The Right to Development and Sustainable Development – Reflections on Global and South Asian Developments
The State of Development Discourses – #CohesiveDevelopment with Shyami Puvimanasinghe on The Right to Development and Sustainable Development – Reflections on Global and South Asian Developments
Center for Human Dignity and Development (CHDD), IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, and Centre for Development Communication and Studies (CDECS), Jaipur invite you to an IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk:
The State of Development Discourses – #CohesiveDevelopment
The Right to Development and Sustainable Development – Reflections on Global and South Asian Developments
Details of the #WebPolicyTalk:
Date: July 30, 2021
Time: 4 PM IST
Platform: Zoom and Facebook Live
Speaker:
Dr Shyami Puvimanasinghe
Author and Advocate on International Solidarity, Human Rights and Sustainable Development
Shyami Puvimanasinghe is a Human Rights Officer at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland where she supports the mandates on the Right to Development and on International Cooperation. She previously served as a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, where she taught several subjects including Environmental Law and Sustainable Development. She has also worked with non-governmental organizations in Gaborone, Botswana, on ethics, law, HIV/AIDS, human rights, environment and development. Shyami Fernando Puvimanasinghe is an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Colombo; a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School, USA; a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Law and Organizaton for Development and a Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands. Her publications include the book ‘Foreign Investment, Human Rights and the Environment: A Perspective from South Asia on the Role of Public International Law for Development’; and several book chapters and journal articles mostly in the area of sustainable development. They include publications on the Right to Development, International Solidarity and Cooperation, Foreign Investment, Human Rights, Public Interest
Litigation, and Economic, Social and Environmental Justice especially with reference to South Asia.
Discussants:
Dr Jos Chathukulam
Director, Centre for Rural Management, Kottayam
Dr Gopal Krishna
Fellow, International Research Group on Authoritarianism and Counter-Strategies, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Berlin; Guest Fellow, Faculty of Law, Humboldt University, Berlin
Prof H S Shylendra
Professor, Social Science Area, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Gujarat
Moderator:
Prof Sunil Ray
Former Director, A. N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna; Advisor, CDECS and IMPRI
About the #WebPolicyTalk: The Right to Development and Sustainable Development – Reflections on Global and South Asian Developments
In this brief presentation, the speaker will share some reflections on the Right to Development and Sustainable Development globally and in South Asia. In view of her disciplinary background, the speaker will do so through a legal lens, within the broader multidisciplinary landscape of development studies, theory and practice. While mainstream development approaches are still essentially based on economics, Dr Shyami will look at laws and policies related to sustainable development, notably international law in the intersecting terrains of human rights, development and the environment, increasingly viewed through integrated approaches to the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development. Significant global developments include the Sustainable Development Goals and the Right to Development and the links between them.
Although South Asia is one of the world’s economically poorest regions, it is rich in non-economic terms—ecological, historical, cultural, ethical, philosophical, and spiritual. Religious and cultural traditions in Southern Asia have longstanding links with sustainable development; harmony and non-violence; equitable distribution of resources and moderation in consumption: ‘The world has enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.’ Throughout the colonial and post-colonial history of most countries in the region, however, the traditional wisdom of holistic approaches to development have been gradually replaced by globally dominant models of economic development and today the problems of climate change, development versus the environment and human rights, poverty, pollution and loss of biodiversity; indiscriminate liberalization and urbanization are commonplace.
The Right to Development and sustainability, along with all universal and inalienable human rights (civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights and still evolving solidarity rights), could play a greater role in policy making at all levels, to advance fairer outcomes in development practice. This is especially so amidst the contemporary realities of the COVID-19 pandemic and related challenges and crises which have exposed and exacerbated inequalities within and between countries. It has been observed that ‘The pandemic is a portal’ to re-think our models of development and ways of life. Transformative change is being widely discussed around the world today. From a human rights perspective, human dignity and our common humanity must be integral to safeguarding the rights of present and future generations in doing development. Nature’s limits call for enhanced respect for ecological integrity. All parts of local, national and international society have a role to play. International cooperation and solidarity will be key to ensuring the means of implementation for all the world’s nations.
By way of an example of legal interventions for sustainable development, the speaker will reflect on some illustrations of public interest litigation in South Asia (especially India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). Catalysed by events and developments in India from the 1980s, such litigation became a popular tool in the region. It contributed to sustainable development jurisprudence; enhanced people’s participation in development decisions and processes involving public resources; and influenced development decisions to become more holistic for economic, social and environmental sustainability. Despite its vibrant contribution, it is not sufficient in the context of the multiple crises of the 21st century, including democratic decay. Strong and concerted action by all branches of government and engagement of all stakeholders, with a major role for civil society will be vital. We will need more global and regional solidarity and cooperation to advance the well-being of all people and the earth, our common home.
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IMPRI, a startup research think tank, is a platform for pro-active, independent, non-partisan and policy-based research. It contributes to debates and deliberations for action-based solutions to a host of strategic issues. IMPRI is committed to democracy, mobilization and community building.