PUBLISHED: JANUARY 18, 2015

This joint statement urges Member States to recognize, inter alia, that “the inclusion of civil and political rights is a significant step towards a balanced and transformative agenda that addresses freedom from fear along with freedom from want. In this context, the reference to fundamental freedoms should be strengthened by explicitly referring to freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly (Goal 16, target 16.10)…”

The chairpersons also urge the inclusion of the human rights treaty bodies in monitoring mechanisms for the agenda, and moreover, state that measurement of progress on development goals should include “include an assessment of the contribution of such measurement processes to the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.”