The Vienna Declaration stated that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated. The causes of such underdevelopment, and its various manifestations in the lives of the people, have to be addressed for the actual realisation of human rights. Some of these causes are the West’s continuing control over financial resources. Ideologies that promote religious intolerance, extremism, terrorism and separatism also create conditions leading to denial and suppression of human rights. It is against this background that we have to see three important initiatives presented recently by the Chinese President, Mr Xi Jinping — Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilisation Initiative. How can we realise the Right to Development for All? One: The world community must reiterate that Holistic Human Development of all human beings on the planet. Two: There should be universal recognition that poverty and lack of development are among the greatest violators of human rights. Three: The diversity of religion, culture, language and civilizational traditions, as well as the political and governance systems of people’s choice as per their specific historical journeys, should be respected. Four: No system or tradition is entirely perfect. Five: No country or set of countries should be permitted to establish their hegemony or domination over the rest of the world. Six: The much-needed new architecture for global human rights governance should fully reflect the need for a new system of global governance.
