Development - no universal model
Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam
The right to development is a universal and inalienable human right,
an integral part of our human heritage, which is as much a prerogative
of states as it is of individuals.
Speaking at an event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the
Declaration of the Right to Development organized by the Non-Aligned
Movement, the Organization of Islamic Countries and the Office of the
High Commissioner of Human Rights, Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam, as
Chairperson/Rapporteur of the United Nations Working Group on the Right
to Development, reminded the international community that the
Declaration recognizes “the human person, both individually and
collectively, as the central subject of development” and that “there is
no single model of development valid for all peoples, at all times. The
realization of the right of peoples and states to determine their own
economic, political, social and cultural systems, without externally
imposed conditionalities, is a prerequisite for the realization of all
other human rights”.
She recalled that the historic principles contained in the
Declaration rest on sources of legality and that the basic principles
can be traced back to the 1955 Bandung Conference of African-Asian
States, the new concept having entered the UN debate through the
Non-Aligned Movement. For newly independent states, political
independence from colonial rule had not brought with it the promised
economic independence or social wellbeing.
Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam |
Externally driven development strategies focusing on growth rather
than on people and an international division of labour that favoured the
dominant powers had further exacerbated socio-economic disparities and
the external dependence of developing countries.
The international corollary of the sovereign right to determine one’s
own model of development, in all its dimensions, is the sovereign
equality of states in international relations and a shared
responsibility that goes beyond mere international cooperation to
encompass international solidarity to create a just and equitable
international economic order without which it is not be possible to
realize the right to development.
Pointing to the unprecedented rise in inequalities in recent years
and a spectacular growth in the gap between the developed and developing
countries, she expressed deep concern about the continued gross and
systematic violations of this intrinsic human right. Between 1998 and
2002, 25 percent of the world’s poorest saw their share of revenue
decline from 1.16 percent to 0.92 percent, whereas 10 percent of the
world’s wealthiest increased their share from 64.7 percent to 71.1
percent.
The top 20 percent of the richest countries account for 86 percent of
the world’s overall gross domestic product, whereas the bottom 20
percent - the poorest - are left with only 1 percent, which, at the
current rate, “will take more than 800 years for the bottom billion of
the world population to achieve 10 percent of global income.”
At a time that the founding texts of the United Nations System are
being challenged in a number of domains and are being considered by
certain countries as being obsolete and archaic, Ambassador Kunanayakam
underlined the continued validity, and in a sense, the modernity of the
right to development, a fortiori, in the context of today’s multiple
systemic crises that is affecting the poorest and the most vulnerable,
particularly in the developing countries.
Regretting that despite the numerous efforts undertaken since 1981 to
implement the right to development, to identify the obstacles, and to
monitor progress, this fundamental human right was far from being
realized, the Ambassador emphasized the need to revisit the original
intent of the drafters of the Declaration and the principles and human
values upon which those principles were based.
She warned the international community, “If we are not to lose our
credibility, we must have the courage to conduct an honest and critical
evaluation of the reasons for the continued, systematic and gross
violation of the Right to Development as defined in the Declaration and
intended by the drafters, draw the consequences, and take collective
action, in the common interest.”
“Such an exercise,” said the Ambassador, “is no longer an option; it
is a necessity and an obligation!”
Text of the statement:
First of all, let me take this opportunity to thank the Organization
of Islamic Countries and the Non-Aligned Movement, in cooperation with
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, for organizing
this discussion and providing an opportunity to share insights and
concerns on a fundamental universal and inalienable human right, the
right to development.
Many contributions reflect on the importance, the continued validity,
and in a sense, the modernity of the right to development, a fortiori,
in the context of today’s multiple systemic crises that is affecting the
poorest and the most vulnerable, particularly in the developing
countries.
Prior to considering future perspectives, it is essential to reflect
on what it was that its drafters sought to achieve; whether, 25 years
later, we are any closer to that achievement; if not, why?; and, how do
we move forward? The 25th anniversary of this Declaration is an
opportune moment for such an exercise.
Economic independence
I wish to recall that the historic principles contained in the
Declaration, rest on sources of legality, and that the concerns
reflected in the instrument are primarily those of developing countries.
The new concept entered the UN debate through the Non-Aligned Movement,
and the basic principles can be traced as far back as the 1955 Bandung
Conference of African-Asian States. For the newly independent states,
political independence from colonial rule had not brought with it the
promised economic independence or social wellbeing. Externally driven
development strategies focusing on growth rather than on people and the
international division of labour had further increased socio-economic
disparities and external dependence.
It was during this period, that new concepts emerged giving rise to
the right to development, defined as comprehensive, global,
multidimensional, structural and dynamic, in which the human person,
individually and collectively, is the central subject, thus recognizing
that there is no single model of development valid for all peoples, at
all times. The realization of the right of peoples and states to
determine their own economic, political, social and cultural system,
without externally imposed conditionalities, also gained recognition as
a prerequisite for the realization of all other human rights.
Right to development
It is in this context must be seen the adoption of instruments in the
1950s, 60s and 70s establishing its international corollary - sovereign
equality of states and a shared responsibility, going beyond
international cooperation to encompass international solidarity, to
create a just and equitable international economic order without which
it is not be possible to realize the right to development, which is as
much a prerogative of states as it is of individuals.
Since 1981, various efforts have been made to formulate measures to
implement the right to development, identify obstacles to its
realisation, and to monitor progress.
The 1990 Global Consultation, an independent expert and three
separate working groups have worked tirelessly toward the same goal.
Gross domestic product
Despite these efforts, globalization has forced the exertion of the
cumulative crises onto developing countries and the poorest and most
marginalized communities. In recent years, there has been an
unprecedented rise in inequalities and a spectacular growth in the gap
between the developed and developing countries.
Between 1998 and 2002, 25 percent of the world’s poorest saw their
share of revenue decline from 1.16 percent to 0.92 percent, whereas 10
percent of the world’s wealthiest increased their share from 64.7
percent to 71.1 percent.
The top 20 percent of the richest countries account for 86 percent of
the world’s overall gross domestic product, whereas the bottom 20
percent - the poorest - are left with only 1 percent.
At the start of this week, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty
asserted that “At the current rate, it will take more than 800 years for
the bottom billion of the world population to achieve 10 percent of
global income.”
If we are not to lose our credibility, we must have the courage to
conduct an honest and critical evaluation of the reasons for the
continued, systematic and gross violation of the right to development,
as defined in the Declaration and intended by the drafters, draw the
consequences, and take collective action, in the common interest. Such
an exercise is no longer an option; it is a necessity and an obligation! |