Statement by H.E. Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio
and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, at the
63rd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council
Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development
Geneva, 11 September 2026
Mr. President,
My Delegation would like to express its gratitude to the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report on participation in development[1] which is based on the principle that nobody should be a passive recipient of decisions made by others. The report also highlights concerns that consultation can easily become a mere formality, with outcomes already predertmined.[2]
Participation is not simply a technique for achieving better or more efficient outcomes. Rather, it is “a duty to be fulfilled consciously by all, with responsibility and with a view to the common good”[3], rooted in the God-given dignity of the human person, who is the author, centre and end of development.
Such participation is best ensured through subsidiarity, with decisions taken as close as possible to those affected, and with higher authorities complementing, but never supplanting, families, communities and the intermediary bodies of society.[4] Participation should also promote integral human development, addressing every person’s spiritual, cultural, moral, and relational dimensions, as well as their economic needs. Participation therefore requires the active involvement of faith-based communities, through which individuals can express their convictions and pursue the common good. The report seeks to extend participation beyond an anthropocentric framework to encompass to nature and future generations.[5] Properly understood, participation pertains to persons as subjects of deliberation and responsibility. Placing the person at the centre does not restrict participation; rather it affirms that the corresponding duty rests with the individual, who is bound by conscience to care for all elements of creation.
Pope Leo XIV affirms that “For individuals as well as for nations, development is both a duty and a right. Minimum conditions are required for enabling every person and people to flourish in accord with their dignity, without being kept in a state of dependence or excluded from access to necessary goods. Development is truly human when it places people at the center instead of the accumulation of wealth, and when it concerns peoples as well as individuals.”[6]
I thank you, Mr. President.