Prof. Dr. Klaus M. Leisinger (statement no. 1), Executive Director, Novartis Foundation (headquartered in Switzerland):

"human rights and development:

Heated controversies exist between the North and the South, and debates about the relationship between human rights and development take place in both the North and the South. Despite this, it is obvious that the objectives and the values associated with human rights and development are the same everywhere. Conditionality in the area of human rights - required by the North and already practised in development cooperation to some extent - is criticised in the South as a neo-colonial approach to the promotion of human rights. Meanwhile, the same groups in the South who suffer directly from violations of human rights claim the right to development that focuses on their basic needs, as well as their social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights. The Novartis Foundation is not a strong enough force in development to demand good governance from the governments of developing countries. But we do take the opportunity, wherever it is sensible and feasible, to support those forces in developing countries which use peaceful means to try to ensure that disadvantaged classes can assert their legitimate claim to development."

[from Novartis' Concept of Development (Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development)]

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