SUMMARY
The group of 49 least developed countries (LDCs) are some of the poorest and weakest members of the international community, characterized by a series of vulnerabilities in terms of access to services and resources, an acute vulnerability to external "economic shocks", as well as man-made and natural disasters. Ten years after the adoption of the Paris Declaration and the Programme of Action for the 1990s, development performance remained elusive for a significant number of LDCs. Despite various policy reforms undertaken by LDCs, as UNCTAD LDC 2000 Report illustrates, evidence suggests that the level of poverty and inequality both within and among these countries continues to be on the rise. This paper argues that a radical rethinking of international development cooperation must be based on a framework of partnership that is rooted in the principles and norms of human rights as the universally accepted standards and guidelines for human development. Poverty and inequality are not just economic or social problems, but are human rights issues. [English only]
