Chapter 11 Practices for Realization of the Right to Development and Experience Sharing in Peru
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Abstract
In December 1986 the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Right to Development, which compels states to take measures so their citizens can have access to basic resources, such as education, health services, food, housing, employment and the fair distribution of income. While many will put emphasis on the right to democracy, to vote and be elected, and the right to free speech, for many more people access to basic resources is probably more important.
The policies for the realization of the right to development do not include only those that deliver economic growth. While this is important, as shown by the experience of China’s impressive high economic growth that has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and given them access to basic resources, certain social and public policies are also needed. In this chapter, Peru’s social policies to eliminate poverty are presented. Peru has been successful in reducing poverty, as shown by the fact that the poverty rate has decreased from 54.7% in 2001 to 22.7% in 2014. This has been achieved through policies that allow poor people greater access to health, social security and education, and these policies are Peru’s best practices for the realization of the right to development.