As prepared for delivery

Distinguished President of the Council,

Excellencies, Colleagues and Friends,

It is a great pleasure to join this event to mark the Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development.

This is the right of every human being to participate in, to contribute to, and to benefit from economic, social, cultural, and political development.

The right is paralleled in the human development approach, pioneered by the United Nations Development Programme.

Both approaches recognise that GDP growth is not an end in itself.

Rather, the wellbeing of people depends on enabling everyone to live their lives to their full potential and expanding their capabilities.

That means peoples’ active, free, and meaningful participation in development -- and in the fair distribution of its benefits.

In doing so, reducing inequalities that threaten fundamental human rights becomes a goal, not just an outcome.

This is development that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Yet, for the first time ever, the latest Human Development Index -- which measures a nation’s health, education, and standard of living -- has declined globally for two years in a row in the wake of interlinked crises.

Climate change -- the greatest ever threat to human rights -- is now accelerating while conflicts are at their highest levels since 1945.

Much hard-won progress towards the Global Goals has been reversed.

In this ‘age of uncertainty’, how do we drive forward the right to development?

First, there must be a transformation in how we think about the rights of future generations as people take to the streets and leverage legal instruments in frustration over a lack of climate and environmental action.

Most recently, the UN General Assembly concurred that all people have the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Yet we are seeing how environmental human rights defenders are threatened, harassed, and killed, often with impunity -- particularly Indigenous peoples.

In this respect, the role of National Human Rights Institutions is pivotal.

Through our Tripartite partnership, UNDP, the UN Office for Human Rights and GANHRI are boosting the ability of these institutions to address the human rights implications of climate change and environmental degradation.

UNDP is also supporting communities to directly shape their right to development -- including through our Climate Promise initiative.

It is allowing tens of thousands of people -- including women and young people -- to get involved in their country’s development trajectory through consultations on Nationally Determined Contributions.

There is also an acute need to close the digital divide to allow people to have their say on critical decisions that will affect their futures -- including climate action.

Yet we are also seeing how Artificial Intelligence is currently biased -- reflecting and amplifying discriminatory practices and failing to adequately represent large segments of populations.

Second, unlocking new sources of finance will be key to ensuring the right to development.

That is a key aim of the UN Secretary-General’s new SDG Stimulus Plan.

It calls for the G20 to agree on a $500 billion annual stimulus for sustainable development to meet the 2030 Agenda as well as new debt relief measures.

Integrated National Financing Frameworks -- currently being leveraged by 86 countries -- offer a ready-made platform for the new SDG Stimulus Plan.

As part of these efforts, countries need to recommit to the target of dedicating 0.7% of their Gross National Income to Official Development Assistance.

Indeed, the SDG Stimulus Plan and National Determined Contributions will have a vital role to play in reducing inequalities.

Third, the Universal Periodic Review process is ever-more vital to drive forward this right.

To take just one example, it has recently advanced the inclusion of marginalised women in Albania. 

UNDP is also working with the business sector and governments to uphold the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

For instance, that includes some 2,000 companies that have participated in Business and Human Rights Academies in the past year alone.

Distinguished President of the Council,

Excellencies, Colleagues and Friends,

The right to development is not about charity -- but rather about human agency and empowerment.

As part of the UN family, UNDP is committed to advancing this key right by dismantling obstacles to development -- from gender inequality to racial discrimination.

Indeed, the right to development is woven into the very fabric of UN and UNDP support across the globe.

Far from being merely aspirational, it has spearheaded efforts to lift millions of people out of poverty and realise a better life.

At this critical moment for people and planet, the United Nations has an unwavering commitment to keep this powerful promise of development.

That means continuing to think of development as freedom.

Thank you for your kind attention.