13 May 2014: The Office of the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has issued the background note for the thematic debate on ‘Contributions of Human Rights and the Rule of Law the Post-2015 Development Agenda.’ The debate will take place from 9-10 June 2014, in New York, US, as part of a series of UNGA events on the post-2015 agenda.

The background note describes the context for the integration of human rights and the rule of law into the post-2015 agenda and poses guiding questions for a plenary session and two panel discussions.

A plenary session will address three guiding questions on: good practices and lessons learned in integrating rule of law and human rights in development process, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); translating lessons into the post-2015 agenda; and necessary support for a universal approach promoting freedom from want and fear, based on non-discrimination.

The first panel, titled ‘Exploring the contributions of human rights and the rule of law in supporting national and international efforts towards poverty eradication and sustainable development,’ will discuss how the rule of law and civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights and the right to development have been integrated into development policies to address freedom from want and freedom from fear; and how human rights and rule of law have addressed discrimination and inequalities. It will also discuss the impact of such policies on poverty eradication and sustainable development and structural impediments that have impacted development outcomes.

The second panel, titled ‘Towards a transformational development agenda: integrating human rights and rule of law in the post 2015 agenda with a view to improving development outcomes,’ will examine how to: include human rights and the right to development into the post-2015 agenda and an accountability framework; integrate the rule of law into the post-2015 agenda, including discussion of key targets on the rule of law; and address inequalities that jeopardize sustainable development prospects. It will further consider: how human rights and the rule of law can contribute to a renewed global partnership for sustainable development and coherent financial, investment and trade partnerships; and resource and capacities to enable the integration of human rights and the rule of law. [UNGA President’s Website on Post-2015 Agenda and Related Events] [Publication: Background Note on Contributions of Human Rights and the Rule of Law the Post-2015 Development Agenda] [IISD RS Story on Concept Note]