Statement by India Agenda Item 4.5 (Discussions to elaborate a draft legally binding instrument on the right to development through a collaborate process of engagement, including on the content and scope of the future instrument) under 20th Session of the Working Group on the Right to Development (29th April 2019 to 03rd May 2019) delivered by Sh. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary. [01st May 2019, Geneva]

Mr. Chair,
At the outset, India would like to convey its gratitude and appreciation to the panelists for their insightful and enriching comments and presentations.

Mr. Chair,
2. We believe that the 1986 UN Declaration on the Right to Development can be our guiding document while working on a draft Legally Binding Instrument on the realization and implementation of the Right to Development. However, as rightly pointed by one of the panelists, the development landscape has witnessed significant changes in the last three decades. Hence it is important that any draft LBI on the Right to Development should include references to the Sustainable Development Goals, Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and other global agendas on development. The definitions to be included in the draft should be exhaustive.

Mr. Chair,
3.On the subject of whether we should go for a framework agreement or a stricter text on the subject, we could work on the elements in the future course of discussions. We believe that for a legally binding instrument to be effective on the subject of the Right to Development and to have wider acceptance, it needs to be balanced and flexible.

Mr. Chair,
4.India supports the elaboration of a draft legally binding instrument on the subject of Right to Development and looks forward to the deliberations on the matter. We would expect the process to be transparent and would request the Chair to organize a series of informal consultations in the coming months so as to make the drafting process exhaustive and inclusive.

Thank You.