Declaration on the Right to
Development
Adopted by General Assembly resolution
41/128 of 4 December 1986
The General Assembly,
Bearing in
mind the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations relating to the
achievement of international co-operation in solving international
problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian nature, and
in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or
religion,
Recognizing
that development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and
political process, which aims at the constant improvement of the
well-being of the entire population and of all individuals on the
basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in
development and in the fair distribution of benefits resulting
therefrom,
Considering
that under the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the
rights and freedoms set forth in that Declaration can be fully
realized,
Recalling
the provisions of the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Recalling further
the relevant agreements, conventions,
resolutions, recommendations and other instruments of the United
Nations and its specialized agencies concerning the integral
development of the human being, economic and social progress and
development of all peoples, including those instruments concerning
decolonization, the prevention of discrimination, respect for and
observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms, the maintenance
of international peace and security and the further promotion of
friendly relations and co-operation among States in accordance with
the Charter,
Recalling
the right of peoples to self-determination, by virtue of which they
have the right freely to determine their political status and to
pursue their economic, social and cultural development,
Recalling also
the right of peoples to exercise, subject to the relevant provisions
of both International Covenants on Human Rights, full and complete
sovereignty over all their natural wealth and resources,
Mindful
of the obligation of States under the
Charter to promote universal respect for and observance of human
rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction of any
kind such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,
Considering
that the elimination of the massive
and flagrant violations of the human rights of the peoples and
individuals affected by situations such as those resulting from
colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid, all forms of racism and
racial discrimination, foreign domination and occupation, aggression
and threats against national sovereignty, national unity and
territorial integrity and threats of war would contribute to the
establishment of circumstances propitious to the development of a
great part of mankind,
Concerned
at the existence of serious obstacles
to development, as well as to the complete fulfilment of human beings
and of peoples, constituted, inter alia, by the denial of civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights, and considering that
all human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and
interdependent and that, in order to promote development, equal
attention and urgent consideration should be given to the
implementation, promotion and protection of civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights and that, accordingly, the
promotion of, respect for and enjoyment of certain human rights and
fundamental freedoms cannot justify the denial of other human rights
and fundamental freedoms,
Considering
that international peace and security are essential elements for the
realization of the right to development,
Reaffirming
that there is a close relationship between disarmament and development
and that progress in the field of disarmament would considerably
promote progress in the field of development and that resources
released through disarmament measures should be devoted to the
economic and social development and well-being of all peoples and, in
particular, those of the developing countries,
Recognizing
that the human person is the central subject of the development
process and that development policy should therefore make the human
being the main participant and beneficiary of development,
Recognizing
that the creation of conditions favourable to the development of
peoples and individuals is the primary responsibility of their States,
Aware that efforts at the international level to promote and protect human
rights should be accompanied by efforts to establish a new
international economic order,
Confirming
that the right to development is an
inalienable human right and that equality of opportunity for
development is a prerogative both of nations and of individuals who
make up nations,
Proclaims
the following Declaration on the Right to Development:
Article 1
1. The right to development is an
inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all
peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy
economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all
human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.
2. The human right to development
also implies the full realization of the right of peoples to
self-determination, which includes, subject to the relevant provisions
of both International Covenants on Human Rights, the exercise of their
inalienable right to full sovereignty over all their natural wealth
and resources.
Article 2
1. The human person is the central
subject of development and should be the active participant and
beneficiary of the right to development.
2. All human beings have a
responsibility for development, individually and collectively, taking
into account the need for full respect for their human rights and
fundamental freedoms as well as their duties to the community, which
alone can ensure the free and complete fulfilment of the human being,
and they should therefore promote and protect an appropriate
political, social and economic order for development.
3. States have the right and the
duty to formulate appropriate national development policies that aim
at the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population
and of all individuals, on the basis of their active, free and
meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution
of the benefits resulting therefrom.
Article 3
1. States have the primary
responsibility for the creation of national and international
conditions favourable to the realization of the right to development.
2. The realization of the right to
development requires full respect for the principles of international
law concerning friendly relations and co-operation among States in
accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
3. States have the duty to
co-operate with each other in ensuring development and eliminating
obstacles to development. States should realize their rights and
fulfil their duties in such a manner as to promote a new international
economic order based on sovereign equality, interdependence, mutual
interest and co-operation among all States, as well as to encourage
the observance and realization of human rights.
Article 4
1. States have the duty to take
steps, individually and collectively, to formulate international
development policies with a view to facilitating the full realization
of the right to development.
2. Sustained action is required to
promote more rapid development of developing countries. As a
complement to the efforts of developing countries, effective
international co-operation is essential in providing these countries
with appropriate means and facilities to foster their comprehensive
development.
Article 5
States shall take resolute steps to
eliminate the massive and flagrant violations of the human rights of
peoples and human beings affected by situations such as those
resulting from apartheid, all forms of racism and racial
discrimination, colonialism, foreign domination and occupation,
aggression, foreign interference and threats against national
sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity, threats of war
and refusal to recognize the fundamental right of peoples to
self-determination.
Article 6
1. All States should co-operate
with a view to promoting, encouraging and strengthening universal
respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all without any distinction as to race, sex, language or
religion.
2. All human rights and fundamental
freedoms are indivisible and interdependent; equal attention and
urgent consideration should be given to the implementation, promotion
and protection of civil, political, economic, social and cultural
rights.
3. States should take steps to
eliminate obstacles to development resulting from failure to observe
civil and political rights, as well as economic social and cultural
rights.
Article 7
All States should promote the
establishment, maintenance and strengthening of international peace
and security and, to that end, should do their utmost to achieve
general and complete disarmament under effective international
control, as well as to ensure that the resources released by effective
disarmament measures are used for comprehensive development, in
particular that of the developing countries.
Article 8
1. States should undertake, at the
national level, all necessary measures for the realization of the
right to development and shall ensure, inter alia, equality of
opportunity for all in their access to basic resources, education,
health services, food, housing, employment and the fair distribution
of income. Effective measures should be undertaken to ensure that
women have an active role in the development process. Appropriate
economic and social reforms should be carried out with a view to
eradicating all social injustices.
2. States should encourage popular
participation in all spheres as an important factor in development and
in the full realization of all human rights.
Article 9
1. All the aspects of the right to
development set forth in the present Declaration are indivisible and
interdependent and each of them should be considered in the context of
the whole.
2. Nothing in the present
Declaration shall be construed as being contrary to the purposes and
principles of the United Nations, or as implying that any State, group
or person has a right to engage in any activity or to perform any act
aimed at the violation of the rights set forth in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants on
Human Rights.
Article 10
Steps should be taken to ensure the
full exercise and progressive enhancement of the right to development,
including the formulation, adoption and implementation of policy,
legislative and other measures at the national and international
levels.
