wr2014_web_0

PUTTING DEVELOPMENT TO RIGHTS• Strengthening accountability. Accountability is fundamental to rightsrespectingdevelopment: rights are of limited value if no one is charged withguaranteeing them or if citizens whose rights are denied have no opportunityto seek redress or remedy. The post-2015 development agenda shouldtherefore require all those involved in development—governments and internationalbilateral donors, international financial institutions, the businesssector, private foundations, and NGOs—to be more accountable and transparentabout implementing their commitments and the impact their policieshave on the rights of the poor, including through feedback and complaintsmechanisms and regular reporting at the local, national, and global level.• Affirming the universality of the global development agenda. Low income isnot an excuse for governments of poor countries to abuse their citizens’rights, and many developing country governments have scope to make differentchoices about how they allocate national resources. Still, low incomeand limited capacity can make it harder for well-intentioned governments tomeet their rights obligations. A post-2015 development agenda shouldtherefore place two important obligations on the world’s wealthier governments:— To do no harm, by ensuring that existing policies and practices do notdirectly or indirectly contribute to human rights violations, unequaldevelopment, or abusive development elsewhere, through policies ontrade, tax, investment, intellectual property, arms sales, and transfersof surveillance technology. These governments have an obligation torespect and protect human rights and to remedy any violations.— To proactively help to advance rights-respecting development in othercountries, including through support for inclusive development inareas like health, education, nutrition, and sanitation, as well as supportfor the rule of law, and police, justice, and security sector reform.Bringing Rights to the ForeHow human rights issues will be dealt with in any new post-2015 developmentagreement remains unclear. Support for rights emerged as a priority among civilsociety participants in the UN-sponsored global consultations on post-2015, andthere were strong references to human rights in the reports of the High Level39