European Union
Meeting of the General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
United Nations - New York – 9-13 December 2013
European Union and its Member States - Speaking Points on “Human rights, the right to development, global governance"
13 December 2013
delivered by
Mr. Ioannis Vrailas
Ambassador
Deputy Head of Delegation
Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations
On Human rights and the right to development
The UN has recognised that its main pillars – development, human rights, peace and secu-rity – are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The objectives of human well-being and dignity for all are enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and in the Millennium Declaration, which also explicitly recognises the links between human rights, democracy, good governance and sustainable development. This was reaffirmed at the MDG Summit of 2010 and the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. Looking ahead to the post 2015 development agenda, if we indeed want to ensure that no one is left behind then we need to ensure that no right is forgotten.
Human rights form an intrinsic part of sustainable development and as such contribute to the ultimate objective of improving human well-being and freedom, based on the inherent dignity and equality of all. As we have agreed in Rio+20, sustainable development must be inclusive and people-centred, benefiting and involving all persons, including youth and children. Quality education is not only a right but also empowers people and advances de-velopment outcomes. The human right to water and sanitation is also an imperative for any development effort. Along the same lines, when we secure the rights of women and girls and promote gender equality, we are both investing in equal, equitable and progressive so-cieties, and un-tapping the potential of half of the world's population, a necessary condition for ensuring sustainable development. We should also continue to pay special attention to the needs and rights of the most marginalised and persons belonging to vulnerable groups in all countries, as experience has shown that benefits and progress do not necessarily trickle down to the poorest and most disadvantaged.
The EU and its Member States are seeking to build responsive, transparent, accountable and democratic institutions for the realisation of all human rights, within our own societies as well as supporting partners in their efforts. When supporting partners, we seek to move towards a right based approach, encompassing all human rights, promoting the accounta-bility of governments to all their citizens through priorities such as justice reform, institu-tion building, including independent human rights institutions, and gender equality; while at the same time ensuring that our development assistance takes into consideration and promotes the rights of the people concerned. For instance, an infrastructure project, or budget support to a specific policy area, should be conceived and implemented in consulta-tion with the people affected, and in a way which promotes their right to information, their freedom of expression and their freedom of association, avoiding tensions and ensuring the long term viability of efforts. Indeed any programme/project regardless of the area it co-vers, if it is not designed, run and monitored in consultation with the people it affects, and in a way to strengthen the accountability of governments to their citizens, cannot ensure the fulfilment of its objectives, appropriate quality delivery or a sustainable long-term im-pact.
The MDG framework, however, in our view fell short of adequately reflecting and priori-tising human rights and governance aspects which are key elements in defining a frame-work for inclusive sustainable development for all human beings with full respect of their rights. The post-2015 framework should address the fact that poor governance is hamper-ing efforts towards poverty eradication and sustainable development in many countries.
Therefore, we are strongly committed to working towards a post-2015 agenda that ad-dresses justice, equality and equity, good governance, democracy, the rule of law and peace and security, building further on the agreements from Rio+20 and the outcome of the Special event on the MDGs.
In this context, there should be a strong focus on the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality, and on preventing and combating violence against women as essential preconditions for equitable and inclusive sustainable development, as well as important values and objectives in themselves.
We also remain committed to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcomes of their review conferences and in this context sexual and reproductive health and rights.
In addition, mechanisms for transparent data collection, disaggregation of data, access to information and data, reporting, monitoring and accountability are essential and should be included in the framework. These are essential tools both to ensure the respect for all hu-man rights and for all our actions to be guided by human rights principles.
On Global Governance
The European Union and its Member States are staunch promoters of effective multilateral-ism and a firm believer in the fundamental role of the UN system in global governance. It is indeed a foundational principle of the European Union, in the words of the Lisbon Trea-ty, to "promote multilateral solutions to common problems, in particular in the framework of the United Nations".
Global governance is an essential element to achieve the very purposes of the UN, espe-cially those set out on art. 1(3) of the Charter and in other major UN documents, such as the Millennium Declaration. We believe it is very important to identify ways to enhance the UN's central role in achieving all dimensions of sustainable development, as well as human rights, and in addressing the links between development, security, conflict and country fragility.
The establishment of the HLPF, the reform of ECOSOC, the universalization of UNEA, greater space for participation and interaction with civil society and the private sector, in-creased and regularised contacts between the G20 and the UN System, are all important examples of how global governance can be made more effective and inclusive.
United Nations - New York – 9-13 December 2013
European Union and its Member States - Speaking Points on “Human rights, the right to development, global governance"
13 December 2013
delivered by
Mr. Ioannis Vrailas
Ambassador
Deputy Head of Delegation
Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations
On Human rights and the right to development
The UN has recognised that its main pillars – development, human rights, peace and secu-rity – are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The objectives of human well-being and dignity for all are enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and in the Millennium Declaration, which also explicitly recognises the links between human rights, democracy, good governance and sustainable development. This was reaffirmed at the MDG Summit of 2010 and the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. Looking ahead to the post 2015 development agenda, if we indeed want to ensure that no one is left behind then we need to ensure that no right is forgotten.
Human rights form an intrinsic part of sustainable development and as such contribute to the ultimate objective of improving human well-being and freedom, based on the inherent dignity and equality of all. As we have agreed in Rio+20, sustainable development must be inclusive and people-centred, benefiting and involving all persons, including youth and children. Quality education is not only a right but also empowers people and advances de-velopment outcomes. The human right to water and sanitation is also an imperative for any development effort. Along the same lines, when we secure the rights of women and girls and promote gender equality, we are both investing in equal, equitable and progressive so-cieties, and un-tapping the potential of half of the world's population, a necessary condition for ensuring sustainable development. We should also continue to pay special attention to the needs and rights of the most marginalised and persons belonging to vulnerable groups in all countries, as experience has shown that benefits and progress do not necessarily trickle down to the poorest and most disadvantaged.
The EU and its Member States are seeking to build responsive, transparent, accountable and democratic institutions for the realisation of all human rights, within our own societies as well as supporting partners in their efforts. When supporting partners, we seek to move towards a right based approach, encompassing all human rights, promoting the accounta-bility of governments to all their citizens through priorities such as justice reform, institu-tion building, including independent human rights institutions, and gender equality; while at the same time ensuring that our development assistance takes into consideration and promotes the rights of the people concerned. For instance, an infrastructure project, or budget support to a specific policy area, should be conceived and implemented in consulta-tion with the people affected, and in a way which promotes their right to information, their freedom of expression and their freedom of association, avoiding tensions and ensuring the long term viability of efforts. Indeed any programme/project regardless of the area it co-vers, if it is not designed, run and monitored in consultation with the people it affects, and in a way to strengthen the accountability of governments to their citizens, cannot ensure the fulfilment of its objectives, appropriate quality delivery or a sustainable long-term im-pact.
The MDG framework, however, in our view fell short of adequately reflecting and priori-tising human rights and governance aspects which are key elements in defining a frame-work for inclusive sustainable development for all human beings with full respect of their rights. The post-2015 framework should address the fact that poor governance is hamper-ing efforts towards poverty eradication and sustainable development in many countries.
Therefore, we are strongly committed to working towards a post-2015 agenda that ad-dresses justice, equality and equity, good governance, democracy, the rule of law and peace and security, building further on the agreements from Rio+20 and the outcome of the Special event on the MDGs.
In this context, there should be a strong focus on the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality, and on preventing and combating violence against women as essential preconditions for equitable and inclusive sustainable development, as well as important values and objectives in themselves.
We also remain committed to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcomes of their review conferences and in this context sexual and reproductive health and rights.
In addition, mechanisms for transparent data collection, disaggregation of data, access to information and data, reporting, monitoring and accountability are essential and should be included in the framework. These are essential tools both to ensure the respect for all hu-man rights and for all our actions to be guided by human rights principles.
On Global Governance
The European Union and its Member States are staunch promoters of effective multilateral-ism and a firm believer in the fundamental role of the UN system in global governance. It is indeed a foundational principle of the European Union, in the words of the Lisbon Trea-ty, to "promote multilateral solutions to common problems, in particular in the framework of the United Nations".
Global governance is an essential element to achieve the very purposes of the UN, espe-cially those set out on art. 1(3) of the Charter and in other major UN documents, such as the Millennium Declaration. We believe it is very important to identify ways to enhance the UN's central role in achieving all dimensions of sustainable development, as well as human rights, and in addressing the links between development, security, conflict and country fragility.
The establishment of the HLPF, the reform of ECOSOC, the universalization of UNEA, greater space for participation and interaction with civil society and the private sector, in-creased and regularised contacts between the G20 and the UN System, are all important examples of how global governance can be made more effective and inclusive.
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