The Baha'i International Community is convinced that "the right to enjoy an adequate standard of living" and "the right to development" are achievable, but that they will require the full utilization and co-ordination of all the human and material resources of the planet. Therefore, the Baha'i International Community supports fully the Declaration on the Right to Development -- adopted in 1986 -- which sets the standard by which all nations can measure their progress toward these goals. Moreover, it commends the initiatives of the Commission and its Working Group of Governmental Experts in identifying practical measures to implement the Declaration.

The right to enjoy an adequate standard of living and the right to development are, indeed, within the reach of nations. Baha'is believe that the scientific and technological advances occurring in this momentous century signal a great surge forward in the social evolution of humanity, and provide the means by which its practical problems may be solved. They, in fact, make possible the administration of the complex life of a united world.

Nevertheless, barriers persist. Doubts, misconceptions, prejudices, suspicions and narrow self-interest beset nations and peoples in their relations with one another. Unfortunately, the arbiters of human affairs have, instead of embracing the concept of the oneness of mankind and promoting the increase of concord among different peoples, tended to deify the State, to subordinate the rest of mankind to one nation, race or class, to attempt to suppress all discussion and interchange of ideas, or callously to abandon starving millions to the operations of a market system that all too clearly is aggravating the plight of the majority of mankind, while enabling small sections to live in an unprecedented condition of affluence.

In order to eliminate the "effects of the existing unjust international economic order on the economies of the developing countries, and the obstacle that this represents for the implementation of human rights and fundamental freedoms," the Baha'is believe that the concept of the oneness of humanity must be universally proclaimed and accepted, and its far-reaching implications acknowledged.

In the Baha'i view, recognition of the oneness of humanity calls for no less than the reconstruction and demilitarization of the world. Humanity must seek a world organically united in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units. To us, the unification of the human race and of the planet is no mere pious hope. On the contrary, it is the overriding challenge of the present stage of history and the basic prerequisite for the solution of most social problems.

Agenda Item 8(c)

At the heart of the Baha'i perspective on popular participation in development is an equally challenging conception of the nature and purpose of human existence. In the Baha'i view, man is neither a fallen creature nor merely the product of socio-economic forces. The rational soul, in the Baha'i view, is a phenomenon with limitless potentialities: intellectual, spiritual, emotional and moral. Service to humanity is among the primary influences unlocking individual capacity.

Within this context, the Baha'i International Community views popular participation as essential to development and to the full realization of all human rights. We believe that education in the principle of service to humanity will arouse and maintain motivation which, coupled with the acquisition of practical skills and technology, will open as yet unimagined possibilities for development within and among nations. In particular, educational programmes at the grass-roots level can help young people develop personal confidence and acquire the necessary skills for contributing to the development process in their own communities.

Moreover, the Baha'i International Community believes that it is especially important to promote participation among groups which have traditionally been oppressed or neglected, such as indigenous peoples and women, so that they can assume their legitimate role in making decisions about development which directly affect them.

The active involvement of women, called for under article 8 of the Declaration on the Right to Development, is crucial to the development process. In most societies, women have been relegated to an inferior role in the social order, although they bear the brunt of the day-to-day work. Women should be not only allowed, but encouraged to play a prominent role in formulating solutions to the problems facing their communities. Development programmes must, therefore, have as their aim the improvement of the status of women.

Fostering a genuine belief in the oneness of humanity, an awareness of global interdependence, and a moral commitment to service, in both developing and developed countries, is indispensable to the process of development. On the one hand, it creates a sense of self-esteem and self-reliance in peoples who have been oppressed. On the other, it exposes and counteracts exploitative and unjust economic practices in those societies which perpetrate them, thus restoring their integrity and allowing them to meet their international obligations more appropriately.

Concluding Remarks

The Baha'i approach to development begins from the premise that, in this age, all peoples, to the extent that they are able to consult on their needs in a spirit of unity, can find both the direction and capacity for development within themselves. Given the foregoing grass-roots approach, values and material needs are not artificially separated from one another; education takes on important moral as well as practical implications. Learning the discipline of making decisions is as important as the material benefits that result from such decisions. These are the features that distinguish Baha'i development initiatives throughout the world: namely, the integration of the moral and the practical, a unity of conception that allows for great flexibility of application and, above all, the ability to arouse and maintain motivation.

Although Baha'i development projects represent only a very small fraction of those currently under way throughout the world, their most important success has been systematic and qualitative rather than quantitative. The Baha'i International Community believes that there is much in the community model that Baha'is have painstakingly constructed over the past several decades that will reward careful study by others in the development field.

The Secretary-General has received the following communication which is circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1296 (XLIV).

 

UN Document #E/CN.4/1989/NGO/43

On behalf of the Baha'i­ International Community, I wish to thank the South Pacific Commission (SPC) most warmly for the invitation to attend its 28th Conference.

As an international non-governmental organization in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 1970, and with UNICEF since 1976, the Baha'i­ International Community has been part of the expanding global process of NGO cooperation with the United Nations and with its Agencies. Our collaboration with the United Nations has proven to be mutually beneficial. And we feel this is true also of our relationship over the past several years with the South Pacific Commission, where our collaboration has, for example, taken the form of co-sponsorship of a health education programme and support for the youth programme, including sponsorship of resource people for youth workshops held in the Cook Islands at Aitutaki and in Niue Island.

Recently, this relationship was further strengthened through participation in the SPC's Fourth Regional Conference of Pacific Women, held in Suva, Fiji, 17-23 September. The Baha'i­ International Community's Governing Council, upon receiving information about the Conference from our Representative in the Pacific, deemed the Conference important to the work of promoting social and economic development of women in the region. It was agreed that Baha'i­ representation to the Conference should include as many Pacific Island communities as possible. Fourteen women from eleven island Baha'i­ communities attended the Conference - a number of them grass roots women, one from South Malaita in the Solomon Islands, for example.

The Fiji Government, which hosted the meeting, did an excellent job organizing the Conference, thus facilitating the discussions of the substantive issues. In addition to the recommendations that came out of the workshops, the Conference was worthwhile in providing opportunity for sharing valuable information, and for developing further the process of networking in the Pacific between governments and non-governmental organizations, in relation to women's activities.

A post-conference meeting was held in Suva for the Baha'i­ representatives. In-depth discussions were held on such topics as health, nutrition, youth activities, leadership training and networking with other NGOs. On the first day, Dr. Allan Phillips gave a workshop on learning disabilities to the representatives and to medical doctors, nurses and teachers in Suva. As a result of this workshop, Dr. Phillips has been invited to conduct a similar workshop at the Fiji Medical School.

Baha'i­ Representatives returned to their countries prepared to report to their communities all they had experienced at the Women's Conference, and to consult with their Governing Bodies about future activities.

The Baha'i­ International Community gave strong support to the Conference, drawing on its hard-won resources to sponsor the women representatives because it believes that the well-being of humanity, the realization of social and economic development and the establishment of world peace require the recognition of the equality of men and women as a spiritual principle, and the consequent participation of women with men in all fields of human endeavor.

Baha'i­ communities in the Pacific region, most of them at grass roots, are currently engaged in such a process of integrating women into all aspects of community life and decision-making. We would like to share from our own experience some of what we have found valuable.

1. In Baha'i­ communities, both men and women, as an act of faith, are committed to implementing the principle of equality. Both are engaged in developing attitudes that are appropriate to equal status for women. Men, in fact, through membership in Baha'i­ communities, are learning from experience that when women become fully incorporated into the life of the community, everyone benefits.
2. From the beginning of the Baha'i­ community, women have been involved in the electoral process of its institutions. The elected local councils which guide Baha'i­ community affairs have done a great deal to encourage the participation of women and nurture respect for diverse views. These grass roots organizations involve the community in identifying needs, devising plans, and carrying them out. Among their concerns are the education of children and the implementation of service projects that benefit the whole community. Baha'i­ women all over the world are increasingly being elected to these local councils, exercising the responsibilities of membership and thus gaining experience in decision-making.
3. Regular participation of Baha'i­ men and women in the consultative process accustoms them to solving problems collaboratively. Consultation requires that each person offer his or her views freely to the group in the search for an answer that will provide for the well-being of the entire community. Once offered, however, these views no longer belong to the person, but are regarded as being the property of the group. The decision reached through this process is, likewise, accepted as the product of the group and not of any individual.
4. One step in the direction of greater participation for women has been the formation of women's consultative groups. In these groups, women, who have often been isolated from one another, can share experiences, practice consultation, encourage each other and develop plans. This experience prepares them for service on local elected councils and encourages them to express their views. The groups also provide a place for literacy training, spiritual and intellectual growth, and for the dissemination of information on health, nutrition, child care and other practical information.
5. Encouragement from the community is essential. Plans generated by these consultative groups are submitted to the elected council for consultation, approval and subsequent recommendation to the community for action. The development of a community spirit in support of their initiatives gives the women courage and creates the moral and psychological climate for dynamic and harmonious change, which is the goal of all Baha'i­ development projects.

The Baha'i­ International Community takes pleasure in offering these brief comments and suggestions towards a framework for the full integration of women into all aspects of development and society. We extend to SPC - as we have in the past - in the spirit of warm cooperation, the experience and assistance of Baha'i­ communities throughout the Pacific in achieving a better quality of life for the peoples in the region. We look forward to a continuance of the cooperative, productive relationship which we have had with SPC in many areas of mutual concern during the past several years.

Until recently, the disabled have constituted a minority in obscurity. Unlike certain other groups that fall victim to discrimination, the disabled do not comprise a self-contained, close-knit social community. Instead, they populate every social sector, every class, every age group, every ethnic and religious community. And at every level, society has tended to ignore them, believing them incapable of participating in the community, or avoiding them as unpleasant reminders of the fragility of our existence.

Fortunately, this situation is beginning to change. Nations and localities are devoting steadily more attention to improving the plight of the disabled. Mr. Despouy's excellent interim report demonstrates the seriousness with which the international community too is finally addressing this important issue. The Baha'i­ International Community welcomes the Special Rapporteur's study and would like to take a few minutes to comment on his report and on some of the issues it raises.

The plight of the disabled is a mirror reflecting the shortcomings of society. This fundamental observation holds true with respect to three major topics that the Special Rapporteur plans to treat at length in his final report: first, the causes of disability; second, prejudice and discrimination directed towards the disabled; and third, measures to ensure the equal enjoyment of human rights for the disabled.

First, with respect to the causes of disability, the list of injurious practices resulting in disability that the Special Rapporteur has compiled is thought provoking, ranging from amputations to civil war. Disability can be caused by the gamut of inhuman conduct perpetrated by human beings against one another. For that very reason, the international community must take aim at all human rights violations, for they can all result in the permanent mental or physical handicap of human beings. We fully agree with the Special Rapporteur's observation, in paragraph 14 of his report, that any acts contrary to international law and violative of mental or physical integrity should be proscribed, not only those acts that rise to the level of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Secondly, the prejudice and discrimination that disabled people suffer is the product of the more general human tendency to label as "inferior" those who are somehow different. But the ostracism that disabled persons often experience can be even more intense, for it is founded on fear -- fear on the part of the ostracizer that he, too, may someday become the victim of disability. The only way to eradicate this fear is to educate every member of society to see disability for what it really is -- a mental or physical condition that may make everyday life more challenging, but that cannot affect the disabled person's soul, spirit, creativity, imagination or determination -- in short, some of the most valuable aspects of life. At the same time, such an appreciation will enable individuals to see through the outward handicaps of disabled persons, to their inner reality.

As we pointed out in our statements to the Sub-Commission last year, the reformation of social stereotypes and prejudices against the disabled requires education aimed at helping individuals to see the disabled as real people and to share in their triumphs. As Baha'i­s, we are working to implement this kind of education in our schools and in Baha'i­ homes. We are pleased to learn from the Special Rapporteur's report that a number of governments have reported that they are pursuing educational programmes with this goal directed towards young persons, teachers and the society as a whole. We hope that the Special Rapporteur will be in a position to elaborate Parts III and V of his final report, and to make specific recommendations on the form and content of educational programmes designed to combat prejudice against the disabled.

We now turn to our third topic; ensuring equal rights for the disabled. Like many other groups, the disabled have been stigmatized and victimized by prejudice, preventing them from assuming their rightful places in society. As pointed out by the Special Rapporteur, the elimination of traditional stereotypes and prejudices against the disabled is a sine qua non for their full enjoyment of fundamental human rights. We agree wholeheartedly with the Special Rapporteur that all sectors of society must work to integrate disabled persons into the life of society and give them equal opportunities in schools, the workplace and the community at large. Society will be the loser if it fails to benefit from the talents of disabled persons. Their resolute determination to overcome problems that most of us will never be forced to deal with should be a shining torch for us all. We would only suggest that the Special Rapporteur emphasize the ideal of rehabilitation in the family as well as in the community. Family members should be trained, where possible, to help provide the support and encouragement that the disabled person requires to surmount his impairment. Moreover, we would add the right to freedom of religion to the list of those rights especially important for the disabled person. Disabled persons must be free to partake of the inspiration that religious beliefs can provide. We have described in more detail our views on these topics, and on the broad economic, social and cultural rights to which disabled persons are entitled, in our written statementto the current session of the Sub-Commission.

Finally, we welcome discussions on the possibility of drafting a convention on disabled persons' rights. Every effort to specify more clearly disabled persons' rights and entrench these rights in the legal order deserves to be commended. But the problem of finding the proper method for developing and entrenching these standards requires careful study. For this reason, we approve of the suggestion by the Secretary-General that the General Assembly consider forming a Working Group to examine the possibility of elaborating a convention and the steps involved in its preparation.

Thanks in part to the devoted efforts of the Special Rapporteur, disabled persons will no longer have to cope with their handicaps in isolation, hidden behind a veil of intentional ignorance on the part of the society around them. We applaud efforts worldwide to help them surmount their disabilities and become fully-functioning members of their communities. Indeed, we all have much to learn from the disabled persons. Theirs is often an example worthy of emulation.

Madam Chairman,

At this session, the Working Group has entered a new season in its endeavors. After six years of careful study of the concrete problems and issues facing indigenous peoples and their governments, the Working Group is ready to begin the drafting of an international declaration to safeguard the rights and promote the status of indigenous peoples. Throughout these six years, members of the Working Group, and of the many indigenous organizations that have contributed to its activities, have shown great dedication, sincerity and good will in forging ahead with their task. Their efforts are about to bear fruit.

The Baha'i International Community congratulates you, Madam Chairman, on preparing a well-conceived draft set of principles as a starting-point for discussion. We would like to make a few comments on these draft principles, on the content of a declaration on indigenous rights, and on the process of drafting the declaration.

At the outset, we believe that any declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples must emphasize four main principles: one, respect for indigenous communities and their cultures; two, appreciation for cultural diversity; three, full participation of indigenous peoples; and four, co-operation between indigenous peoples and their governments.

Firstly, a declaration should insist that indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their unique cultures and ways of life. The declaration must, of course, condemn outright genocide, legally-sanctioned discrimination, and other direct forms of oppression. But it should also call for efforts aimed at erasing more subtle forms of discrimination and prejudice directed towards indigenous peoples.

Secondly, cultural diversity: Indigenous peoples have suffered terrible oppression because new settlers did not tolerate diversity, but viewed their own cultures as superior and more advanced. Appreciation for diverse cultures and ethnic characteristics is, in the Baha'i view, a prerequisite for the elimination of discrimination against indigenous populations. We are convinced, therefore, that a declaration should call for educational measures that seek to foster an awareness of, and appreciation for, cultural diversity. All people -- indigenous peoples as well as members of other cultures -- should have the opportunity to benefit from mind-broadening educational programmes designed to increase understanding between indigenous peoples and the dominant society, as well as between different groups of the indigenous peoples themselves. For these reasons, we welcome preliminary draft principle 11, adopted by the Working Group at its last session, affirming the right of indigenous peoples "to promote intercultural information and education, recognizing the dignity and diversity of their cultures."

Thirdly, indigenous peoples must have the right to participate fully and actively in their national societies and in decisions that affect them. Their participation will enrich the lives of their national communities. More importantly, it will allow them to guide their own destinies. Full and active participation will enable indigenous peoples to develop the confidence, self-reliance and leadership skills that are essential if they are to play an active part in providing a higher level of social, economic and spiritual well-being for their peoples. It will permit them to become fully-contributing members of their national communities, while simultaneously preserving their unique cultures and identities. A declaration must call for measures to promote the development of opportunities for such active participation of indigenous peoples.

Fourthly and finally, cooperation between indigenous peoples and their governments is essential. In the Baha'i view, respect for different cultures can only be achieved if we are able to perceive, underlying our cultural variations, our essential unity as one human race. Mutual respect will not come about through separatism or antagonism. Indigenous peoples feel understandable anger at the injustices they have experienced. But the amelioration of their current situation requires a new dialogue between indigenous peoples and their government -- positive communication aimed at finding ways to promote indigenous rights and participation. A declaration should call for such co-operation. It should advocate the creation of a permanent mechanism -- perhaps an ombudsman or a successor to this Working Group -- to bring indigenous peoples and their governments together on a regular basis so that they can air problems and perspectives and discuss remedies and solutions in a constructive manner.

Madam Chairman, the Baha'i International Community believes that the draft you have prepared admirably enunciates, in an objective and positive way, the four principles we have underlined -- respect for indigenous culture, appreciation for diversity, full participation and co-operation. While believing that a declaration on indigenous rights must focus on these principles in its substance, we are also convinced that they must characterize the process of drafting a declaration. The drafting process should reflect an understanding of, and should encourage efforts to preserve, the unique ways of life that indigenous peoples have cultivated. In drafting the declaration, the Working Group should seek opinions from a wide variety of groups and indigenous organizations, thereby exemplifying in practice the appreciation for cultural diversity that the declaration must espouse. Moreover, it should encourage the active participation of indigenous groups in the drafting process and foster a spirit of co-operation in this delicate, yet crucial, enterprise.

Madam Chairman, it is evident that the Working Group is endeavoring to manifest the qualities we have just mentioned. We applaud the Working Group for this accomplishment. It shines as an example to other United Nations human rights organs of the possibilities for allowing the victims of discrimination -- in this case, indigenous peoples -- to have a voice in world efforts to improve their situation. The Working Group has focused on safeguarding indigenous culture, all the while recognizing the vast and multi-faceted array of cultures that deserve protection. It has conscientiously solicited the energetic participation of indigenous peoples in its deliberations, and also maintained an atmosphere of good will and co-operation. If the Working Group continues to follow the course it has wisely charted, we trust it will succeed in accomplishing its important mission.