How human rights affect sustainable human development

Sustainable human development seeks to expand choices for all people-women, men and children, current and future generations-while protecting the natural systems on which all life depends. Moving away from a narrow, economy-centered approach to development, sustainable human development places people at the core, and views humans as both a means Human rights and sustainable human development are interdependent and mutually reinforcing

and an end of development. Thus sustainable human development aims to eliminate poverty, promote human dignity and rights, and provide equitable opportunities for all through good governance, thereby promoting the realization of all human rights-economic, social, cultural, civil and political. The promotion of human rights is of particular relevance in the context of globalization and its potential for excluding and marginalizing weak members of the international community and people with limited resources. Human rights afford protection against such exclusion and marginalization.

Human rights and sustainable human development are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Development is unsustainable where the rule of law and equity do not exist; where ethnic, religious or sexual discrimination are rampant; where there are restrictions on free speech, free association and the media; or where large numbers of people live in abject and degrading poverty. Similarly, human rights are enhanced when gender equity or poverty reduction programmes empower people.

The 1986 UN Declaration on the Right to Development states that development is a human right aware of and claim their rights. Sustainable human development and human rights will be undone in a repressive environment where threat or disease prevails, and both are better able to promote human choices in a peaceful and pluralistic society.

A critical dimension of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is its linking of rights with responsibilities. It is the responsibility of every individual and every organ of society to promote respect for human rights and "to secure their universal recognition and observance." All human beings "should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Article 29 states: "Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible." These concepts from the Universal Declaration are important in the context of sustainable human development; social capital is a critical factor for development.

Human rights and sustainable human development are inextricably linked, complementary and multidimensional.The UN Working Group on the Right to Development (October 1995), states that the right to development is: multidimensional, integrated, dynamic and progressive. Its realization involves the full observance of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights. It further embraces the different concepts of development of all development sectors, namely sustainable development, human development and the concept of indivisibility, interdependence and universality of all human rights. . . . Realization of the right to development is the responsibility of all actors in development, within the international community, within States at both the national and international levels, within the agencies of the United Nations system.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 545