Statement by
Ms. Fatemeh Arab Bafrani
Second Secretary
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
Before the Third Committee of the 78th Session of the General Assembly
On Agenda Item 71: “Promotion and Protection of Human Rights”
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Procedures Mandate-holders of the Human Rights Council on the Right to development
New York, 13 October 2023
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Mr. Chair,
I thank Mr. Chair-Rapporteur to the Right to Development, Mr. Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Mm. Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development for their insightful briefings and reports.
Iran aligns itself with the statement delivered by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.
According to the pertinent documents, including Tehran Proclamation (adopted during the first International Conference on Human Rights in 1968), the achievement of lasting progress in the implementation of human rights was dependent upon sound and effective national and international policies of economic and social development.
In this regard, the right to development as the reality for everyone and a well-established right is essential for realizing other economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights and should be regarded as such.
All Human rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. They should receive equal emphasis and consideration. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the VDPA, we should take meaningful and action-oriented steps to further realize the Right to Development set forth in the said declaration.
While addressing the Third Committee several days ago, the High Commissioner for Human Rights also stressed the importance of this right. In this vein, we call upon the Secretary General and the High Commissioner to contribute to mainstreaming the Right to development across the UN system.
It is imperative to identify and remove all the obstacles that undermine the achievements of this critical right for the global south.
The right to development can best be sustained in an enabling environment where the rule of law, multilateralism and cooperation are prevalent. Unilateral policies and measures, in particular unilateral coercive measures, are principal obstacles to development and flagrantly undermine the right to development. In targeted countries, UCMs create systemic discrimination based on nationality, which undermines the right to development of those people.
We agree with the report of the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which calls for developing countries to have a stronger voice in global financial institutions and encourages ODA donors to double their efforts. It is essential that international financial institutions support the implementation of development programs, including those in the fields of employment, health, water and sanitation, and education.
Last but not least, we regret that the reports provided today fail to address UCMs as the greatest obstacles to the Right to Development. It`s imperative that the special procedure mandate holders on the right to development take into account in their upcoming reports the detrimental effects of UCMs on the enjoyment of this right by the people of targeted countries.
The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its full support for the Right to Development and firmly believes that the Member States should accelerate the adoption and operationalization of this right through international cooperation, global solidarity and shared responsibility within the framework of a legally binding international convention.
I thank you.