Human rights requirements to social and economic development

Abstract

This paper presents the normative framework of international human rights and the duty of states to cooperate for development, starting with the Charter of the United Nations and proceeding to examine the International Bill of Human Rights and the various international instruments (treaties and declarations) built upon it. By ratifying some of these instruments, a large majority of states have undertaken legally binding obligations to ensure freedom from hunger and to promote adequate standards of living, including food, nutrition and care. The paper notes that promotion of human rights and development, two purposes that are closely interrelated in the Charter of the United Nations, have since followed two separate trajectories, but efforts are now under way to bring them closer together, as manifested in particular by the Declaration on the Right to Development, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1986. The paper further points out that under international human rights law a comprehensive system of international reporting and monitoring by expert bodies has been developed. Full transparency has been achieved by ensuring that the state reports are made public and their examination by the international expert bodies are open to anyone interested. It is indicated that for reporting in the development field, comparable transparency and examination could be developed, including for international agencies and other bodies dealing with food and nutrition issues.