New York:Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Irene Zubaida Khan, has called for human rights to take precedence in economic policymaking and global financial governance. She made this appeal during a high-level dialogue titled "The Political Economy of Human Rights" at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Ambassador Khan highlighted that economic progress should not solely be measured by growth but also by its impact on improving living standards, reducing inequality, and upholding human dignity and fundamental rights. She stressed the importance of fair taxation, affordable development financing, sustainable debt management, and reforms to the international financial architecture to achieve these objectives.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Trk, speaking at the event, pointed out that economic and political power is increasingly concentrated among a few individuals and groups. He identified rising military expenditure, mounting debt burdens, and economic inequality as significant barriers to the protection of human rights.
Participants at the dialogue noted that conflicts, high debt-servicing costs, and declining development assistance are undermining crucial investments in education, healthcare, social protection, and sustainable peacebuilding. They emphasized the need for equitable international tax systems, fairness in debt restructuring, transparency, accountability in financial management, and meaningful civil society participation to address these challenges and protect vulnerable populations' rights.
The event was jointly organized by the Permanent Missions of Bangladesh, Morocco, South Africa, and Uruguay to the United Nations. It brought together ambassadors from the participating countries, a representative of the European Union, and experts on human rights and development. The discussion underscored the necessity to reform global economic governance and ensure that human rights remain a priority in the global development agenda beyond 2030.