A/HRC/36/23 23. The Declaration calls for an appropriate political, social and economic order for development, appropriate national and international development policies and appropriate economic and social reforms to eradicate social injustice. It recognizes that equality of opportunity for development is a prerogative both of nations and of individuals who make up nations, and calls for sustained action for the comprehensive development of developing countries. It invests States with the duty to cooperate effectively to establish an enabling environment for development; to eliminate obstacles to development; and to support international peace, security and disarmament, and to use the released resources for comprehensive development, especially in developing countries. States, acting individually and collectively, bear the primary responsibility for guaranteeing the right to development, while all human beings have a responsibility for development and duties to the community. 24. The implementation of the right to development is an ongoing process for all countries. The Working Group on the Right to Development considers that the following factors contribute to its realization: an open, equitable, rules-based, predictable and nondiscriminatory multilateral trading system; sustained economic growth; continued partnerships for development; the evolution, assessment and dissemination of practical and specific measures at the national and international levels; integration of the principles underlying the Declaration within the policies and programmes of the multilateral development and financial institutions; a rights-based approach to economic growth and development; good governance and the rule of law at both national and international levels; responsiveness on the part of States to vulnerable and marginalized groups; and the realization of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights (see A/66/216, paras. 2223). 25. Nevertheless, conceptual, political and strategic challenges to the practical implementation of the right to development remain. As far back as 2004, the Working Group considered that further conceptual clarification, improved strategic coherence and coordination of policies and programmes, and increased political commitment were required for its full realization (see E/CN.4/2004/23 and Corr.1, para. 43 (h)); this still holds true today. States remain divided in their views. There is disagreement on the nature of the duties of States to realize the right to development as well as on the relative emphasis to be placed on the national dimension of State obligations (individual rights and corresponding State responsibilities, rule of law, good governance, anti-corruption, etc.) compared to obligations of international cooperation (international responsibilities, international order, development cooperation, global governance, etc.). There are also differences of opinion among States regarding criteria to measure progress towards implementing the right to development. 17 Some countries advocate the development of a comprehensive and coherent set of standards as a basis for a legally binding instrument, while others express a preference for non-binding guidelines. These differences have challenged progress in the intergovernmental debate at the relevant United Nations forums, such as the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and the Working Group. 18 The lack of consensus among Member States constitutes a major obstacle in implementing this right. 26. With regard to the realities on the ground, some progress has been made in global efforts towards realizing the vision of the Declaration. However, progress has been uneven, particularly for people in Africa, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States. 19 Globally, persistent poverty and rising inequalities remain among the many interconnected threats to peace and security, human rights and development. 17 18 19 6 The high-level task force on the implementation of the right to development has developed criteria and subcriteria for operationalizing the right to development for review by the Working Group. See A/HRC/15/WG.2/TF/2/Add.2. For a detailed account of the debate, see the annual reports of the Working Group, available at www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/Pages/WGRightToDevelopment.aspx. See General Assembly resolution 70/1.

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