Consultation on the Right to Development

The first three-day regional consultation by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development for Africa kicked off on Tuesday 27^th March 2018 at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This consultation aimed at bringing together relevant experts and practitioners,  as well as representatives of UN member states, UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, Regional Economic Communities, the private sector, civil society, community leaders and independent experts.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Ambassador Saad Alfarargi emphasized in his opening remarks on the need to focus on development as a holistic enterprise for humanity to realise fundamental human rights.

The right to development has appeared almost always within the paradigm of the north-south divide and globalization, while the global economic crisis has highlighted the fact that the right to development is relevant to all countries regardless of the level of development.

In this regard, the participants at this first historical regional consultation have shown their stance to advocate for a practical means of implementing the right to development which include identifying and promoting good practices in achieving the rights to development at local, regional and international level.

“We must ensure that in practical terms, the right to development is all-inclusive, primarily as this particular period in the evolution of the African continent. The youth and especially young women must assume their right to participate fully and effectively in all areas related to their development as well as the development of their respective countries and the continent as a whole” Executive Director of CAFOR, Lawalley Cole said during the consultation.

For more information about the consultation, please visit www.ohchr.org