40th anniversary events

The year 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development (Declaration) by the UN General Assembly on 4 December 1986, a landmark instrument affirming that the right to development is an inalienable human right and that “every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.”

For the last four decades, the Declaration has provided an important normative framework for advancing inclusive, sustainable and participatory development at the local, national, regional and international levels. The Declaration has also shaped the evolution of laws and policies to operationalise the right to development. States are currently negotiating a legally binding international instrument to codify the right to development.

To commemorate this milestone, the Special Rapporteur will organise a series of events throughout 2026 to mainstream the right to development among Governments, UN bodies, development agencies and financial institutions. These events will discuss the normative foundations of the right to development, assess its relevance in addressing current global challenges, ways to overcome barriers to the realisation of the right, and identify pathways for its effective implementation in the years ahead. The events will bring together representatives of States, international organisations, civil society, trade unions, businesses, academia, community organisations and youth to foster a constructive dialogue.

If you would like to co-organise an event to commemorate the 40thanniversary of the 1986 Declaration, please contact us: hrc-sr-development@un.org