Statement: Iran on behalf of NAM
I have the honor to make this statement on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement member States.
At the outset, NAM would like to express its sincere appreciation to the High Commissioner for his presence and for sharing with us his thoughtful remarks.
Today, on the eve of the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, this panel has provided an ample opportunity for all member states to participate and render their full support to the Declaration, and the long standing aspirations of the international community to implementation of this Declaration and realization of the right to development.
As the Declaration underscored, 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”.
Therefore, at this juncture, the Non-Aligned Movement firmly believes that the realization of the right to development is a necessity more than ever. While almost three decades has lapsed since the adoption of the Declaration, we should renew our commitment and device appropriate means along with political will to implement this Declaration and achieve our common goals for a better future for all.
Development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process, which aims at the constant improvement of the life, meaningful participation in all spheres and fair distribution of benefits among everyone.
In this regard, we are of the view that the right to development is an inalienable and intrinsic right, with a distinct and independent nature by which all human rights can be fully realized. Hence, we acknowledge that we may not reduce the right to development by trying to define it through secondary aspects of development such as poverty reduction, hunger eradication, food security, inclusive education and adequate housing. We are of the firm belief that the distinct nature of the right to development is not a negligible reality and should be substantially addressed.
The 2030 Agenda reflects our global development aspirations, and the Non- Aligned Movement believes that the right to development should be central to the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this vein, we urge Member States, relevant bodies of the United Nations system, United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programmes, in particular Human Rights mechanisms, as well as the international financial and trade institutions to mainstream the right to development in the context of the elaboration of their policies in line with the 2030 Agenda.
Massive and flagrant violations of human rights caused by situations resulting from colonialism, apartheid, racism, foreign domination and occupation, threats against national sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity, unilateral coercive measures and unfair sanctions, has led to frustration in terms of development. The afore-mentioned goals and this bitter reality of the contemporary world can be eliminated only through international cooperation and friendly relations among states.
Last but not least, NAM seizes this opportunity to welcome the distinguished panelists and hope that the discussions today will achieve its objectives and generate policy recommendations and practical measures for operationalization and realization of the Right to Development.
Finally, we would like to ask this question: “How can the human rights mechanisms contribute to implementation and realization of the right to development, and how can we overcome the lasting challenges around this concept as an independent right?”
