Geneva, March 26 — At a side event during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations, international experts warned that rapid economic growth in parts of Asia can conceal serious human-rights abuses. The session, organised by the International Career Support Association and titled Economic Growth and Human Rights Deprivation, examined how development driven by GDP can overlook labour rights, freedom of expression and basic social protections.
Japanese activist Shun Fujiki delivered a pointed assessment of Pakistan’s record. He said that despite Pakistan being party to nearly 27 international human-rights instruments, the country still faces enforced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings. Fujiki warned that many citizens are living in fear or fleeing, and urged Islamabad to observe global norms to retain trade privileges such as the EU’s GSP+ scheme. He said there is a noticeable lack of commitment to implementing treaty obligations.
Former Bangladeshi MP Dr Muhammad Habibe Millat argued that economic expansion without democratic institutions and civil liberties is unsustainable. He said Bangladesh’s long-term stability and public welfare depend on reviving democratic practices, secular governance and equal rights for all citizens.
Dr Lakhu Luhana, chair of the World Sindhi Congress, described growing poverty and inequality in Sindh despite the region’s resources, pointing to environmental damage and rising unemployment. He questioned whether international actors, including the European Union, always promote human rights or sometimes inadvertently sustain repressive systems by directing aid in ways that strengthen regimes rather than help vulnerable populations.
Speakers concluded that bridging the gap between economic growth and human rights is an urgent global challenge. They called for stronger international accountability and cooperation so development is assessed not only by economic indicators but by how well it protects human dignity.
