Promoting right to development

In order to provide direction and focus to the implementation of his mandate in this area the High Commissioner is undertaking the formulation of a strategy for the implementation of the right to development and the protection of cultural, economic, and social rights. This will be done in consultation with the organizations, agencies, programmes, bodies and organs involved in the various aspects of the subject and will include: cooperation with the agencies and treaty-based bodies, especially the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and experts of the Sub-Commission in order to identify ways of improving implementation of the right to development and cultural, economic, and social rights; consideration of the application of findings and recommendations made by the Working Group on the Right to Development; concluding the preparation of the procedures to enable communications to be made concerning cultural, economic, and social rights; pilot projects to implement the right to development and cultural, economic, and social rights; promotion of the right to development and cultural, economic and social rights at the national level; and identification of the international action necessary to promote the right to development. Cooperation with international/regional finance and development organizations and with the regional economic commissions will be an important part of the strategy. In its resolution 49/183, the General Assembly expressed its support for the current initiatives of the High Commissioner to consult with all relevant bodies, funds, programmes and specialized agencies of the UN system on how they may promote the right to development.

An other important part of the strategy will be the translation of the multidimensional concept of the right to development to the national level. Here, the UN advisory services and technical assistance programme in the field of human rights has an important role to play. Criteria can be elaborated which could be applied in needs assessment country missions to identify areas where assistance focusing on cultural, economic, and social rights and the right to development might be suggested. Model projects in this area to provide a basis for decision, a roster of experts, and a manual on promoting the right to development could be developed. Training programmes at the national and local levels addressed to policy makers, parliamentarians and others whose decisions affect human rights could be designed to raise awareness of the interdependent nature of human rights and social and economic development activities. Finally, concrete projects supporting popular participation may be proposed.

The results of the dialogue established within the Administrative Committee on Coordination concerning the development of indicators of progress in human rights and the assessment of the impact of the strategies and policies of the various agencies and programmes on the enjoyment of all human rights will play an important role in promoting the right to development and cultural, economic and social rights. In addition, a senior-level meeting of experts will be convened to evaluate results achieved in the implementation of cultural, economic, and social rights. These measures will be carried out in the context of the Secretary-General's Agenda for Development.

Protecting cultural, economic, and social rights is particularly important during periods of structural adjustment and during transitions to market economies. Too often basic rights such as those to health, food, shelter and education receive insufficient protection and the victims are often children. This is a matter which government policy makers and parliaments in particular should keep in mind.