Recent Statements Recent Statements

Statement by India at the 24th Session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (17-21 February 2020) under Item 3(g) on ‘The importance of a legally binding instrument on the right to development’ delivered by Mr. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary on 18th February 2020 in Geneva.

Statement by India at the 24th Session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (17-21 February 2020) under Item 3(g) on ‘The importance of a legally binding instrument on the right to development’ delivered by Mr. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary on 18th February 2020 in Geneva.

Thank You Chair,

At the outset, India thanks the Drafting Group for the hard work put in towards drafting the zero draft of a proposed legally binding instrument on the subject of Right to Development. We would also like to convey our gratitude to the Advisory Committee for its valuable work in preparation of the report on this subject as mandated by HRC Resolution 39/9.

Mr. Chair,

2. We believe that the 1986 United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development should be our guiding document while working on a draft legally binding instrument on the realization and implementation of the Right to Development. However, the development landscape has witnessed significant changes in the last three decades. As rightly mentioned by the Rapporteur, it is important that any draft LBI on the Right to Development should factor in the developments of the last three decades. This includes references to the Sustainable Development Goals, Addis Ababa Agenda on Financing for Development, the Tunis Agenda, the Paris Agreement in the sphere of combating Climate Change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and other global agendas on development.

Mr. Chair,

3. We look forward to the discussions on the draft LBI on Right to Development in the next session of the Working Group on the Right to Development. We believe that for a legally binding instrument in this field to be effective, it needs to be balanced and flexible and have wider acceptance amongst member states.

4. India supports the process of elaboration of a draft legally binding instrument on the Right to Development. On the subject of whether we should go for a framework agreement or a stricter text, we could work on these elements in the future course of discussions.

Thank You.