A/HRC/33/21
social and cultural conditions and that the absence of peace, the increase of terrorism and
climate change were increasing impediments to the full realization of this right.
46.
Developing countries across the world strove to guarantee full realization of the
right to development as an inalienable and independent human right by virtue of which all
human rights could be fully realized and all people could enjoy economic, social, cultural
and political rights. States shared the same desire and ambition to be able to provide
adequately for the basic needs of their people, thereby ensuring a dignified life for all. The
lack of development opportunities posed a serious threat to the well-being of the citizens of
developing countries and contributed to instability and conflict. Without equal development
opportunities States could not provide adequately for the housing, health, education and
nutritional needs of their people, which increased risks of major setbacks in the face of
natural disasters or the outbreak of disease or conflict.
47.
Speakers stressed that development was a comprehensive process and that attention
should be given to the promotion and protection of all rights equally. All stakeholders were
called upon to implement fair strategies based on cooperation. The right to development
should be recognized as a separate right and not be incorporated with other rights in the
name of mainstreaming. Truly sustainable development depended on Governments
following the rule of law, among many other factors, and to ensure successful development,
countries had to address discrimination against women, which was a reality recognized in
the Sustainable Development Goals.
48.
Implementation of the right to development promoted the need for better governance
of the international framework. The Declaration was as pertinent at the present time as it
was thirty years ago. It was pointed out that history bore the marks of colonialism and
slavery and the imposition of an unequal international order, and that since the adoption of
the Declaration it had become necessary to promote an enabling environment based on
solidarity. A speaker added that development was primarily a political issue, and that some
developed countries were seeking to make the right to development relative.
49.
A speaker stressed that the Declaration was one of the pillars of the human rights
system and had to be developed locally, regionally and internationally. It was recalled that a
minority of countries had not joined the consensus when the Declaration was adopted.
Despite recent commitments by world leaders, such as the Sustainable Development
Agenda, tangible steps had to be taken if the right to development was to be realized. A
speaker said that best practices from Latin America could be replicated around the world,
and developed countries needed to adhere to the minimum levels of development
assistance. The problem of inequality must be approached through the recognition of
different stages of development and different approaches and visions for the future.
50.
The importance of developing cooperation and partnerships at the international
level, establishing adequate policies at the national level and finding resources to
implement human development plans was stressed. Additional international efforts were
needed to mobilize the resources needed to realize the right to development, and the
adoption of the 2030 Agenda had been a step in the right direction; however, it was also
necessary to revise the global trade system. A speaker affirmed that the denial of the right
to self-determination and the right of countries to govern their own natural resources was
among the key obstacles to the realization of the right to development. The Human Rights
Council and its mechanisms must ensure that the right to development was mainstreamed in
its own work and in the wider United Nations system.
51.
A speaker commented that the international community had a duty not to stand in
the way of development processes for the most disadvantaged individuals, and expressed
regret over the political impasse in the Working Group on the Right to Development.
Another stressed that the right to development should be based on the interdependence of
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