The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) demonstrated significant leadership in advancing human rights and inclusive development through the adoption of the Declaration on Promoting the Right to Development and the Right to Peace Towards Realising Inclusive and Sustainable Development on 26 October 2025, during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Surya Deva, commended this achievement, emphasizing its importance in addressing global challenges such as economic inequality, conflict, and the ongoing planetary crisis.
The Declaration underscores the value of multilateralism in achieving equitable and sustainable development. It commits ASEAN member states to proactive measures aimed at removing barriers to essential services like education, healthcare, housing, food, transport, digital technology, and employment. It also calls for efforts to combat discrimination and reduce inequality through fair income distribution. By linking peace and development, the Declaration highlights that sustainable peace is dependent on inclusive development, sending a strong message to the global community.
Surya Deva praised Malaysia’s pivotal role in leading the negotiations, noting that the Declaration integrates environmental protection and the rights of future generations into the core of development policies. It positions human beings as key actors in the development process and calls for ASEAN states to foster participation through access to information, press freedom, and civic space.
The Declaration also recognises the responsibility of businesses in promoting inclusive and sustainable development, urging ASEAN governments to create incentives and regulations that ensure respect for human rights and environmental standards. Deva linked this milestone to the 1986 UN Declaration on the Right to Development, reaffirming the universal entitlement of individuals and communities to participate in and benefit from development.
Finally, he noted that the ASEAN Declaration serves as a practical framework for operationalising the right to development at both national and regional levels, encouraging other intergovernmental organizations worldwide to adopt similar approaches to promote dignity, peace, and sustainability for all.
