A/HRC/24/37 2 11. In her opening statement, the Chairperson-Rapporteur recalled the mandate of the Working Group and the overall framework within which it is expected to review the draft criteria and operational subcriteria, the deliberations that had taken place at the previous session, the informal intersessional meeting, from 18 to 19 April 2013, with a view to improving the effectiveness of the fourteenth session, and the informal consultations held with a view to its preparation. She informed the Working Group that the General Assembly, in its latest resolution 67/171 of 20 December 2012 had, for the first time, invited the Chairperson-Rapporteur to present an oral report, instead of an update, and to engage in an interactive dialogue at its sixty-eighth session. She pointed out that the Declaration on the Right to Development defined development in broad and comprehensive terms, as a complex, multidimensional, integrated and dynamic process, which, through multiple interactions in the economic, social, cultural and political spheres, generated continuous progress in terms of social justice, equality, well-being and respect for the fundamental dignity of all individuals, groups and peoples. Given that the human person and all peoples are the central subjects, not objects, of development, development was a subjective process and, hence, could not be imposed from outside, but must be based on participation on the basis of equality and non-discrimination, in a process of integrated economic, social and cultural development, in accordance with peoples’ aspirations to progress and well-being. In this connection, she recalled article 9 (1) of the Declaration, which provides that “[a]ll the aspects of the right to development set forth in the present Declaration are indivisible and interdependent and each of them should be considered in the context of the whole”. The Chairperson-Rapporteur underscored her determination to ensure that the Working Group would continue to make progress toward fulfilling its mandate on the basis of consensus built on shared principles and values that were at the very core of the Declaration on the Right to Development. 12. At its first meeting, the Working Group formally adopted the agenda (see annex I) and Programme of Work of its fourteenth session that it had elaborated at its informal intersessional meeting. Prior to their adoption, the United States of America, while not objecting to the adoption of the programme of work, noted that this did not imply that an agreement had been reached on the issue of indicators. The European Union and Switzerland, echoing the stance of the United States of America, stated that its adoption did not prejudice the discussion of indicators. The Islamic Republic of Iran (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), Cuba and Egypt expressed their approval for the programme of work, stating that Human Rights Council resolution 21/32 had not mandated the Working Group to consider indicators. The Chairperson-Rapporteur recalled that the respective positions had been noted at the informal intersessional meeting and appealed to the Working Group to continue with the task of examining the draft operational subcriteria, in accordance with the recommendation of the Working Group at its thirteenth session, endorsed by the Human Rights Council by resolution 21/32, in the absence of consensus within the Working Group. 13. The Chairperson-Rapporteur also reported3 on the informal intersessional meeting of the Working Group, which was held on 18 and 19 April 2013, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 21/32. At that meeting, the Working Group had elaborated and agreed on the draft programme of work for its fourteenth session, listing the draft operational subcriteria to be reviewed at each meeting, and identifying United Nations and other relevant international organizations which would receive a special invitation to contribute 2 3 The Chairperson-Rapporteur’s opening statement is available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/Pages/14thSession.aspx. The Chairperson-Rapporteur’s oral report on the informal intersessional meeting of the Working Group is available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/Pages/14thSession.aspx. 5