Politics
United Nations officials and representatives of member states have called for renewed and effective efforts to advance the right to development.
United Nations officials and representatives of member states have called for renewed and effective efforts to advance the right to development. According to Xinhua, a high-level meeting was held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly to mark the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Speakers discussed the global state of development and the challenges facing it.
General Assembly President Khalil Rahman said that significant progress had been made in human development over the past four decades, but that progress had not been evenly distributed across all regions. He said development is not merely a matter of economic growth, but an inclusive economic, social, cultural and political process.
The General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Right to Development on December 4, 1986. The declaration recognizes development as an inalienable human right and states that every individual and all peoples have the right to participate in, contribute to and benefit from economic, social, cultural and political development.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the declaration recognizes that development, human rights and international cooperation must advance together. He said that despite progress over the past several decades, the promise of development is facing new challenges, with rising inequality, increasing debt, conflicts and economic instability hindering development and economic growth. He also described climate change and emerging technologies as growing challenges, noting that artificial intelligence and the digital revolution have enormous potential to improve people's lives, but could also contribute to deprivation and division.
