Forum calls to uphold coexistence while maintaining differences on the path of human rights development

2019 South-South Human Rights Forum is held on Dec. 10-11 in Beijing. (Photo/Jia Wenting)

The 2019 "South-South Human Rights Forum" (SSHRF) was concluded in Beijing on Wednesday, calling for joint efforts to seek coexistence through differences on the path of human rights development.

Under the theme of “Diversity of Civilization and Global Development of Human Rights”, the two-day forum saw the participation of over 300 representatives, including officials, scholars and ambassadors, from over 80 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Participants praised the platform as a healthy boost for developing countries to improve human rights development, noting that China has opened a new path of human rights protection based on its national conditions, which provided precious experience for developing countries.

People-centered approach in human rights protection

Underdeveloped economies and large populations are the two characteristics of developing countries and also bring about major difficulties in their development of human rights. China upholds the rights to life, subsistence and development as the primary human rights to enhance people’s well-being through development in order to better protect human rights.

“China has made tremendous development over the last seven decades, not only in infrastructure, but also in poverty alleviation, job creation and education. This shows that people’s human rights are protected, and the government is working for the benefits of their citizens,” DM Salahuddin Mahmud, an officer in the Political Division at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, told People’s Daily Online.

Dheerujlall Baramlall Seetulsingh, member of the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Committee from Mauritius, spoke highly of China’s rapid development, noting that the development that has taken place in China in such a short period of time would take much longer for other countries to achieve, and that China’s cities have so much to offer in terms of the improvement of human rights.

“Over the past few years, under the leadership of the Communist Party, China has inaugurated a model of fighting poverty and openness that has boosted the development of underdeveloped countries,” noted Bacar Camará, director of Information of National Radio from Guinea-Bissau.

“China’s strategy to combat poverty should serve as a model for all underdeveloped countries, especially Africa which has been breaking the path of development,” he added.

Chinese wisdom for global governance

The sub-forum themed “Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind and Global Human Rights Governance” is held on Dec. 10 in Beijing. (Photo/Xian Jiangnan)

Some western countries, according to the participants, partially stress political and civil rights, while turning a blind eye to the mounting uncertainties and challenges including war, starvation and environmental crisis that continue to undermine the development of developing countries. Meanwhile, China has been playing an active role in tackling global challenges, offering Chinese wisdom and solutions for global governance of human rights.

Representatives particularly praised China's proposal of building a community with a shared future for mankind as a wise Chinese solution to the pressing problems facing the world today and an international public good in the new era.

“The proposal [building a community with a shared future for mankind] is very very exact and timely, reflecting the fact that mankind should share the common responsibility to overcome what we regard to be the challenges of the times,” said Aslan Abashidze, member of the United Nation Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from Russia.

Through cooperation projects and people-to-people exchanges under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China shares its development opportunities and experience and thereby contributes more to improving the well-being of peoples from developing countries.

Patricia Narsu Ndanema, Chairperson of Human Rights Commission from Sierra Leone, said China has benefited her country a lot by providing scholarships for students from Sierra Leone to study in China, making great contributions to the world’s educational sector.

China is actively helping developing countries in a very positive manner through the BRI, Seetulsingh reckoned. “It is not simply aid, but a practical way of exercising the right to development and contributes to the economic and social rights of other nations in the world,” said Seetulsingh.

Ibn Ismael Youssouf, member of National Human Rights Commission from Comoros, agreed that living a happy life is the primary human right and appreciated China’s efforts to boost Comoros’ domestic economy by direct investment and infrastructure projects.

“China has made great contribution to the world development, becoming a paradigm in regards to promoting the development in the developing countries,” he added.