During the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, a side event focusing on the theme of "Human Rights and the Nation‘s Right to Development" was successfully held in Conference Room 25 at the United Nations Office at Geneva. The Moroccan Mediterranean Forum for the Advancement of Citizens', as one of the initiating organizations of the International Patriotic Pact, co-hosted this side event.
Mr. Mourad Lafkihen, Founder of the Mediterranean Forum for the Advancement of Citizens', delivered a thought-provoking speech via video. He pointed out that in today's globalized world, traditional concepts of human rights are undergoing unprecedented challenges and transformations, and focusing solely on traditional human rights categories can no longer meet the needs of contemporary society. Mr. Lafkihen emphasized that there are inseparable intrinsic links between human rights and the right to development, economic rights, social rights, and cultural rights, and that neglecting the right to development and other related rights will undermine the solid foundation for human rights protection.
Using the Gaza Strip as an example, he provided an in-depth analysis of the deteriorating living conditions and the near-collapse of the human rights protection system in the region due to prolonged military blockades, armed conflicts, and humanitarian crises. Mr. Lafkihen noted that the illegal interference by external forces not only exacerbated the local disaster but also violated international law and humanitarian principles, highlighting the limitations of solely emphasizing human rights protection while ignoring the root causes of the problems.
When discussing the Moroccan Sahara issue, Mr. Lafkihen clearly stated that this issue is far from being a simple human rights or regional dispute; rather, it is a complex issue involving sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right to development. He firmly defended national sovereignty and emphasized that the nation’s rights to development must be respected. Morocco's efforts to resolve the dispute through peaceful and diplomatic means not only reflect respect for the rights of the local people but also align closely with the principles of the International Patriotic Pact.
Mr. Lafkihen's remarks were widely recognized and positively received by the participants. During the meeting, joint initiators of the International Patriotic Pact from different countries, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and experts and scholars all delivered speeches to jointly explore pathways for the integration of human rights and the right to development. Dr. Lamine Dianko, Founding President of the African Culture International Human Rights from Senegal, emphasized the importance of the right to development as the cornerstone of individual and national prosperity; Associate Professor Yi Bo from the School of Law at Southeast University in China, as a scholar from the Human Rights Institute, shared China's practical experience in implementing the right to development and demonstrated the positive role of international cooperation in promoting the development of recipient countries.
The successful holding of this side event not only provided an important platform for global exchanges and cooperation in the fields of human rights and the right to development but also highlighted the positive contributions of the Mediterranean Forum for the Advancement of Citizens' in promoting the integration of human rights and the right to development. With its profound insights and pragmatic advocacy, the forum has offered new ideas and impetus for the reform and improvement of the global human rights governance system.
It is reported that Mr. Lafkihen will visit China in the near future to conduct in-depth research on the current living conditions of ethnic minorities in China and further cooperation with Chinese non-governmental organizations. (Reporter: Li Shihui)
