Swedish statement: Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda

Mr Chair,

Sweden would like to thank the panelists for their insightful contributions to this important topic.

The Swedish Ambassador to the UN in New York, Olof Skoog, together with the Ambassador of Bahamas to the UN, Sheila Gweneth, led the negotiations of the Political Declaration of the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The Political Declaration presents a joint commitment to targeted and accelerated action to fulfill the Goals of the Agenda 2030, placing a focus on leaving no one behind including by removing all barriers to the realization and enjoyment of human rights. 

As part of Sweden’s contribution to accelerated action, the Swedish government launched the Drive for Democracy in 2018, increasing our support for a global democratic development including by giving this an increased focus in our Official Development Assistance.  The best foundation for peaceful and inclusive societies is democratic processes and institutions characterized by transparency and accountability that provide rule of law, gender equality and access to justice for all. Democratic societies need to apply a rights-based approach, while simultaneously focusing on those who are subject to discrimination to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

In May 2019 Sweden hosted an informal meeting between development.

partners on International support for the national implementation of UN human rights recommendations, including as a contribution to the SDGs, the so called Oslo +1. The meeting gathered a group of donors and partners committed to integrating a human rights based approach to development, building on the outcomes of the first intersessional meeting on human rights and the 2030 agenda as well as the HLPF. The conclusions are clear, donors can be a powerful partner to support countries realization of the SDGs not least through the establishment and strengthening of National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up. Such a human-rights based approach to development cooperation holds the potential of scaling up impact, while scaling-down reporting burdens. 

I thank you Mr Chair.