UN Human Rights Council 60th Session
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development
Statement of the Republic of Lithuania, on behalf of Nordic-Baltic States - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
10 September 2025
Thank you, Mr. President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States.
Mr. Special Rapporteur,
Development policies must ensure that growth is inclusive, justice is upheld, and no one is left behind. The key principle of the right to development is the full, equal and meaningful participation and contribution by all groups of society.
However, as your recent report highlights, women and girls do not equally enjoy the right to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from economic, social, cultural, and political development. They continue to face numerous challenges, being disproportionally affected by poverty, climate change, conflicts, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and the gender digital divide. The harmful practice of child, early and forced marriage continues to impact millions of young women and girls, undermining their access to health, education, safety, and comprehensive development.
Women and girls are among the most affected by the development policies, yet they remain among the least heard in shaping them. The full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in shaping and implementing development strategies is a necessary condition to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth.
Mr. Special Rapporteur,
To address gender bias in artificial intelligence systems, what measures should states take towards responsibly governed AI systems that support inclusive development?
Thank you.