September 14, 2017 -- Experts attending a side-event of the ongoing 36th UN Human Rights Council Session on Wednesday highlighted the right to development and the concept of a community of shared future for mankind during their discussion.

 

The side-event, titled "Building a community of shared future for mankind and the realization of the right to development", was organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS) and co-sponsored by the Free University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

 

Qian Jinyu, executive director of the research center for human rights law at Northwest University of Political Science and Law in Xi'an, said that the idea of building a community of shared future for mankind emphasizes comprehensive international cooperation rather than confrontation between the great powers.

 

"It refutes the logic of Western centralism of the modernization of civilization vs barbarism dualistic thinking pattern," said Qian.

 

He cited China-proposed the Belt and Road Initiative as a project for promoting modernization, saying that the modernization of governance is fundamental to the crisis around systematic challenges for human rights.

 

"We wish for all countries to work hand in hand to build a community of a shared future for mankind that achieves the comprehensive development of human beings," he said.

 

Tom Zwart, professor of human rights law at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, said at the event, "The right to development is paramount, and sovereignty and non-interference need to be respected."

 

Zwart is the convener of the Cross-cultural Human Rights Network, which is aimed at familiarizing Northern audiences with Southern ideas, concepts and theories on human rights.

 

"Building a community of shared future for mankind means taking Southern countries more seriously by making them full owners of the global governance system," said the Dutch professor.

 

He said that duties and rights should be complementary in the sphere of human rights.

 

Xu Yao, a researcher at Nankai University's Zhou Enlai School of Government said, "Development is the most important factor to reduce poverty, and development leads to the solution of other problems."

 

Policies that are people oriented, sharing, persistent and targeted with leadership at all levels needs attention, he said, adding that as the largest developing country in the world, China has successfully implemented the largest poverty reduction program in history.

 

Development not only contributes to the reduction of the world's poor population, but also indirectly promotes the stability and development of global economic development and social prosperity, he said.