29 February 2016: Speakers at the opening of the Human Rights Council’s (HRC) 31st session emphasized linkages and commonalities between the right to development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also called on UN human rights bodies to respond to, and inform the work of, the High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF).

At the opening, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 29 February 2016, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said sustainable development is impossible without peace and security. Referring to the current refugee crisis, he stressed that higher walls and stricter asylum regimes do nothing to address the reasons for mass movements of people, which, he said, are often rooted in development and governance challenges.

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called for ensuring that human rights principles, including the right to development, are central to efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He highlighted the need for disaggregated data for effective monitoring of implementation.

Mogens Lykketoft, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), highlighted the SDGs’ linkages with human rights, including commitments to gender equality and fair distribution of the earth’s finite resources. He encouraged the HRC to consider what role it should play in supporting implementation and accountability in the 2030 Agenda.

In a high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming, titled ‘The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and human rights, with an emphasis on the right to development,’ Lykketoft called for the SDGs to “move out of the corridors of the UN in New York” and become truly “global” goals that are owned by all people. Lykketoft said the 2030 Agenda is a testament to the influence of the right to development, and highlighted the Agenda’s promotion of development assistance, international taxation and global economic governance issues, which he said are priorities in implementing the right to development. He noted that the 2030 Agenda places significant emphasis on accountability, including openness and transparency in its follow-up and review process, and proposed that governments and others look to international human rights standards for guidance when designing implementation plans and programmes. Finally, Lykketoft urged governments and others to maintain the integrated nature of the agenda in the translation from global to national levels, stressing that “the SDGs must not be implemented à la carte.”

The HRC’s 31st session will run until 24 March 2016. It will include a high-level panel discussion on the 50th anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights and a a panel discussion on climate change and the right to health. The Council’s annual thematic discussion on technical cooperation will address promotion and protection of the rights of all migrants, including women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

The Council was established in 2006 as an intergovernmental body of the UN, and marks its tenth anniversary this year. [UN Press Release] [Opening Remarks by UNGA President] [Statement of UNGA President to High-Level Panel] [HRC 31 Webpage]