Right to Development

“We, heads of State and Government, …
are committed to making the right to development a reality for everyone and to freeing the entire human race from want.”
(UN Millennium Declaration) 

From the United Nations Declaration on Right to Development (1986), Article 1:
“The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized”.

The right to development was declared in 1986 but yet its implementation lags very much behind.

We live in a globalised era and an interdependent world. The recurring economic and financial crises, the climate changes, the food crises, the increased inequities between and within countries alongside the recent devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, recurrently emphasize the great relevance of the right to development and the need for its implementation

The Declaration on RTD, includes constituent elements such as:

  • People-centred development. 
  • A human rights-based approach. 
  • Participation. 
  • Equity. 
  • Non-discrimination. 
  • Self-determination.

Equally explicit are the prescriptions provided by the Declaration for the implementation of this right, among them:

  • The formulation of appropriate national and international development policies
  • Effective international cooperation
  • Reforms at the national and international levels
  • Removal of obstacles to development, including, inter alia, human rights violations, racism, colonialism, occupation and aggression
  • Promotion of peace and disarmament, and the redirecting of savings generated therefrom to development

In its committment to be the voice of the voiceless, APG23 advocates for the urgent need to implement such a fundamental right and actively contributes to the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the right to development, the Expert Mechanism on the right to development and the Special Rapporteur on the right to development.
Furthermore, APG23 coordinates the Working Group on the right to development of the Geneva Forum of Catholic Inspired NGOS.

Among its advocacy activities, in 2024 APG23 has issued a joint letter on behalf of 22 NGOs addressed to the diplomatic community in New York to support the early adoption of the Draft International Covenant on the right to development.
Click here to read the joint letter.

To know more:

YearUn BodiesSessionAgenda Item / Title / DocumentActivityPromotedCountry
2011Human Rights Council18International Solidarity and the Right to Development: keys to achieve MDGs through Global Partnership (MDG8)Joint written statementCaritas Internationalis
2012Human Rights Council19Right to development: from rhetoric to actionJoint oral statement APG23
2012Human Rights Council19Right to development: from rhetoric to actionJoint written statementAPG23
2013IGWGonRtD14General StatementJoint oral statementAPG23
2013Human Rights Council24Right to Development and the Post 2015 Development AgendaJoint oral statementAPG23
2013Human Rights Council24Right to Development and the Post 2015 Development AgendaJoint written statementAPG23
2014Human Rights Council27The transformative vision of Right to DevelopmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2014Human Rights Council27The transformative vision of Right to DevelopmentJoint written statementAPG23
2015Human Rights Council30Right to Development and the Post 2015 Sustainable
Development Agenda		Written statementAPG23
2015Human Rights Council30The Intergovernmental Working Group on Right to Development: what for?Joint oral statementAPG23
2016Human Rights Council31Mainstreaming Human Rights and the Right to Development
in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development		Joint oral statementAPG23
2016Human Rights Council31Mainstreaming Human Rights and the Right to Development
in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development		Joint written statementAPG23
2016Human Rights Council33Right to Development at 30: time to act!Joint oral statementAPG23
2016Human Rights Council33Right to Development at 30: time to act!Written statementAPG23
2017Human Rights Council34Preventable Maternal Mortality and Morbidity and the implementation of the Right to DevelopmentWritten statementAPG23
2017Human Rights Council36Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2018Human Rights Council39Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to developmentOral statementAPG23
2018Human Rights Council39Right to development and inequalitiesWritten statementAPG23
2019Human Rights Council42Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the IE on the rights of older persons and the SR on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2019Human Rights Council42Guidelines and recommendations for the practical implementation of the right to developmentWritten statementAPG23
2019Human Rights Council42Making the right to development a reality for everyoneJoint oral statement APG23
2019Human Rights Council42Making the right to development a reality for everyoneWritten statementAPG23
2020Human Rights Council45Financing for Development at national and international levelWritten statementAPG23
2020Human Rights Council45General Debate: Report of the Advisory Committee on the importance of a legally binding instrument on the right to development (HRC res. 39/9 and 42/23)Oral statementAPG23
2020Human Rights Council45Interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2020Human Rights Council45Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2020Human Rights Council45The relevance of a convention on the right to development in the current crisis of the COVID-19 pandemicJoint written statementInternational Youth
and Student Movement for the UN
2021Human Rights Council47Business and Human Rights: Tenth anniversary of the
United Nations Guiding Principles
Written statementAPG23
2021Human Rights Council47Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to developmentJoint written statementNew Humanity
2021Human Rights Council48Climate change and the right to developmentWritten statementAPG23
2021Human Rights Council48Interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2021Human Rights Council48On the Right to DevelopmentWritten statementAPG23
2021Human Rights Council48On the report of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2021Human Rights Council48Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council49Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly ESCROral statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council51On the right to developmentWritten statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council51General debate Item 3 - On the report of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council51Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council51Interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the right to development
Joint oral statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council51Biennial panel discussion on the right to developmentOral statementAPG23
2022Human Rights Council51Panel discussion on the negative impact of the legacies of colonialism
on the enjoyment of human rights		Oral statementAPG23
2022Social Forum18Water for human rights and sustainable development: - Panel "Water for peace and cooperation"Oral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council52High-level meeting on tbe right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council52Time to Free The Right to Development From The Trap Of Political GamesWritten statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council52 Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly ESCROral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54General Debate Item 3 - On the International Covenant on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54Interactive Dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to developmentJoint oral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54On the Reports Concerning the Right to DevelopmentWritten statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54Biennial panel discussion on unilateral coercive measures and human rights: “The impact of unilateral coercive measures and overcompliance on the right to development and the achievement of the SDGs”Joint oral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order on the issue of youth participation and engagement in intergovernmental forumsOral statementAPG23
2023Human Rights Council54Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights
to safe drinking water and sanitation		Oral statementAPG23