The right to development

The statement about the right to development was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1986. This is why this year is a small anniversary. 30 years are of course not strange age – but it is really an ambitious jubilant we are dealing with, though not known to everyone.

Namely, the right to development has had ambitions, especially on behalf of developing countries and poor states. The very concept of "the right to development" is an intriguing construction that embodies meaning and hope. And requirements.
The right to development is defined as a human right. Every human being and every people has the right to participate in, contribute to and enjoy the fruits of a development where all rights and freedoms can be fully realized. At least that's the theory.

Man is at the center. Each state is responsible for taking measures to fulfill its citizens' right to development. And a binding international system that is also contributing, through cooperation and facilitation, will be set up. But inequalities still exist in the international order, which prevents many countries from implementing the right to development.

Sometimes it is difficult to penetrate through a pompous and UN-heavy language. In any case, we are facing major challenges. Many existing trends still undermine the right to development today, as South Center Director Martin Khor said the other day when he gave a speech in Geneva on the occasion of the celebration of the right to development. He presented five challenges:

• The current economic crisis.
• Difficulties in implementing proper development strategies.
• The existential aspects of climate change.
• The implementation of the new sustainability goals.
• The growing resistance to antibiotics.

An ever-changing image. Much of this is well-known substance. When it comes to the crisis trends in the global economy, it is (still) about the evasion of uneven growth, fluctuating commodity prices, speculative vulture funds and a lack of debt deletion for some countries that never emerge from the debt spiral. All this has a negative effect on the ability of citizens and countries to fulfill their right to development. The revelation of the Panama Papers in recent months has clearly established what we already knew – that not only Western companies, but also poor countries' elites and partially political leaders are speculating and foaming national finances.

When it comes to development strategies, there is still a lack of understanding of how to invest in the development of the agricultural sector. National food security plans are lacking. In the industrial sector, there are transitional pains from being low-cost countries to becoming states where workers expect better wages and safer working conditions. It is also difficult for countries to protect their own growing industries and markets in a transitional phase, so that they can secure a growing middle class in the same way as today's rich countries could. There is again growing market power in the hands of transnational companies. Today, they do not go out of their way to sue states that are trying to implement national environmental and health legislation. It definitely impedes the right to development.

Sustainability targets – the UN's biggest achievement? On the climate side, the Paris Agreement was a great victory for all supporters of multilateral agreements. It must be applauded. On the other hand, the implementation of the intention now remains. Here we still see that rich countries want a quota system that allows them to buy free. From a "right to development" perspective, it is doubtful. And poor countries will be the ones to bear the heaviest burdens of an already changing climate. Refugee flows will increase.

Perhaps we should therefore rely on the UN's new sustainability goals, which will apply from this year and 15 years ahead. They are probably some of the best UN system ever produced. If these are met, the right to development is a fact. Nothing less. And here we come to an interesting question about health and medicine: Health is expensive, especially if you are poor. Patent is part of the picture. How should health and health services be made available to poor countries?

Antibiotic resistance may become the new major global threat. Do we risk dying from small scrapes in the future?

The right to development is not guaranteed. A new realization is growing. Antibiotic resistance may become the new major global threat. Do we risk dying from small scrapes in the future?

Large doses of antibiotics are used in international agriculture, in the form of growth hormones. This leads to major problems for crews and in the long term for humans as well. Here, international cooperation and new regulations are needed.

Both animals and humans now carry several types of infection. We need more nursing staff, more public information and more cooperation between the health and food production sector. Every year, more than 700 people die from antibiotic-resistant infections, which is probably a very underreported number.

The right to development deserves to be celebrated now in the anniversary year. It expresses important intentions and is to be regarded as a human right. But it is not secured. Yet. Nearly.

Kroglund is chairman of the board of the RORG collaboration andrewkroglund@gmail.com