone and to the roadmap ahead. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.

Thank you.

Mr. President, Nigeria welcomes marking the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on Human Right to Development.

The declaration remains milestone, affirming that development is central to human dignity, national cooperation, and the well-being of our people. The anniversary must, however, move beyond commemoration.

40 years after, the question is no longer what we have committed to, but how those commitments can bring meaningful improvements to people's

life.

Despite progress achieved, poverty, climate change, food insecurity, conflict, dignity device, unsustainable debt

buildings, and declining development financing continue to impede the realization of this right.

Nigeria recognizes that states bear the primary responsibility for national development. However, national efforts require an enabling national environment, greater fiscal space, predictable financing, sustainable debt.

Solutions, technology transfer, and equitable participation in global economic decision making.

Nigeria, therefore, supports a practical roadmap for operationalizing the rights development, including progress towards adopting the draft National Covenant and integrating this into the post-2030 framework.

I thank you. Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe.

Mr. President, Zimbabwe welcomes the panelists and appreciates the insightful and timely discussions on the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. The sense of hope and empowerment created by the Declaration has remained elusive to most of the developing countries. The Declaration called on States to cooperate with each other and to eliminate obstacles to development. Forty years later, we are witnessing widening inequalities, food shortages, and the normalization of the use of unilateral coercive measures by a group of countries. We must recognize that human rights are indivisible and interdependent, and the realization of the right to development requires an enabling environment at all levels. As we take stock of the progress of the past 40 years and look into the future, We need to confront persistent and emerging obstacles, including UCMs, climate change crisis, global financial crisis, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological changes. We need to implement appropriate development strategies and reposit development from political commitment into structured, legally binding framework that is designed to address modern global crisis. It is our sincere hope that the next decade will be about moving from words to action and from text-based debate to real-world delivery. I thank you.

Thank you. I will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Sikh Human Rights Group.

Thank you, Mr. President. As we mark 40 years of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the Sikh Human Rights Group believes that its effective operationalization requires us to address the fundamental question, who defines development? Development cannot be designed only by states, institutions or experts and then delivered to people. Individuals, communities and peoples must be able to participate meaningfully in defining priorities, shaping policies and assessing outcomes. Participation should therefore move beyond consultation towards shared authorship of development. At the same time, the universality of the right to development should not imply a single model of development. While a common normative framework must guarantee basic needs and human rights for all, different communities and civilizations should have space to pursue development according to their own social, cultural, and ecological circumstances. Concepts such as Sarbat da Bhala, the Sikh principle of the welfare of all, illustrates how different traditions can enrich our understanding of human well-being. We therefore encourage the Council, as it develops a roadmap for the next decade, to embed meaningful participation and plural pathways to development in the implementation of the right to development.

Thank you. Thank you. Now I return to the original list. I missed out on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. So now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Thank you, Mr. President. My delegation thanks all the distinguished panelists for their insightful contributions. As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, This panel offers a timely opportunity to reflect on why its full realization remains elusive. The declaration was conceived as a landmark blueprint to advance equitable and people-centered development, grounded in justice, international cooperation, and shared responsibility of states. It was affirmed that the right to development required both national commitment and enabling international environment. This collective result was reinforced in 2016 through OIC-IPRHC Abu Dhabi Declaration, which called for addressing the structural obstacles that impede this right. Four decades later, the right to development remains an unfulfilled promise. Structural inequalities between the global North and South continue to widen, reinforced by imbalances in international economic and financial architecture. A rapidly expanding digital divide, including in emerging technologies, risk cementing new layers of exclusion. Above all, the enjoyment of this right is severely impeded in regions affected by conflict and foreign occupation, like occupied Palestine. Mr. President, this anniversary must compel urgent action. The International Covenant on the Right to Development must be adopted without further delay so that this long-recognized right is finally translated into binding commitments and meaningful implementation. Thank you.

Thank you. And now we shall return to the list of speakers for non-governmental organizations, and I give the floor to the representative of the Chinese Association for International Understanding for a video intervention.

Hello, I'm Jun Qi, representing the Chinese Association for International Understanding. I also serve as the youth volunteer for Hangzhou. Today, I'm honored to share my hometown, how Hangzhou is empowering youth development. Hangzhou is the paradise on earth with profound cultural heritage and innovative spirit, praised by Marco Polo as the most splendid city in the world. Today, supported by the dynamic digital economy and AI giants like Alibaba DeepSeek, we are attracting young people from all around the world. Supported by the public and private sectors, Hangzhou Young Volunteer Association and Hangzhou Global Youth Talent Community carry out community service, grassroots governance, and public welfare initiatives. We offer free hostels for young job seekers, evening skill courses, and a service station for delivery workers, supporting marginalized people in employment, legal aid, and mental health, while fostering civic engagement and a youth-friendly ecosystem. Thanks to Hangzhou's many events, youth engage in cultural dialogue, broaden horizons, and build bridges for friendship. We sincerely invite global partners to visit Hangzhou, deepen cooperation, expand youth exchange, and protect youth rights. Together, we are the world. Thank you.

Thank you, and I give the floor to the representative of the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence for a video intervention.

President, the right to development is inseparable from the right of people to self-determination and from the sovereign freedom of states to choose their own path without coercion or external domination. The two devastating, aggressive wars since June 2025 waged by the United States and Israel against Iran strike directly at these principles. Beyond the immediate loss of life, it disrupted economic planning and constrained Iran's ability to pursue its own development priorities. The consequences of war deepen existing inequalities and communities dependent on public services bearing the heaviest burden. Resources intended for healthcare, education, housing, employment, and environmental protection are redirected toward emergency response responses and reconstruction.

Delaying development for years.

When military force compels a society to abandon its chosen priorities and devote its resources to survival, the right to development is deprived of its substance. Development requires peace, sovereignty, equality, and freedom from external coercion. We therefore call upon the Special Rapporteur and the members of the working group to examine the developmental consequences of this war, including its impact on self-determination, sovereign decision-making, inequality, and future generations.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Asociacion Comunitaria Papa Giovanni XXIII for a joint statement.

Mr. President, the 10 co-signing NGOs and IPG23 welcome this panel discussion. As we approach the 40th.

Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, our world faces compound global crisis, climate change, debt distress, geopolitical.

Fragmentation, rising conflicts, and inequality.

The declaration revolutionized our understanding of progress by defining development not as a financial growth, but as inalienable human right. It established human beings as the active drivers and main beneficiaries of development.

Yet, systemic asymmetries and a lack of political will continue to deprive marginalized populations and developing nations of this right.

Meaningful progress requires active participation.

States must build inclusive and transparent frameworks that guarantee vulnerable groups and civil society a central voice in policymaking.

We urge member states to adopt the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development to establish.

Legally binding obligations and accountability, reform the global financial architecture in creating a multilateral debt workout mechanism, deliver.

Green-based climate finance and operationalize the loss and damage fund without imposing austerity, ensure technology transfer and cease unilateral coercive measures.

Promote full disarmament, to redirect the resources toward development.

The 1986 declaration remains essential for an equitable world order where no one is left behind. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the Medical Support Association for underprivileged Iranian patients for a video intervention.

The wars waged by the United States and Israel against Iran have seriously harmed the Iranian people's right to development. The damage has gone far beyond the battlefield. Attacks on hospitals, power facilities, transport networks, economic sites, and other public infrastructure have weakened the ability of society to provide health care, education, employment, and essential services. Wars also redirect national resources. Funds that should support development are instead spent on emergency response, reconstruction, and repairing damaged infrastructure.

These costs do not end when the fighting stops.

They can also slow development for years and place heavy burdens on future generations.

The right to development is a fundamental human right. It includes the right of people to shape.

Their own economic and social future, to participate in development, and to benefit fairly from it. Military force that destroys development capacity directly undermines this right. No state should be able to damage another people's future through war. Therefore, we urge the panelists to give due attention to the direct impact of these wars on the Iranian people's right to development.

And to ensure that the lasting effects.

Are reflected in the future work, assessment, and recommendations of the relevant United Nations mechanisms. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor now to the representative of the Jame' E Yegaran Tab Sornatifa Salamat, Iranian. for video intervention.

War does not only destroy what a nation has built, it also destroys what it has not yet had the chance to build. The two devastating aggressive wars waged against the Iranian people since June 2025 caused more than human and material losses. It disrupted the country's path toward development. Resources meant for education, healthcare, employment, housing, environmental protection, and future infrastructure were redirected towards emergency response, defense, and reconstruction. This is the hidden cost of war: everything that can no longer be built. The burden is deeply unequal. Those who depend most on public services and economic stability suffer first and recover last. turning war into deeper social and economic inequality. The right to development is not merely a right to economic growth. It is the right of people to freely determine their future and shape their own development path. When a nation lives under attack and persistent insecurity, it is forced to replace long-term development with immediate survival, undermining both its right to development and the right to self-determination. Mr. President, no people should be forced to sacrifice their future and right to development to repair a war imposed upon them. I thank you.

Thank you. We have exhausted the first segment of the list of speakers and now we will proceed with the second segment of the list of speakers. And I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda.

Thank you, Mr. President. Uganda aligns with the statement of the NAM. We thank the OHCHR for organizing this panel discussion and the panelists for sharing their insightful remarks. Mr. President, we acknowledge and appreciate your presence, too, in steering this discussion, which demonstrates the importance that you attach to this important matter. Today, we take stock of the achievements, obstacles and challenges encountered over the past four decades. We also identify elements towards a roadmap for the concrete operationalization of the right to development, including through adoption of the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development. This is an important process in the pursuit of the right to development. Mr. President, 40 years later today, it is important for all states and the international community to reflect on whether we have respectively done our part, our part that the declaration expects us all to do. As states, have we domestically adopted national development policies and programs? The international community, have we adopted policies extending beyond national jurisdiction? And collectively, have we developed and enhanced global and regional partnerships? The realization of the right to development requires an enabling environment at national, regional, and international levels. We must all commit to do this. Finally, Mr. President, as we look forward to the outcome of this discussion, we continue to engage in different fora on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and look forward to the full realization of the right to development. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guatemala.

Thank you, President, and my thanks also to the panelists for their presentations. 40 years on from the declaration, economic, geopolitical, and environmental crises persist, and these are affecting developing countries in a disproportionate manner. Faced with this, international cooperation cannot be seen as a residual option, but rather as a vital tool for transforming structures and ensuring that nobody and no country gets left behind. Guatemala would like to reaffirm its commitment to the implementation of Agenda 2030. We recognize the importance of promoting full respect for human rights, partnerships and national ownership. Currently, we are updating the National Development Plan Katun 2032, which offers an opportunity for us to integrate digital transformation through an inclusive, sustainable, and local approach. For this anniversary, we believe it is essential to move towards a practical roadmap for the implementation of the right to development, which will make it possible to strengthen the existing institutional architecture and ensure its coherence with Agenda 2030 and the following steps. Therefore, we'd like to ask the panelists, how can we factor in experience achieved so far and look at a rights-based approach from recent years in the implementation of Agenda 2030 and beyond? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Arab Emirates.

Mr. President, my delegation welcomes the holding of this panel discussion.

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development. The United Arab.

Emirates reaffirms the importance of keeping development oriented towards the human being and their basic needs, and of strengthening efforts.

Aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly through international cooperation. In this context, the UAE views international cooperation as a central factor in addressing the challenges that hinder the achievement of development and in reinforcing international and national efforts in a manner consistent with each country's national specificities and priorities. In this spirit, at the national level, the UAE continues its efforts through people-centered policies, investment in human capacities, and the enhancement of quality of life in support of the path of progress and prosperity. Mr. President, four decades after the adoption of the declaration, its principles remain important in guiding international efforts towards achieving a more just and prosperous future. Building on these principles, the UAE affirms the importance of continuing joint action to create the conditions under which everyone can contribute effectively to society and benefit.

From progress in the way that supports the achievement of the SDGs.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.

Mr. President, Bangladesh welcomes this panel commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development.

The right to development is deeply rooted in our national journey of poverty reduction, social progress, economic transformation, and resilience in the face of climate vulnerability. Our experience has reinforced our conviction that development must be people-centered, inclusive, and equitable, while ensuring that.

That its benefits are shared fairly.

At the same time, our national experience demonstrates how hard-earned development gains can remain vulnerable to external shocks and structural constraints.

Unequal access to finance and technology, climate change, debt vulnerability, and widening global inequalities continue to constrain the.

Policy space of developing countries.

These.

Challenges, therefore, underline the need to complement national efforts with stronger international cooperation, solidarity, and a more enabling global economic.

Environment.

Mr. President, as we look beyond 2030, the right to development should guide the shaping of a more inclusive and equitable global development framework. Bangladesh, in this regard, support the early adoption of the draft International Convention on the Right to Development as an important step towards the effective operationalization of this right.

We invite.

The panelists to reflect on how international cooperation can be translated into concrete and measurable commitment for developing countries. I thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. President.

As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the realization of this fundamental right must progress, not regress. Yet, mounting global challenges continue to erode its progress, intensifying conflicts and humanitarian emergencies, widespread tax-related illicit financial flows, and deepening climate crisis. Such challenges are compounded by the extensive application of UCMs, which are unlawful and adversely undermine the right to development of the affected populations. Developing countries face widening financing gaps and constrained fiscal space, while global military expenditure continues to rise, reaching a record 2.9 trillion US dollars last year. We urge all states and international institutions to redirect priorities and resources towards development and human rights. Mr. President, for Indonesia, the right to development also affirms the right of every nation to determine its own path of development based on equality, solidarity, and mutual respect. Translating the right to development into international legal obligations is therefore essential to ensure its effective realization for a more equitable international order. In this regard, the establishment of an international covenant on the right to development is imperative, and we call on all states to support its early conclusion and adoption by the General Assembly. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Vietnam.

Mr. President, Vietnam thanks the Deputy High Commissioner for her opening remarks and the distinguished panelists for their invaluable contributions. As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, Vietnam reaffirms that the right to development is an inalienable human right and an essential foundation for sustainable development. Guided by this principle, Vietnam has pursued a people-centered development approach anchored in national ownership and respect for each country's chosen development path and has achieved significant progress in poverty reduction and the SDGs implementation. Forty years on, however, the world is witnessing growing conflicts, inequality, unsustainable debt, and the escalating climate crisis, which continue to constrain the enjoyment of this right, particularly for developing countries. In this context, Vietnam calls for strengthened international cooperation, equitable development financing, and continued progress towards the finalization of the International Covenant on the Right to Development. We would like to ask the panelists what concrete measures can ensure that the Right to Development framework meaningfully shape the post-2030 development agenda for developing countries. Thank you.

Thank you, and I now give the floor to a distinguished representative of Eritrea for a video statement.

40 years after its adoption, the central question is no longer whether development is a human right, but whether the international community is prepared to create the conditions necessary for its effective realization. For developing countries, the realization of this right continues to be constrained by structural inequalities in the international economic order. Various coercive measures continue to restrict the policy space available to developing countries and impede their development aspirations. Eritrea emphasizes that the right to development must not remain a declaratory principle. Its operationalization requires national ownership, meaningful participation, and equitable international cooperation, while respecting the sovereignty and nationally determined priorities of developing countries. We also attach importance to the ongoing work towards a draft International Covenant on the Right to Development. A legally binding framework can contribute to greater accountability, provided that it preserves the comprehensive and cooperative character of the right and addresses obligations at both national and international levels. We therefore ask the panel what concrete measures should be prioritized in a post-2030 development framework to address the structural barriers confronting developing countries and translate the declaration's principles of international cooperation and shared responsibility into measurable commitments. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya.

Thank you, Mr. President. Kenya welcomes the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Declaration of the Right to Development. Four decades since its adoption, significant progress has been made in advancing the completion of the right to development, yet its full realization remain constrained, particularly in developing countries, by unsustainable debt burdens, declining development financing, inequalities in the global economic system, and the growing impacts of climate change. Kenya believes that the next phase must focus on implementation. National efforts must be complemented by strengthened international cooperation and political will, while preserving the ability of countries to pursue development priorities that respond to their national circumstances and the needs of their people. Kenya, therefore, reiterates its call for greater normative clarity and effective implementation mechanism for the right to development. In this regard, the draft International Covenant on the Right to Development provides an important opportunity to advance the concrete operationalization of this right. As we approach 2030, our focus must remain on translating commitment into concrete legal and policy action. The right to development should remain central to the future development effort, with people as active participants and beneficiaries of development. One question, how can international cooperation be translated into more effective implementation of the right to development, particularly for developing countries facing structural constraints to their development? Thank you.

Thank you, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cameroon. Okay, now I turn to the distinguished representative of Tunisia.

Thank you, President. Tunisia reaffirms its call for the international community to prepare for the right to development as a pillar of human rights, particularly in the context of our commemoration of the Declaration of Human Rights. We reaffirm at this occasion that our support of the adoption of the International Covenant on Human Rights, it should be done on a legal basis. And given our commitment to the right to development, we continue implementing our sustainable development strategy to 2030, which includes our vision 2035. President, we highlight that the current international order is not favorable for the implementation of human rights, given the impact of wars, the high prices of energy, climate change, and debt. We consider that poverty and failure to achieve the right to development are the most important risks to the implementation of human rights. Therefore, the international community should reinforce cooperation and finance development and ensure transfer of technology to developing countries so that they achieve industrialization, improve infrastructure, and counter climate change. We call that countries which have stolen assets and that are of illicit origin to return them to the countries of origin. And thank you, President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan.

Thank you, Mr. President. As we mark the fourth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, Azerbaijan remains committed to promoting development through dialogue, cooperation, and international partnerships. Under Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, an important milestone was achieved in advancing the draft covenant on the right to development. This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the Azerbaijan International Development Agency, established by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2011. Over the years, Azerbaijan has transformed from an aid recipient into a contributor to development cooperation. More than 140 countries have benefited from Azerbaijan's assistance, including African countries, NAM and OIC member states, as well as LDCs and SIDS. Since 2020, Azerbaijan has provided approximately 400 million USD in assistance, rooted in traditions of solidarity and philanthropy. Azerbaijan's international assistance policy covers humanitarian assistance, development cooperation, knowledge sharing, capacity building, and educational opportunities. Through South-South cooperation, Azerbaijan shares its experience in e-governance, public services, education, healthcare, and social protection, with the e-ASAN service model as a notable example. The Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub, established under Azerbaijan's COP29 presidency, is advancing cooperation for climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected countries. Azerbaijan's international assistance policy will continue to be guided by respect for national priorities, mutual benefit, experience sharing, and sustainable results. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of University for Peace.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The University for Peace is honored to address the Council on the right to development. The right to development is not just about economic growth. It is about ensuring that every person and every community can participate in, contribute to, and benefit from development while enjoying all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Human rights, development, and peace are therefore inseparable. Where inequality, exclusion, and poverty persist, the foundations for sustainable peace are weakened. Development based on inclusivity and participation can strengthen social cohesion, resilience, and human security. We encourage all states and all relevant stakeholders to move from recognition to implementation. For this to work, multiple things are necessary: guaranteeing inclusive participation, tackling systemic inequality, expanding global cooperation, and ensuring that development is accountable and sustainable. The University for Peace is dedicated to building peace through research, education, and training. That is why we believe that development must empower people as agents of peace rather than passive recipients of aid. Let us make the right to development more than a principle we reaffirm with resolutions. Let us make it a reality that contributes to a more peaceful, just, and inclusive world.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar.

Thank you, President. We applaud the convening of this session and thank the experts for their valuable interventions. At the outset, we stressed that the right to development is a basic human right, which was recognized in the Declaration on the Right to Development. 40 years since the adoption of this declaration, we see that its provisions are a cornerstone for combating various challenges facing the world, of today, in line of 2030 agenda. We see that interest in this right is an international and national priority that should take into account the need to implement the 2030 agenda in line with the declaration and the states obligations as per international human rights instruments. We have our national 2030 vision, which we implement through various national development strategies. These allow us to achieve various important economic progress. Internationally, we have a foreign policy based on the promotion of international cooperation and solidarity in order to achieve development all over the globe and in various fields. Examples of this is our hosting of the UN Fifth Conference on Least Developed Countries in 2023 and the second Development Global Summit in November 2025. Our efforts continue to reinforce interactive solidarity by providing support to countries affected by climate change, catastrophes and conflict. together with our efforts to provide high-quality education and providing initiatives of development with various international partners. Thank you, President.

Thank you. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus.

Thank you. The Declaration on the Right to Development is a landmark in international cooperation in the area of promotion and protection of human rights. However, 40 years after its adoption, structural inequality, economic and technological divides are only deepening and appearing in new spheres, including digitalization, access to modern technologies and resources. At the same time, a group of developed countries are drawing us into theoretical discussions on the right to development. Soon, the UN will begin the process of developing the agenda for sustainable development post-2030 with recommendations on future pathways to development from a human rights perspective. The right to development is an inalienable human right. It needs to be taken into account and prioritized in UN strategic documents. The right to development should be recognized as a legally binding commitment. And for its fully fledged realization, national specifics and development priorities of sovereign states need to be taken into account and respected. Outside obstacles holding back development need to be removed. These include unlawful sanctions, trade wars, asset seizures, restricted access to innovation and investment. These must be ended so as to achieve the SDGs, which we as states and peoples intend to achieve by 2030. I thank you.

Thank you. I will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, and I give the floor to the representative of Morocco, Conseil National des Droits de l'Homme.

Thank you, President. The effectivity of the right to development is indissociable from other human rights and is a priority for the Moroccan NHRI. We carry out a monitoring role and as part of this we have come up with structural recommendations in our reports and views that we issue to strengthen rights and the SDGs. The NHRI believes that the effectiveness of rights is not only the result of development but rather a sine qua non condition for this. Effective realization of the right to development calls for a cross-cutting approach which brings into account the legal, economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects. So as to strengthen practical tools for monitoring of the effectiveness of rights, including the right to development, measurable indicators need to be drawn up and So we signed a partnership agreement in 2026 with the Statistical Bureau of Morocco to set up a national system of measurable indicators for human rights. This will allow us to better identify social disparities and territorial disparities, vulnerabilities and gaps in access to rights. Finally, the NHRI reaffirms its commitment to ongoing processes of partnership for development, and calls for adoption of the document while being specific about the role of NHRI's in this regard. Thank you.

Thank you. Colleagues, in the second segment of states, there was one absent, so we can actually carry over into the into the spillover list. And I was wondering if the distinguished representative of Egypt would like to deliver the statement. Please, you have the floor.

Thank you, President. Today, we are marking 40 years since the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development. This is very much an occasion for Egypt to reaffirm its commitment to the right to development as an inalienable right and not simply as a privilege, it is incumbent on us all now to ask ourselves a question: What progress have we made in turning the words of the declaration into action? Today, we are witnessing a gap which is only growing between developing and developed countries. The right to development is not a domestic matter. This is a long-term process which has repercussions for stability and progress. This is why the international community must step up cooperation so as to move from simple promises and words to action, and from words to concrete action. And so Egypt reaffirms its commitments to accelerating cooperation to make this right a reality. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. And now we shall return to the list for non-governmental organization. And I give the floor to the representative of the Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health for a video intervention.

Mr. President, climate change poses a growing threat to human rights.

These impacts are unevenly, disproportionately affecting developing countries and vulnerable populations, making climate resilience a core human rights priority.

India's experience demonstrates that climate action and sustainable development can advance together through inclusive, people-centered policies.

Guided by equity and the right to development, India integrates climate resilience with poverty.

Reduction, energy access, food security, sustainable infrastructure, and inclusive growth.

They made notable progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

Including expanded access to clean cooking fuel, universal household electrification, and improved rural energy access.

Its renewable energy capacity has also expanded significantly with over half of installed electricity capacity now from non-fossil sources.

Through national frameworks such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change and decentralized renewable energy initiatives, India links

climate actions with livelihood and resilience.

Internationally, India contributes through the International Solar Alliance promoting cooperation and technology sharing.

Strengthened international cooperation, climate justice, and equitable financing are essential for just and inclusive climate transitions worldwide.

Thank you. Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the Beijing Guangming Charity Foundation for video intervention.

Distinguished Chair, I'm Xu Kuei Yang, Vice President of Beijing Guangming Charity Foundation.

The right to development is not merely a promise, but a practice we can build together.

For 12 years, our STAR project has worked with autistic communities, translating field-based experience into practical, scalable solutions. At this panel, we present two proven tools: a non-invasive wearable intervention for home-based physical conditioning, and an AI mental well-being companion providing round-the-clock emotional support. They help lower care burdens, support families, and empower neurodiverse persons to learn, work, and participate in society. To scale these solutions globally, we will hold a side event on neurodiverse digital inclusion during the 6:30 session. We warmly invite you to join us to explore partnerships, exchange experience, and co-design context-adapted pathways. We call for a three-way partnership.

Civil society delivers field-tested models, governments foster enabling policies, and the UN system provides capacity-building support.

Jointly, we can turn the right to development into real-life gains for every neurodiverse person. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man for a joint statement by video.

Distinguished delegates, colleagues and fellow young people, I'm Naveen Gautam representing the Inclusivity Project. The right to development means that every person and every community must have opportunity to participate in, contribute to and benefit from development. Yet for millions of young people from the communities discriminated on work and descent, this right remains far away from reality, especially the young women.

Youth affected by work and descent-based discrimination continue to face structural discrimination in education, in

employment, housing, health care, access to justice and political participation. The right to development must also encompass climate, digital and financial justice for communities affected by work and descent-based discrimination who often face disproportionate climate vulnerabilities while having limited resources and decision-making power. Therefore, they should be meaningfully included in climate action and transition to a just and sustainable future. At the same time, digital inclusion is essential as technology, AI and digital public infrastructure increasingly shapes access to education, employment and public services. As we advance. Towards the implementation of declaration on the right to development, we call for meaningful participation, disaggregated data, targeted resources and policies that address discrimination based on work and descent. Development cannot be truly inclusive, sustainable or just if we are left behind. Let us ensure that our youth are not simply invited to the table, but are empowered to shape the policies, shape the solution and shape the future of development. Thank you.

Thank you. So, Excellencies, that was the representative of the Inclusivity Project. And now I give the floor to the representative of the Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man for a joint statement by video.

Amid the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, Israel's systematic strangulation of the Palestinian economy is stripping Palestinians of their right to development, alongside the ability to remain and live in dignity in their homeland. Since May 2025, Israel has fully suspended the transfer of any clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority. By May 2026, more than 13 billion shekels had been withheld, constituting roughly two thirds of their income. And in June 2026, the Israeli Knesset expanded the mechanisms through which Palestinian clearance revenues can be permanently seized. In practice, this has resulted in unpaid salaries, mounting arrears, and the erosion of healthcare, education, and other essential services. Palestinian banks now hold billions of shekels in unusable physical cash and are increasingly isolated due to their dependence on the illegal occupying power's financial system to process international payments. The fragmentation and economic isolation of the Palestinian people ensures the collapse of businesses, public services and infrastructure, and discourages any form of investment in Palestine. This financial coercion directly impairs the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, in particular the right to self-determination. and directly advances Israel's Zionist goal of Palestinian erasure. Al-Haq reiterates that all states and international organizations must urgently act to ensure Israel's unlawful occupation is brought to an end, and that Palestinians attain the right to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. Thank you.

Thank you, and I now give the floor to the representative of the Paris Non-Trading Development Activists for a video intervention.

President, this is an institute to emphasize the necessity of examining the

impact of the recent military aggression by the US and Israel against Iran across

all session and agendas relevant to the right to development.

This aggression, while constituting a flagrant violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter, have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, including scientific and facilities, thereby not only violation the right to development, but also endangering in right of the life, health and enjoyment of scientific issues.

This aggression has been accompanied by a

protracted UCM, and war in section has had a multiplier effect on the right to development. Critical infrastructure has been devastated, and access to essential technology for recovery and development is now obstructed by barriers. We call upon the Council and the panelists present to take

to cognizance this violation in line with the commitment enshrining in Resolution 517. and to emphasize the full implementation of the

Declaration of the Right to Development, so as to protect the victim and prevent the perpetuation of this inhumanity tragedy.

I thank you.

Thank you. We have exhausted the second segment of the list of speakers, and this was the last speaker that we can accommodate. And I would like to remind all delegates inscribed on the list of speakers who could not take the floor due to time constraints, they can upload their statements to be posted on the HRC portal. I will now give the floor back to the panelists for their concluding remarks. Let me inform distinguished members of the panel that because of time limitations, they would have to come to a hard stop at minute three, and please excuse the President if he will also intervene at minute three. And now I give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Rodolfo Benitez Person. You have the floor, Excellency.

Thank you very much, President. At the outset, I would like to state that I am entirely in agreement with those who highlighted the importance of adopting as soon as possible the International Covenant on the Right to Development. In the coming days, and on the 23rd of September more specifically, a meeting will be held at the General Assembly to support the 40th anniversary of the Declaration of 1986, a high-level meeting, and I believe that on that occasion we must reaffirm international commitment to the right to development and to give new impetus to the negotiation process for the covenant with a view to its adoption in 2027 at the latest, we hope, or at the latest, rather, in the early part of 2028. Looking to 2030, I would like to state that, in my view, We can only achieve the SDGs with a covenant on the right to development.

And above all, we must ensure that there are clear provisions regarding the obligation of states to cooperate. Due to the very nature of the right to development, it is not, in my view, possible to effectively address structural and systemic problems present in the current international order if there is no commitment for compromise. So far, cooperation has been basically voluntary and it has been at the discretion of states. And I think that the covenant will help to attain the Sustainable Development Goals. Regarding unilateral coercive measures, this is a topic of the utmost importance for a significant group of countries. This question is already reflected in the draft covenant in its article 14, and in my view it is well reflected there. The covenant makes it clear that the application of unilateral coercive measures is incompatible with the right to development, and therefore it calls explicitly on states to not adopt or apply unilateral coercive measures. Cuba firmly supports that provision contained in the draft covenant and we hope that it will remain in the final version. I also agree with what many said about the fact that full realization of the right to development necessarily requires stepping up solidarity and cooperation at the international level.

Thank you, and I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Daika Pozo. You have the floor, Excellency.

Thank you, President. I think the discussion really reconfirmed what I also said at the beginning. The right to development is inalienable, universal, and is exercised in how we govern, how we finance, and how the decisions affecting individual lives are shaped. We are all rightly pressed on implementation. 40 years after the declaration, the test of this anniversary is delivery. And delivery, as I said earlier, rests on foundations we cannot compromise on, good governance, the rule of law, transparent and accountable institutions, and meaningful participation, including women and girls. And that is what realizing human rights across the board is about. These must be choices by design about who is consulted, who is financed, and who is accountable when commitments fall short. Looking forward, the European Union remains ready to engage constructively always guided by the conviction that all human rights, including the right to development, are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent, and mutually reinforcing. Mr. President, 40 years on, our joint task is simple to state, but all but easy to achieve. To make sure the next decade of the right to development is measured not in declarations, but in individual lives changed. Let us all work towards that goal. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor now to Mr. Frans Viljoen. You have the floor, sir.

Thank you very much, President. I would like to add some remarks to the observations around the adoption of a binding international covenant and add to what the Ambassador said. In my view too, the adoption of such a covenant is crucial to strengthen the global development agenda. And by having such a treaty in place, it will provide a secure and a clear, legally binding human rights basis for the developmental agenda. And I think the process towards the adoption of this treaty must be seen as going hand in hand with the process of reimagining the post-2030 developmental agenda. For sure, the SDGs have been praised as articulating political promises and setting targets, But they've also been criticized for not being grounded in a human rights framework. And it is this process towards the adoption of a binding treaty that should be understood as also informing our very re-imagining of this post-2030 agenda. And increasingly, I think these two processes should run closely in parallel. A second observation related to the adoption of this is that it also is needed to complement the African Charter provision because developmental dimensions really are dual. On the one hand, there is the national dimension of the right to development that requires within the state good governance around development, but then there is the international dimension, the dimension of between states, and that is cooperation and solidarity. Now, the African Charter, by its very nature, speaks to the obligation of states in terms of the national dimension, the governance dimension, and not in terms of the international. So clearly, there are limits to what African states can achieve themselves. Many of the delegates pointed to structural and historical obstacles to development, issues such as debt servicing, unfair taxation, including illicit financial flows, unresponsive international financial institutions. All of these require international cooperation and solidarity. And it is through bringing together the national dimension of governance and the international dimension of international cooperation and solidarity that I think the international covenant on the right to development can make its greatest contribution and in the process also really provide a missing puzzle, as it were, and complement the African chart in terms of what it had been able to achieve thus far. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Ms. Joana Maria Ibanez Rivas.

Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you to everybody for your comments. is true. Our common concern is about the adoption of the International Covenant on the Right to Development, which, as its name itself indicates, would become the third treaty pillar within the UN system, alongside the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Cultural, Economic and Social Rights. This is why it's very important to ensure that impetus comes from States themselves, as the Ambassador of Cuba pointed out during the session. That being said, while this process of the adoption of the International Covenant on the Right to Development is underway, we do have a robust basis upon which we can work on the roadmap for the right to development and its implementation. Also, we have regional declarations to support us. There's the African Charter, there's case law that's very significant as well, in particular within the Inter-American System of Human Rights. There are the constitutions of the various states, as you yourselves pointed out in some of your statements. We've got the plans and the development agendas at the domestic levels. And of course, there is an absolute need to ensure not just north-south and south-south co-operation, but also ensure that there is triangular co-operation, which is so important. There are all those elements, and I think that, with them, we have a robust basis upon which to work towards the road map. On behalf of the expert mechanism on the right to development, I assure you that we stand ready to bring in all the contributions that we have had from the panel and to draft the road map and identify best practices regarding the right to development. That is part of our mandate, as you know. We would like to reaffirm our commitment to doing that. and the goal is to ensure that best practices are shared and to consolidate implementation. I'd also like to underscore the importance of joint work regarding the right to development. It's not just states, but also civil society organizations and academia, national human rights institutions, human rights ombudspersons, and of course, Our mechanism will work hand in glove with the Special Rapporteur and the intergovernmental group so as to try and turn the right to development into reality. We have taken note of all your statements, and many thanks to one and all.

Thank you. This brings us to the end of this panel discussion. I wish to thank the Deputy High Commissioner, our distinguished panelists, and all the participants who have contributed to this discussion. We will now take a short break before proceeding with the interactive dialogue with the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, colleagues, we will continue the interactive dialogue with the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons. We continue the list of speakers, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait.

President, we align ourselves with statement delivered by like-minded groups and wish to thank the independent expert on her report on cognitive impairment and all the persons continued enjoyment of human rights. We attach great importance to the participation of older persons. Our law of 2016 envisages older persons' freedom not to be placed in care institutions without their consent. We have a safety network to ensure their care, including providing mobile medical units for early rehabilitation. On the level of digital development, we have launched priority card and included older persons through simple government application to simplify services provided to them. We work with ESCWA to prepare a national strategy to implement the supported decision-making mechanisms. We also participate in the preparation of legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons. In closing, we ask the independent experts, what do you recommend to help states to gradually shift from existing care frameworks to an empowered approach based on older person's choices, especially in cases of early cognitive impairment? Thank you, President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi.

Thank you, Mr. President. Malawi aligns itself with the statement of the African Group and welcomes the report of the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons. We commend the independent expert for focusing the report on the exercise of human rights of older persons in the context of cognitive impairment. Malawi agrees with the independent expert that cognitive impairment does not diminish personhood, human agency or entitlement to the full enjoyment of human rights. In order to promote and protect the rights of older persons, Malawi enacted the Older Persons Act 2024. The act protects older persons from unfair discrimination on any ground, including on the grounds of the health, status, or disability of the older person. In addition to the act, Malawi has developed and launched the National Action Plan on Inclusion and Protection of the Elderly 2026 to 2031. This plan serves as a strategic roadmap for addressing the challenges faced by older persons in Malawi, including violence, abuse, neglect, economic vulnerability, and limited access to essential services. In line with the plan, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation is in the process of developing guidelines for the provision of healthcare services to older persons. Malawi joins the independent experts' call for States to adopt legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures necessary to ensure the continuing exercise of the human rights of older persons living with cognitive impairment. I thank you.

Thank you, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Ghana thanks the independent expert for his report, which rightly affirms that cognitive impairment does not diminish personhood, human agency, or entitlement to the full enjoyment of human rights. We support the call to remove barriers that exclude older persons, including those with cognitive impairment, from meaningful participation in decisions affecting their lives and from family, community, and public.

Life.

Ghana's commitment to these principles is reflected in its constitutional guarantees of equality and protection, as well as the Mental Health Act 2012 and the National Aging Policy. Together, these provide an important foundation for protecting the dignity, security, and rights of older persons. Ghana further emphasizes the importance of ensuring that constitutional guarantees, legislation, and policies are given full effect in practice. In this regard, we would welcome the independent expert's views on how national aging and mental health policies can effectively preserve the agency of older persons with cognitive.

Impairment and ensure their meaningful participation in decision making.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Gracias, Senor Presidente.

Thank you, President. We would like to thank the independent expert for his report, which focuses on the autonomy, participation and dignity of older persons with cognitive impairment. The autonomy, participation and human dignity of older persons can be affected when cognitive functioning becomes vulnerable, fluctuating or impaired. This occurs through practices such as infantilising, overprotection, paternalism, reducing them to silence and also reduced expectations regarding their participation or lack of recognition for them exercising their autonomy. Therefore, it is essential to combat age-based discrimination and to recognise older persons as full rights holders, preventing unnecessary institutionalisation and ensuring that they can remain within community-based and family environments, with comprehensive care focused on the person and ensuring full respect for their rights and dignity in the face of cognitive impairment. We do note the recommendations made by the independent expert, and we highlight the importance of strengthening the creation of human talent in ageing and cognitive impairment and care that is human centred. We need to consolidate support mechanisms for decision making that respect the will of older persons, prevent ageism and stigma associated to cognitive impairment and dementia and to promote accessible and inclusive environments, strengthen care services in the matter long-term services and families and community-based support networks. We also need to increase research in cognitive health and ensure effective participation of all the persons in all decisions and policies that affect them. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Benin.

Thank you, Chair. The delegation of Benin would like to thank the Independent Expert for the presentation of the report and for their constant efforts in favour of protecting and promoting the rights of older persons. We also take good note of the recommendations contained in the report regarding the need to ensure that older persons with cognitive impairment can continue to exercise their human rights. Benin remains the belief that older persons should be able to fully enjoy all their human rights in dignity, equality, autonomy and non-discrimination. As a key component of our societies, their role in transmitting our collective memory and ensuring social cohesion and their contribution to development should be fully recognized and valued. At the national level, our government is implementing targeted programs in order to improve care for older persons, in particular through social protection, access to health care, the fight against poverty and exclusion, and the prevention of abuse or any forms of discrimination that are based on age. President, in light of the global challenges linked to aging, Benin believes that effective protection of the rights of older persons requires an inclusive approach, enhanced public policies and global and structured responses. We call for stronger international cooperation through the sharing of experiences, capacity building and the mobilization of necessary resources in order to ensure that all older persons can live a life of dignity, autonomy and flourish therein. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia.

Thank you, President.

Australia remains unequivocal.

Human rights apply equally to all people. However, older persons remain vulnerable despite being rights holders.

Entitled to dignity, autonomy, equality and participation in decisions that affect their lives. This includes those who experience cognitive impairment. We welcome the independent.

Expert's report, shedding much needed light on the discrimination, loss of rights and abuse that older persons with cognitive impairment too often face.

Australia co-sponsored the UN resolution mandating treaty negotiations toward a new UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.

And is actively participating in negotiations.

The convention will seek to correct gaps in existing human rights frameworks, address ageism and age-based discrimination.

And consider older persons with cognitive decline.

We are committed to ensuring the.

Voices of older persons and civil society are at the centre of the conversation on the rights of older persons. President, how do we ensure this Convention promotes and protects the human rights of older persons, including those with cognitive impairment?

Thank you. Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Jordan.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We would like to thank the independent expert, Mr. Birtochek, for his report and recommendations. The report highlights a fundamental principle ageing or the change of cognitive capacities does not affect a person's dignity or his or her right to choose and participate. Memory may weaken, but rights do not weaken. We should make sure that older persons take part in decisions that affect their lives and to provide support to their families and care providers. the older person should be able to pursue their lives and to exercise their rights and dignity. At the national level, Jordan adopted an executive plan to implement the national strategy for older persons for 2025-2030, and the National Council for Family Affairs launched a national study on the misconducts against older persons and to promote mechanisms of reporting and response, We would like to ask the Independent Expert what are the practical indicators that can be implemented in order to measure the capacity of older persons to exercise their rights and take part in decisions that affect their lives. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Austria.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Austria thanks the Independent Expert for his report and presentation on Wednesday. Cognitive impairment must never be equated with the loss of personhood, dignity or rights. The key question is how older persons can continue to exercise autonomy, express their will and preferences, and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives. Austria's national dementia strategy, Living Well with Dementia, places participation, self-determination, and quality of life at its core. It seeks to enable persons living with dementia to articulate their wishes and needs and to remain active members of society. This is complemented by Austria's adult protection law, which prioritizes self-determination and support. Representation should remain an exception, while the wishes and preferences of persons concerned remain central. We also see an important link with social connection. Cognitive impairment can increase the risk of exclusion, social isolation and loneliness, further undermining participation and autonomy. Against this background, Austria will host the International Conference on Loneliness and the Human Rights of Older Persons in Vienna from 10 to 12 February 2027. The conference will address loneliness and social isolation alongside the broader human rights of older persons and contribute to the ongoing international dialogue in its field. Independent expert, which forms of support should states prioritize to safeguard meaningful participation and autonomy where cognitive abilities are fluctuating or impaired? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile.

Thank you very much, President. We'd like to thank the independent expert for the presentation of the report, and we do value his contribution to the challenges faced by older persons with cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment can modify the way in which a person understands information, communicates their decisions or takes part in particular areas of their life. However, this circumstance should not, per se, lead to general conclusions about their ability to exercise their rights. The challenge lies in identifying appropriate responses that match the specific circumstances of each individual. Chile therefore welcomes the distinction drawn in the report between autonomy and independence. We note that independence can be conditioned upon the need for care, but autonomy is more linked to the ability to express one's will and to take part in decisions that affect the person. A lack of independence does not necessarily imply a lack of autonomy, and there is assistance that can facilitate communication and participation, and it is important to respect the will and the abilities of the person concerned. We do recognise that there are situations which may require additional protection measures, and therefore it is important to have the necessary safeguards in place and to avoid automatic restrictions based solely on age or a general diagnosis of the cognitive ability. and functioning. Our question is how can we ensure that there are necessary safeguards in place in order to ensure that older persons can exercise their rights and how can we address situations where additional protection measures are required? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thailand thanks the independent expert for his insightful report, which brings attention to a dimension of human rights that is rarely discussed and is particularly relevant to older persons. We strongly agree that cognitive impairment must not be seen as diminished personhood, dignity, or human agency. Rather than replacing the voice of older persons, appropriate support should enable them to express their will and preferences and to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives. This reflects Thailand's broader approach to ageing. Older persons should be recognised not merely as recipients of care and welfare, but as rights holders with their dignity, autonomy, participation and equality fully respected. The report also demonstrates why existing protections remain fragmented. Thailand therefore reiterates its support for the elaboration of a comprehensive, legally binding international instrument that addresses the specific circumstances and protection gaps experienced by older persons. We would welcome the independent expert's views on how States can translate supported autonomy into practice, particularly where families and communities play a central role in care. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cabo Verde.

Thank you, President. We'd like to thank the independent expert for his report on the enjoyment of human rights by older persons in the context of cognitive impairment, and we do very much congratulate him on his conclusions and recommendations. We would like to reaffirm, in the context of rapid demographic ageing, that it is essential to ensure that older persons can live a life of dignity, autonomy and safety, and fully participate in family, community, social and economic life. In Cape Verde, older persons play a crucial role in family cohesion and community cohesion, Our country has a number of important public policy measures, in particular our national charter on older persons, the national strategic plan for active ageing and older persons' health, and our national healthcare system, which seeks to promote active, healthy and dignified ageing and to strengthen long-term and continuous care. However, challenges remain, in particular as regards housing, insufficient income and lack of access to specialised care, as well as isolation and abandonment. That is why Cabo Verde believes it is essential to strengthen ongoing care and long-term care, as well as expanding our social protection and establishing a specific legal framework and promoting the ratification of the African Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons. We would like to reaffirm our support for ongoing efforts in order to develop a future internationally legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons, and we're ready to actively contribute to that process. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lebanon.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Lebanon welcomes the independent experts' insightful report and key messages.

We agree that the priority is to create the conditions and provide the necessary support for older persons with cognitive impairment to continue exercising their rights throughout changing circumstances. We find the report's recommendations particularly valuable in this regard.

We also welcome the emphasis on supporting decision-making, accessible communication, meaningful participation and inclusion.

We echo the call for coordinated rights-based systems of care and support that engage States, families, caregivers and communities. Raising awareness and providing appropriate training are essential to advancing this objective and ensuring that such systems are effectively implemented.

Lebanon's experience of prolonged crisis, displacement, hostilities, and disruption of essential services has highlighted the particular vulnerabilities of older persons.

Therefore, their dignity, rights, and participation must remain integral to preparedness, response, and recovery. Against this background, we would like to respectfully ask the independent expert.

How can states ensure the human rights of older persons living with cognitive impairment while putting into practice the shift you advocate from focusing on capacity to enabling human agency when these states are faced with.

Situations of crisis and resources constraints.

I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Fiji. Okay, I will turn to the next speaker and later on carry on to the one more speaker from the spillover list. And now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Togo.

Thank you, President. My delegation would like to thank the independent expert on his enlightening report on cognitive impairment and the exercise of the person's human rights. This report sheds light on a fundamental truth: cognitive impairment erodes neither a person's personality or capacity for action or their right to exercise their human rights. The cognitive impairment simplifies, modifies, simply modifies the modalities in which these rights are exercised and calls for an adaptation of institutional and social systems. Togo is fully aware of what is at stake, and we have ratified in 2020 the protocol to the African Charter regarding the protection of older persons. At the national level, we have measures in place to protect and promote the rights of older persons, who represent 5.8% of our population, and they represent a valuable well of knowledge and experience. My delegation is convinced that participation, social inclusion, and a feeling of belonging are essential conditions for the ongoing exercise of human rights by older persons. Togo is therefore committed to ensuring that there is a favorable environment within communities to ensure that our elders remain active and valued members of our society. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe.

Mr. President, Zimbabwe appreciates the report of the independent expert and acknowledges the recommendations made, particularly for states to put in place legislative and policy measures to ensure the respect, protection, promotion, and upholding the rights of older persons. It is surely the responsibility of states and societies to create conditions in which older persons, especially those with cognitive impairment, can contribute can continue exercising their rights meaningfully throughout changing circumstances. Zimbabwe has established a legal and policy framework for protecting the rights of older persons, with all institutions and agencies of government mandated to put in place reasonable policy measures, including legislative measures, to secure respect, support, and protection of the elderly persons, and to enable them to participate fully in their communities. We have ratified core human rights treaties addressing matters of older persons, and we are implementing national policies and action plans focusing on social protection and poverty reduction programs designed for older persons. Realizing the challenges that come with old age, Zimbabwe is implementing systematic and tailor-made programs aimed at maintaining the autonomy and care of older persons. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I go into the spillover list. I have the first one on the list is Bulgaria, but I don't see a representative of Bulgaria. Next I turn to Portugal. Portugal, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. Portugal welcomes the independent expert's work and his report, which highlights the universality of human rights and that it's truly tested when it concerns those that require great support.

The report reaffirms that the focus should be on creating the conditions for older persons with cognitive disabilities to continue exercising their rights fully with dignity, autonomy and participation. Older persons have the right to make autonomous decisions about their lives, free from coercion, and should be given every opportunity to participate fully in society. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that they continue to enjoy their rights, exercise their free will, and live with dignity and respect. Portugal believes that the implementation of human-centric practices Guided by the individual's identity, preferences, life history, relationships, and choices should guide decision making processes and help to create frameworks to protect older persons. Mr. Independent Expert, how can society, institutions and public policies be transformed to ensure that older persons with cognitive disabilities continue to participate actively in community life and have their voices recognized in decisions that affect their lives? I thank you.

Thank you. We shall now turn to the list of speakers for National Human Rights Institutions and non-governmental organizations. And I give the floor to the representative of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

Our alliance congratulates the independent expert on his nomination, and we look forward to cooperating with him. We welcome that the report focuses on cognitive impairment and that it should not affect all the persons' enjoyment of their rights and their autonomy. We hail also the report's focus on the participation of older persons in decisions affecting their lives. The report shines a light on countries' responsibility to ensure the enforcement of these rights institutionally and politically. NHRI can support countries in this vein by providing independent advice and defining implementation gaps and ensuring that responses be based on experiences and living conditions of older persons. We hail that the reports coincide with the elaboration of a new international instrument on older persons. This should tackle protection gaps and recognize equality, non-discrimination, dignity, participation, and access to justice. We call for focusing in this instrument on the experiences of older persons while It is ensuring the participation of organizations representing them in order to uphold the rights of this category of people. We are committed to the mandate of the independent expert and will participate in the international process while highlighting the important role played by the Committee on the Rights of Older Persons, which is an offshoot of our alliance. Thank you very much, President.

Thank you. Now I give the floor to the representative of the Salvation Army for a video intervention.

The Salvation Army welcomes the independent experts' focus on the autonomy, participation and human dignity of older persons with cognitive impairment. We share the view that cognitive impairment must never be equated with a loss of personhood or human rights.

Older persons retain their values, preferences, relationships, and right to participate in decisions affecting their lives.

Their voices must be heard, respected, and supported. The Salvation Army supports older persons through residential care, community and pastoral programs, and dementia-inclusive initiatives. We promote care standards centered on dignity, respect, participation, and protection, while ensuring that people remain active participants in their own care and daily lives. We also promote dementia-friendly communities and caregiver education, fostering inclusion, safety, understanding, and meaningful engagement. These initiatives recognise that autonomy can be supported in relational and practical ways as cognitive abilities change. We support the independent expert's recommendations and we therefore ask: What can states do to draw on civil society's expertise and experience in implementing these recommendations while retaining their responsibility to ensure that older persons with cognitive impairment remain meaningfully involved in decisions concerning their lives, care and participation in society? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse for video intervention.

Beth Morrissey, and I speak on behalf of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. The independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons calls attention to persistent challenges faced in assuring the human rights of older persons living with cognitive impairment. The independent experts' emphasis on rights-realizing systems is welcome in providing a clear framework for reimagining how we may more meaningfully support older persons in the full exercise of their human rights and realization of their human agency, particularly in healthcare settings and institutional settings where rights may be marginalized through forms of structural coercion. We call for person-centered workforce education and training that reorients the provision of care and services to older people with uncompromising respect for their autonomy and with the clear goal of enabling them to participate fully in making decisions with the level of support they may need from family, helping professionals, and their communities.

And I now give the floor to the representative of the International Federation on Ageing for video intervention.

The International Federation on Ageing welcomes the independent experts' report on cognitive impairment.

It reinforces a principle that applies across all dimensions of ageing. Changes in our circumstances must never diminish our rights. Older persons' experiences are diverse. Cognitive impairment, disability, poverty, gender inequalities, and other circumstances can intersect with ageism, creating distinct barriers to exercising rights.

Our response must embrace this diversity and address all human rights.

The IFA calls for coordinated action across health, care, social protection, community life, ensuring autonomy, accessibility, and meaningful participation.

Older persons, including those requiring support to communicate or make decisions, must help shape the policies affecting them.

Guided by our commitment to healthy ageing and intergenerational solidarity, we urge States to develop a comprehensive United Nations Convention.

With clear obligations and effective accountability. The rights we hold throughout life must remain equally protected and fully enjoyed in older age. This is a commitment to older persons today and to every generation that follows. Thank you. Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of Alliance Defending Freedom.

Mr. President, ADF International thanks the Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights of Older Persons for his report and wishes him every success in his mandate. We welcome the Independent Expert's reaffirmation that dignity is inherent to all human beings, irrespective of age or medical condition, including cognitive health. We also appreciate his relational perspective on autonomy, recognizing that older persons make choices, develop their identity, and pursue their lives within relations relationships of mutual support and responsibility. This understanding must be safeguarded from a revisionist conception of dignity as something achieved through capacity and choice, which distorts autonomy so far as to become the basis for an alleged right to end one's life through euthanasia and assisted suicide. This distortion leaves the most vulnerable.

With weaker legal safeguards for their life and with less regard for their health and well-being.

It also draws attention away from the real, documented reasons older persons may be led to feel their lives are no longer worth living: loneliness, isolation, a sense of being a burden and a lack of or inadequate care and support. Mr. Independent Expert, how can the principles of inherent dignity and relational autonomy shape the drafting of the legally binding instrument on promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons, including in relation to end-of-life questions. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the Global Action on Aging.

Mr. President.

Global Action on Aging welcomes the appointment of Mr. Pirtosek as independent expert and expresses its appreciation to him for presenting his first report. We believe that the report on cognitive impairment can be very helpful when it is used.

In the context of a comprehensive understanding of the need.

To secure the full implementation of all human rights of older persons. We support the strong call by the independent expert on states to guarantee that cognitive impairment does not diminish personhood, human agency, or entitlement to the full enjoyment and continuing exercise of human rights on an equal basis with others, and that changing health conditions must never diminish the rights of older persons. As we have always done, we wish to stress that reducing inequalities and fighting poverty at both the global and national level is essential for the achievement of all human rights for older persons. We look forward to the independent expert to play a central role in explaining and mobilizing support for the rights of older persons, confronting ageism and building global support for the new legally binding instrument. I thank you.

Thank you. And now I give the floor to the representative of the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Seniorenorganisationen for a video intervention.

We thank the independent expert for his important report on cognitive impairment and the continuing exercise of the human rights of older persons. Negative stereotypes associated with dementia continue to undermine human rights. In both public perception and care settings, people with dementia are perceived primarily in terms of their deficits and dependence, and treated accordingly. The international legally binding instrument currently being drafted must strengthen the recognition of older persons with cognitive impairments as equal rights holders and explicitly affirm their equal enjoyment and exercise of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Considering the wealth of evidence compiled in your report, we ask you: What specific proposals will you put forward to the chair of this group to ensure that older persons with cognitive impairments get adequate opportunities to participate in the drafting process? We encourage you to use your mandate and expertise to facilitate their meaningful participation in the treaty process.

We will be happy to support these efforts.

Thank you. I give the floor now to the Association Haste.org for a video intervention.

The.

Independent expert's report raises a fundamental question: how do we protect the dignity and rights of older persons when illness, frailty or cognitive impairment increase their need for care? As he states, personhood does not depend upon memory, productivity, independence or cognitive performance. He reminds us that dependence and vulnerability are part of human experience, and they do not place anyone outside the protection of human rights. This understanding of dignity is particularly important when discussing autonomy. Autonomy is not simply independence from others. It can also be exercised through relationships of care, support, and independence. Greater dependence should therefore call for greater support and protection, never for diminished recognition of a person's value. The question has acquired new urgency in France, where the law of August 2026 has created a right to aid in dying. CitizenGo is concerned about consequences for older persons living with illness, disability, frailty or dependence. What message do we send if illness, dependence or loss of autonomy suggest a lesser value of life? Can an irreversible decision be free from pressure, fear, isolation or feeling like a burden when a person is vulnerable? The independent expert calls on states to ensure timely and equitable access to palliative care. States must ensure that dependence never means diminished protection, that vulnerability receives care and support, and that every older person is recognized as having equal and inherent dignity. Thank you.

Thank you, and I give the floor to the representative of the Chinese Association for International Understanding for video intervention.

President, I'm Hongyue Xie from the School of Humanities, Central South University, representing the Chinese Association for International Understanding. As a student, I often ask, can technology truly reach those who need it most? I especially care about how it can support older persons. And I noticed that in rural Chongqing, the government created an AI platform for older persons living alone. Smart sensors detect unusual routines and alert community workers. Once, an old man suffered severe abdominal pain and couldn't stand or call for help. Within 10 minutes of the alert, a community worker and a village doctor arrived.

This showed me that.

Technology for social good can create a chain of care, from detecting risk to someone arriving at the door, protecting safety, autonomy, and dignity. We call on governments and companies to make such solutions affordable and accessible, while ensuring informed consent, privacy, and choice. As students, we will listen to older persons and help build inclusive technology. No older person should be left unheard or without help because of age, income, or location.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of ILGA World.

Mr. President, ILGA World welcomes the Independent Expert report and its recognition that cognitive impairment does not diminish personhood.

Identity, or human agency. For older LGBTI persons, this principle requires an explicit intersectional approach. A lifetime of criminalization, discrimination, and family rejection can shape who remains around a person in older age. Research among LGBTI older persons in different countries found high levels of social isolation, concealment of sexual.

Orientation or gender identity in healthcare settings, and lack of access to informal care.

This has profound consequences when cognitive impairment develops.

An older LGBTI person's trusted supporter may be a same-sex partner or chosen family member whose relationship is not legally.

Recognized.

Conversely, relying automatically on biological or legal family members may expose some older persons to misgendering, concealment of their identity, rejection of their relationships, or decisions inconsistent with their long-standing will and preferences. We therefore urge States to ensure that cognitive impairment is never used to erase a person's.

Sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics. Independent experts, how can States ensure that supported decision-making frameworks recognize chosen families and other trusted persons of LGBTI older people, particularly where the relationships or gender identities are not legally recognized?

Thank you.

Thank you, and I give the floor to the representative of the Center for Global Nonkilling.

Dear human beings, Mr. President, Mr. Piotrowski, dear independent expert, everyone everywhere, greetings of conscience. Mr. Piotrowski, let me thank you for your generous and lively participation in the first session of the working group preparing a human rights treaty for older persons. For both your mandate and the treaty, in a right to life perspective, I wish to insist on the effect of falls. We stand in our lives, our freedoms, our conscience. We pace in peace and through social interactions, enhancing well-being by assuring our evulative equilibrium. However, sometimes we trip and fall. Toddlers usually rise anew with little damage and maybe laughter. For others, rising from fall is more complicated. Falls are worldwide the second cause of deaths due to injuries. After the age of 65, it is the first cause. Falls and damages from falls can be prevented and limited. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities brings profound architectural transformation to buildings and public spaces. We need similar efforts in favor of older persons. This needs to be documented and adapted for older persons and, in principle, written in the future treaty. Thank you for life-preserving measures. May we all enjoy life and aging. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

That was the last speaker that we could accommodate for this dialogue, and I now give the floor to Mr. Petr Toschek for his concluding remarks. I would kindly ask you, sir, that you stop, put a hard stop at seven minutes, 7.0 minutes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'm grateful for the thoughtful interventions from states, regional groups, civil society, and others throughout our interactive dialogue. Our dialogue revealed a remarkable degree of convergence. Across regions, delegations affirmed that cognitive impairment does not diminish personhood, dignity, human agency or entitlement to human rights. Several delegations asked how States can better support autonomy, legal capacity, participation and decision-making. This requires supported decision-making, accessible communication, sufficient time, advanced planning, and trusted supporters chosen by the person himself or herself. The objective should be to maximize participation rather than rely on assumption of incapacity. Any limitation on rights should remain exceptional, individualized, proportionate, and regularly reviewed. Several interventions also reminded us that older persons are not a homogenous group. Their lives are shaped by different histories, relationships, identities and circumstances. This is particularly important in supported decision-making. The starting point should not automatically be biological kinship or formal legal status. It should be the person's own will and preferences, including whom they trust. This can include a partner, a friend or chosen family. At the same time, such arrangements require appropriate safeguards against coercion, abuse and conflicts of interest. Questions concerning the future international conventions on the rights of older persons were also prominent, and I was happy for that. Any future instrument should begin from the recognition that older persons, including those living with cognitive impairment, remain full right holders. It should make ageism and age discrimination visible and require States to establish rights-realising systems with clear duties, safeguards and accountability. Rights must not only be recognised in law, they must be effective in practice. Another recurring theme concerned the role of families, communities and caregivers. The enjoyment of human rights cannot depend solely on the goodwill of families, caregivers or professionals. Families provide indispensable support. That cannot relieve States and public systems of their own responsibilities. Many interventions underscored the importance of combating stigma, ageism and social exclusion. Stigma becomes a human rights issue when it silences, infantilises or excludes people from decisions, relationships and public life. The most effective response is to ensure that older persons with cognitive impairment remain visible, heard and recognised as active participants in society. Public awareness, professional training, inclusive communities and accessible services all have an important role to play. I have also observed that States have adopted different legal approaches to end-of-life decisions. While my mandate does not prescribe one model, the human rights baseline, however, should be clear. A decision must be genuinely free. It should never be shaped by coercion, isolation, inadequate care, untreated suffering, poverty, or the message, explicit or implicit, that dependency makes a person's life less valuable. Timely access to palliative care and the support necessary to live with dignity are therefore essential safeguards for autonomy itself. The statements submitted by States online that were not delivered from the floor, reinforce strong support for rights-based approaches, supported decision-making, long-term care, social protection and community inclusion. They also highlighted practical challenges, including protection from abuse and exploitation, support for families and caregivers, and the opportunities and risks associated with technology and artificial intelligence. These discussions remind us that innovation must serve human rights, inclusion, and dignity, rather than create new forms of exclusion or undermine privacy. I also wish to acknowledge the important reminder that cognitive impairment must be viewed through a gender lens. Older women are disproportionately affected, both as persons living with dementia and as caregivers. Rights-realising systems must therefore support older women not only as recipients of care, but also as providers of care, ensuring that existing inequalities are not overlooked or reinforced. I would also like to thank civil society organizations for their thoughtful and practical contributions. The practical suggestions offered on community support, accessibility, prevention of falls and social inclusions were especially valuable. They remind us that human rights become real not in abstract principles alone, but in homes, neighborhoods, health services, care settings and communities. Mr. President, as we conclude, I wish once again to thank all delegations, civil society organizations and others for their engagements. The convergence we have seen is encouraging. Across regions, participants have called for support rather than substitution, participation rather than exclusion, and empowerment rather than paternalism. They've recognized that systems should be designed not around assumptions of incapacity, but around the capacities, preferences, and aspirations that people retain throughout life. Ultimately, the human right challenge is not cognitive impairment itself. It is whether we are prepared to create the legal, institutional and social conditions that allow older persons to continue exercising their rights, maintaining their agency and participating fully in society. The discussion we conclude today suggests that there is growing consensus on that objective. Thank you for that. Our task now is to translate that consensus into law, policy and practice. Allow me to conclude by thanking all delegations for their constructive engagement, by reaffirming my readiness to work with states, upon request, in advancing practical and rights-based solutions through technical cooperation, capacity building, and dialogue. I also wish to recognize the important contribution of the intergovernmental working group on the human rights of older persons, whose work remains central to strengthening the international human rights framework for older persons in the years to come. I thank you very much, Mr. President.

Thank you. This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue, and I thank Mr. Pirtoschek for his participation. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, we will now hold the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. Let me welcome the new mandate holder, Ms. Katerina Schwarcz. The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes, not counting the break after this. And I now give the floor to Ms. Schwartz to present the reports. You have the floor.

Thank you. Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished guests, I have the honor of addressing the Council for the first time today in my capacity as the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. As you know, this is a newly merged mandate, and it is a great honor to have been entrusted with it. The merger represents an important opportunity to advance a comprehensive human rights-based approach to combating contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons, recognizing the interconnected nature of the violations and their root causes. I will first present the findings of the former Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Tomoya Obokata, following his August 2025 visit to Brazil, and then turn to my agenda-setting report. Mr. President, Brazil has made significant progress in addressing slave labor through a robust legal framework, specialized institutions, labor inspection, and sustained cooperation with survivors, civil society, and workers' organizations. Brazil's efforts are an important example in addressing contemporary forms of slavery. At the same time, the Special Rapporteur notes that exploitation continues to disproportionately affect populations facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Indigenous peoples, quilombola and riverside communities are particularly affected, pushed out of their territories due to environmental destruction and the presence of criminal groups. Poverty, inequality, racial discrimination and social exclusion create conditions that facilitate exploitation. The lack of protection for these populations is deeply worrying. The report stresses the pressing need to strengthen labour inspection and ensure effective coordination with environmental inspection authorities. There is an acute shortage of labour inspectors in the country, particularly in remote areas where they are needed most. The pejotizac a o, through which a worker is hired as a legal entity instead of a formal employee to avoid the application of labour rights, is a deeply worrying trend. While Brazil has made important advances, business accountability remains insufficient. Efforts to address exploitation in supply chains must be stepped up, including as regards international business. While the Dirty List is a significant and unique mechanism, alleged political interference is alarming. The independence and credibility of this mechanism must be preserved. The interests of agribusiness must never be prioritized over the fundamental rights of workers. I commend the government for the expansion of the Vida Pos Resgate, Life After Slavery, initiative. Yet, stronger protection and socioeconomic reintegration measures for victims are needed, and I urge the government to secure the release of Sonia Maria de Jesus without further delay. I am committed to undertaking my first country visit before the end of the year, and issued visit requests to almost 30 states. I encourage all of them to respond favorably, as country visits provide a key opportunity for constructive dialogue, exchange of good practices, and identifications of challenges and solutions to address slavery and trafficking. Excellencies, I now turn to my first report to the Human Rights Council, underscoring the key priorities that will guide my tenure. This is a particularly significant moment in the anti-slavery movement. This year marks the centenary of the 1926 Slavery Convention, a defining milestone in humanity's long struggle against slavery. Yet, we must also confront a difficult reality. Slavery and trafficking remain widespread in every region of the world. Against this backdrop, my report assesses the current landscape, drawing on extensive consultations with states, civil society, survivors, academia, international organizations, and other stakeholders. It concludes that we are at an important inflection point. While recent decades have seen significant progress, contemporary trends threaten to undermine these gains. current landscape is defined by the increasing convergence of layered crises that interact and intersect, both creating and exacerbating vulnerabilities. Climate change and environmental degradation, conflict and instability, poverty and inequality, and migration and displacement are mutually reinforcing. They are both drivers and byproducts of contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. Restrictive migration policies and increasingly punitive migration governance push people into unsafe pathways while limiting access to protection and assistance. Why do geopolitical and economic trends deeply affect anti-slavery and anti-trafficking efforts? Rising authoritarianism and democratic erosion, pushback against human rights and multilateralism, and shrinking civic space are having profound impacts on our collective efforts to eradicate slavery and trafficking. At the same time, emerging technologies, new modalities, and forms of exploitation are continuously reshaping the field. Exploitative practices remain embedded in business operations and global value chains, facilitated both by prevailing economic and business models and insufficient regulation and weak enforcement. Finally, I highlight the enduring gap between commitment and implementation. Persistent gaps in domestic legal frameworks and shortfalls in implementation continue to undermine the realization of our international commitments. the harsh reality is that victims often remain unidentified and unprotected. Perpetrators continue to enjoy impunity, and access to justice and remedies remains out of reach for the vast majority of victims and survivors. Prevention, in particular, receives far less attention and investment than it should. Yet, despite confronting a uniquely challenging landscape, my report also identifies important reasons for optimism. Over recent decades, valuable tools, expertise, and partnerships have emerged. We've seen compelling growth in survivor leadership, stronger coordination, advances in research evidence, evolutions in business and human rights, and innovative uses of technology to address exploitation. These achievements provide a solid foundation for future progress. With due regard for both the challenges and opportunities that characterize this moment, my report identifies several priorities that will guide my work. My first and overarching priority is survivor engagement and leadership. People with lived experience of slavery and trafficking carry more than stories of trauma. They bring indispensable expertise on the forces and systems that shape exploitation and how these can be disrupted. I intend to promote meaningful and ethical survivor engagement across policy, research, and programming at all levels. Second, I will promote an intersectional human rights-based approach with emphasis on prevention and addressing structural drivers. Slavery and trafficking are shaped by a complex tapestry of overlapping factors. Effective responses must recognize and address these realities, tackling slavery and trafficking not as isolated incidents, but as features of interlocking systems of exclusion, discrimination, and marginalization. This requires a whole systems approach that breaks the silos in which anti-slavery and anti-trafficking efforts are often situated. Just as exploitation does not exist in a vacuum, so too our response must extend across governance domains, implicating labor rights, migration governance, corporate regulation, sustainable development, climate policy, trade, health, security, and many more. Our foundational legal frameworks must be reconsidered and reformed with this intersectionality in mind. We must develop new strategies for protecting progress in a uniquely challenging context. We must continue to focus on business responsibility while not overlooking the specific challenges of exploitation imposed by state actors and official complicity. And we must reckon with the ways that historical trajectories shape slavery and trafficking today. Finally, I will work to strengthen access to justice and effective remedies for victims and survivors, ensuring accountability efforts are informed by survivors' experiences and needs. and foreground survivors' own visions of justice. Mr. President, 100 years after the adoption of the Slavery Convention, the moral imperative to eradicate slavery and trafficking remains unchanged. What has changed is the complexity of the challenges we face. Progress is neither inevitable nor guaranteed. Sustained commitment, cooperation, and investment will be required to prevent backsliding and accelerate action. 100 years after its adoption, I call on all states that have not yet ratified the Slavery Convention to do so ahead of 2nd of December, the International Day on the Abolition of Slavery. I look forward to working constructively with states, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, researchers, affected communities, and above all, people with lived experience. Together, we can advance a shared vision that has animated international efforts for the past century, a world in which every person can live in freedom, dignity, and the full enjoyment of their human rights. Finally, I express my full solidarity with Francesca Albanese and condemn the sanctions imposed against her. I call for their immediate withdrawal. Thank you.

Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, this brings us to the end of this meeting for now. We will reconvene in the afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to continue the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in person. followed by the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development. I thank the Ambassador of Brazil for his patience and for his readiness to begin as concerned countries at this afternoon's session, and I thank all the interpreters for their readiness to continue servicing this meeting over time. And now I hereby close the seventh meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. Have a nice lunch.