The Right to Development and Least Developed Countries

OHCHR and the right to development

What is a Least Developed Country?

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets.

LDCs are identified by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), using three criteria: Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, the Human Assets Index (HAI) and the Economic and Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI). To be recommended for graduation from the LDC category, a country must meet at least two of the three criteria at two consecutive triennial reviews. There are currently 44 LDCs. Several countries have graduated since the category was established in 1971, with additional countries scheduled to graduate based on CDP recommendations. See the current graduation list and schedules.

OHCHR in LDCs

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) face severe structural constraints to development. The LDCs host about 40% of the world's poor. Most are suffering from conflict or emerging from one. LDCs account for 13% of the world’s population but only about 1.3% of global GDP and less than 1% of global trade and FDI. Barely a fifth of the population in LDCs has access to the internet.

For the millions of people living in LDCs, development is one of the most urgent of human rights imperatives. Development is a human right for all individuals and peoples. It is not merely equivalent to economic growth. OHCHR supports LDCs through country and regional presences, human rights components in UN missions and Human Rights Advisers. Currently, the Office has presences in 31 of the 44 LDCs. See “Where we work” for up-to-date coverage. OHCHR country offices support LDCs, including to:

implement the recommendations of international human rights mechanisms;
advance sustainable development through human rights;
prevent violations and strengthen human rights protection, including in situations of conflict and insecurity;
enhance equality and counter discrimination;
strengthen the rule of law and accountability for human rights violations;
enhance participation and protect civic space.

LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund

In accordance with its resolution 19/26 of 23 March 2012, the Human Rights Council (HRC) established the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of LDCs and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the work of the HRC.

The Fund is administered by OHCHR and provides funding for the following activities:

targeted training courses and capacity-building activities, including e-learning, on the international human rights system, international human rights law and the rules and functioning of the HRC and its mechanisms;
support to government officials to participate in HRC sessions;
Fellowship programmes for government officials from LDCs/SIDS to undertake three-month work placements relating to the work of the HRC; and
induction training sessions for government officials of LDCs/SIDS to provide them with information on the multilateral human rights system as well as focused, practical training related to the work procedures of the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms.

For more information on the Fund, including eligibility criteria and application procedures, please visit the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund page.

Out of 44 LDCs,

40 ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR);
40 ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);
41 ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD);
44 ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW);
44 ratified the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC);
40 ratified the Convention against Torture (CAT);
17 ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families;
13 ratified the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance;
42 ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Along with development, significant gaps persist in LDCs across human rights, democracy, the rule of law and participation, particularly with regard to women and marginalised groups.

Read more about challenges to the realization of the right to development in the LDCs in the 2020 High Commissioner’s report to the Human Rights Council on the right to development, A/HRC/45/21 and in this summary of recommendations by OHCHR.

International framework for supporting LDCs

The Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (2022–2031) (A/RES/76/258), adopted at the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, renewed global commitments to address LDCs’ specific challenges and to achieve sustainable and irreversible graduation from the LDC category. It has six key focus areas:

Investing in people, eradicating poverty and building capacity
Leveraging the power of science, technology & innovation
Supporting structural transformation as a driver of prosperity
Enhancing international trade and regional integration
Tackling climate change, COVID-19 & building resilience
Mobilizing international partnerships for sustainable graduation

Five key deliverables of the DPoA:

Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG) on LDCs

OHCHR is a member of the IACG—an informal consultative mechanism, convened by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS). The IACG brings together experts on LDC issues from across the UN system as well as other international and regional organizations to enhance coordination and collaboration in support of LDCs in the implementation of the Programmes of Action for the LDCs.

Rights at the core of the new Programme of Action for LDCs

The important role of all human rights, including the right to development, flows throughout the DPoA for LDCs. Its priorities respond to the complex, intersecting challenges confronting people in LDCs—many of which directly or indirectly affect their human rights.

The DPoA acknowledges the importance of core international human rights instruments. It highlights the contribution of good governance at all levels, strong institutions, democracy, the rule of law, equal access to justice, and independent judicial institutions; reducing corruption; promotin g transparency and accountability.
It places particular emphasis on the important role of achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls — for sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth and sustainable development for all. It commits to expanding women and girls’ access to education, online services, health, job and economic opportunities, social protection, and participation in all aspects of decision-making and public life.
The DPoA acknowledges that peace, security, development, human rights and humanitarian efforts are complementary and need to reinforce one another.
The DPoA recommits to cooperating internationally to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration involving the full respect for human rights and the humane treatment of migrants, regardless of their migration status.

OHCHR continues to advocate for placing human rights at the core of DPoA implementation, advancing the realization of human rights, including the right to development for all and leaving no one behind.

Previous UN Programmes of Action for LDCs

Since 1981, UN conferences on LDCs have adopted successive, decade-focused programmes of action that frame international support: the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s (LDC-I, Paris, 1981); the Paris Declaration and Programme of Action for the 1990s (LDC-II, Paris, 1990); the Brussels Programme of Action for the Decade 2001–2010 (LDC-III, Brussels, 2001); the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Decade 2011–2020 (LDC-IV, Istanbul, 2011); and the Doha Programme of Action for the Decade 2022–2031, endorsed by the General Assembly (LDC-V, New York/Doha, 2022–2023). Together, these agendas reflect a continuous commitment to address structural constraints, build resilience and enable sustainable and irreversible graduation from the LDC category.

Events

2023

LDC5 (Doha, 4–9 March 2023): OHCHR participated and contributed to discussions, including Youth, Civil Society and Private Sector forums, and side events advocating for the right of individuals and peoples from the Least Developed Countries to meaningfully participate in and contribute to the implementation of the new programme of action. During the Conference, OHCHR also organized two side events:

On 8 March 2023, OHCHR organized a side event on “Mainstreaming the right to development in the implementation of the DPoA for Least Developed Countries: Challenges and Opportunities.” The event highlighted the importance of integrating the right to development throughout implementation of the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries. The panel comprised H.E. Mohammad Sufiur Rahman, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in Geneva; Dr. Turki Al Mahmoud, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar; Chee Yoke Ling, Executive Director, Third World Network; and Leila Omar, Managing Director, SolarLandAfrica. Discussions emphasized the significance of inclusive and participatory DPoA implementation, underscored the need to strengthen LDC resilience to ongoing crises—including pandemics, conflict and climate change—and explored ways to scale up international support for sustainable and irreversible graduation from the LDC category.

On 9 March 2023, OHCHR organized a side event entitled “Active, free and meaningful participation of youth in development and in the implementation of the DPoA.” The discussion highlighted practical ways to ensure safe, inclusive and accessible youth participation across the design, implementation and monitoring of the DPoA, including through human rights education, digital engagement and partnerships with youth-led organizations. Panellists and participants exchanged experiences on removing barriers facing girls and young people in vulnerable situations and on strengthening accountability so that youth inputs translate into decisions and results.

2022

OHCHR organized a side event on “The Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries: Human Rights Related Challenges and Opportunities” at the margins of the 51st session of the Human Rights Council, 15 September 2022, Palais des Nations, Geneva (more information). This side event highlighted the importance of mainstreaming human rights and the realization of the right to development in the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries.

OHCHR jointly organized with UN Women a side event to the first meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the UN LDC 5 entitled "Realizing human rights and gender equality in least developed countries: Contributions to the LDC5 Conference."

OHCHR participated in the Asia-Pacific Regional Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action in Preparation for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5). The Office contributed to the meeting’s discussions with interventions in the following:

Session 2: Supporting our climate, recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and building a resilient society against future shocks

Session 5: Structural transformation and resilient infrastructure for sustained economic growth, poverty alleviation and decent work for all

Session 6: Social and human development and good governance at all levels

Session 7: Road to Doha: an ambitious agenda for the next decade through reinvigorated and innovative financing for development of the Asia-Pacific LDCs

Special session on harnessing science, technology and innovation to support structural transformation and LDC graduation by the Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries