Efforts Toward Human Rights Development

By+Lan+Xinzhen

human rights have long been a center of debate in the international community. The argument on human rights is dominated by Western developed countries， which usually blame developing countries in this regard.

But such accusations are not fair to many developing countries. There are many aspects of human rights. Undoubtedly， the right to subsistence and the right to development are the primary basic human rights. Developing countries have been making efforts to improve peoples lives and safeguard human rights since they achieved national liberation and independence. During the process， every developing country has also tried different approaches that fit its national conditions.

Against this backdrop， the First SouthSouth Human Rights Forum， held in Beijing in December 2017， is of significance to all developing countries. In the Beijing Declaration， issued at the forum， all participants， including officials， scholars and representatives from over 70 countries and international organizations， agreed that the right to subsistence and the right to development are the primary basic human rights. They called on the international community to respect developing countries will in human rights development.

Poverty reduction is the most telling evidence of Chinas progress in human rights. Over the past 30 years or more since the launch of reform and opening up， more than 700 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty. The number of rural poor had fallen to 55.75 million by 2015， with the incidence of poverty dropping to 5.7 percent， according to the white paper Chinas Progress in Poverty Reduction and Human Rights， released by the State Council Information Office in October 2016. The South-South Human Rights Forum not only expands South-South cooperation， but also further promotes the human rights cause in developing countries. “Developing countries should pay special attention to safeguarding peoples right to subsistence and right to development， especially to achieve a decent standard of living， secure adequate food， clothing， and clean drinking water， as well as the rights to housing， security， work， education， health and social security，” the declaration said.

Human rights worldwide could not be achieved without the joint efforts of developing countries， which account for more than 80 percent of the worlds population. Developing countries have made significant contributions to human rights development in the past. They put up strong resistance against fascism， militarism， colonialism， hegemony and various types of extremism. Developing countries also participated in signing a series of fundamental international documents on human rights， including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights， International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights， International Covenant on Economic， Social and Cultural Rights， and Declaration on the Right to Development.

Faced with the common challenges of population increase， climate change and environmental pollution， developing countries must work together and respect each other. Meanwhile， developed countries should abandon their prejudice against developing countries and take actions to promote human rights development for the whole world.