Building a sustainable recovery alliance

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on societies and on vulnerable people. Moreover, some governments have used the pandemic as an excuse to unnecessarily or disproportionately limit the scope of civil and political rights, for example by targeting human rights defenders or silencing dissent.

The landmark report by the UN Secretary General on ‘Human Rights and COVID-19: we are all in this together’, highlights that the 2030 Agenda, underpinned by human rights, provides a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable recovery from the pandemic.  In order to operationalise this blueprint for sustainable recovery, the Danish Institute for Human Rights successfully organised a Sustainable Recovery Lab on 14 January, in collaboration with governments, civil society organisations, UN agencies, human rights institutions and mechanisms and private sector actors. 
The Lab was organised in conjunction with the 3rd Inter-sessional meeting of the Human Rights Council on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Participants agreed to make the Sustainable Recovery Lab the starting point for building a coalition to take the discussion and key messages forward, including under the Human Rights Council and the High-Level Political Forum. Concretely, it was recommended to launch a Pledge, whereby states and others would commit to using human rights and the SDGs as the blueprint for building back better in practice.  

An opportunity to address injustices and rethink the path ahead

The event brought together an impressive number of participants from across the globe, who highlighted important key messages on what sustainable recovery requires.

It was widely acknowledged that Sustainable Recovery must be transformational, holistic and inclusive, and address long overdue obligations under the human rights framework as well as long overdue commitments under the 2030 Agenda.

Among the speakers in the event was the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris.

“Recovering better will require a new social contract that reduces inequalities and priorities the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all. Among the first steps to be taken by States; to reverse the chronic underinvestment in public services, prioritising resources to social protection, health and education is an investment in the future sustainability of our societies, ”Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris said.

Ignacio Saiz,  Executive Director of the Center for Economic and Social Rights highlighted the importance of building sustainable and just recovery on a holistic vision. 

“It has to be transformational - not technocratic or reformist. It is about addressing the systemic and structural flaws in our economy, how we value care, how we value resources, how we value the planet” Ignacio Saiz, said.

Need for policy coherence

Joan Carling, co-convener of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group, highlighted the need for policy coherence in the implementation of the three dimensions of sustainable development: environmental, economic and social.

“What we've seen in the economic recovery plans is again business as usual. Excuses are made to sacrifice the environment to meet economic growth targets. If we don't measure economic growth targets in relations to their impact on human rights, the environment and sustainability we will not reach the SDGs”, Joan Carling said. 

Co-sponsors of the Lab

• The Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN, Geneva
• The Permanent Mission of Chile to the UN, Geneva
• Ministerio de Planificación Nacional y Política Económica (mideplan)
• The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights
• The United Nations Development
• The Global Alliance of National Human Rights
• United Nations Development Programme
• Global Alliance for Reporting on Progress on SDG 16 – Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies
• Center for Economic and Social Rights
• Civicus -World Alliance for Citizen Partnership 
• World Benchmarking Alliance
• Women’s Major Group
• Universal Rights Group Geneva
• Cepei
• Equal Rights Trust
• Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development
• Partners for Review