A/HRC/23/54
III. Summary of proceedings
A.
People-centred development and globalization
9.
Johan Galtung, Rector of Transcend Peace University, stated that this was a
multipolar and evolving world, with emerging countries and declining ones. His
presentation described six development models: Western liberal, Western Marxist,
Buddhist, Islamic, Japanese and Chinese. He argued that local communities should be the
central focus of development, and that community-level development would lift up poor
and marginalized people. He highlighted the need for increasing mobilization of resources
and political will to achieve development through democratic processes and dialogue. He
further called for a new, more flexible and participatory development paradigm that
incorporated the best elements of the six models he introduced in line with human rights,
including the right to development. According to Johan Galtung, this new development
paradigm was necessary for the establishment of a more equitable people-centred society.
10.
Myrna Cunningham, member of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,
emphasized the importance of tackling development and human rights in a holistic way that
accounted for cultural diversity, harmony with nature and the full realization of all human
rights. She described balance, solidarity, sustainability, sharing, autonomy and selfgovernance as principles common to most indigenous world views that should be
incorporated in development planning. One means of doing so was through systematized
mechanisms for the good faith consultation and participation of indigenous peoples
respectful of the principle of free, prior and informed consent. She described the concept of
vivir bien or “living well” as an example of an indigenous development that respected
cultural diversity, emphasized education and promoted sustainability. People-centred
development should incorporate intercultural education, traditional knowledge, respect for
cultural identity and diversity, intergenerational solidarity and collective rights.
11.
Delphine Djiraibe, Principal Advocate of the Public Interest Law Centre in Chad,
described the challenge of developing processes and institutions that were responsive to the
needs of the poor. She observed that the poor had not benefited from oil revenues in Chad,
and without effective, participatory and accountable governance, this would not change. Oil
revenues in Chad supported militarization rather than development, and control over these
resources was a source of internal conflict. Noting the involvement of the World Bank in
pipeline financing in Chad, she recommended that international financial institutions
subject development projects to increased scrutiny with regard to human rights
implications. In conclusion, she called for democratic governance, an independent
judiciary, a reversal of discriminatory policies, and international solidarity to help the
people of Chad in their struggle for peaceful and sustainable development.
12.
Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre, argued that people-centred
development should drive globalization and not the other way around. This would require
continuing efforts to reform national economies and the international economic order.
Promoting people-centred development would require, inter alia, restoring the financial
sector to service of the real economy; reviewing liberalized cross-border financial
movements, implementing the United Nations recommendations adopted in the aftermath
of the financial crisis; ensuring balanced follow-up to the Rio+20 outcome in the economic,
social and environmental pillars; equitably curbing carbon emissions; broadening the scope
of the post-2015 development framework to include the environmental perspective and
strengthen the economic pillar; and addressing job creation, income distribution and global
factors that affect national development. He argued that human rights should be part of the
development agenda, but not to the exclusion of economic development. Instead,
development issues should be approached holistically in order to clarify the right balance
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