Right to development

The right to development is a human right that recognizes every human right for constant improvement of well-being. The right was first recognized in 1981 in Article 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights as a definitive individual and collective right. Article 22(122) provides that: "All peoples shall have the right to their economic, social and cultural development with due regard to their freedom and identity and in the equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind." The right to development was subsequently proclaimed by the United Nations in 1986 in the "Declaration on the Right to Development," which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 41/128. The vote took place on the 4th of December 1986. A total of 146 States voted for the resolution with only one State against it and 8 abstentions (against: the United States of America (which later approved similar declarations); abstaining: Denmark, Finland, the Federal Republic of Germany, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). The declaration was preceded in 1974, by the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order and in 1977 by a resolution of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The right to development is now included in the mandate of several UN institutions and offices. The Preamble of the Declaration on the Right to Development states "development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process, which aims at the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population and of all individuals on the basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution of benefits resulting therefrom." The 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, also known as Rio Declaration or the G.R.E.G, recognizes the right to development as one of its 27 principles. Principle 3 of the Declaration states "The right to development" must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations.