The United Nations Human Rights Council decided on 27 September 2019 to create an Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development (EMRDT), “a subsidiary expert mechanism to provide the Council with thematic expertise on the right to development in searching for, identifying and sharing best practices with Member States and to promote the implementation of the right to development worldwide” (HRC Resolution 42/23).
The Council elected five independent experts on a geographical basis for a three-year period, who may be re-elected for one additional period. The experts appointed are: Armando De Negri, Bonny Ibhawoh, Mihir Kanade, Klentiana Mahmutaj and LDRN steering committee member Koen De Feyter.
The EMRDT officially commenced its first term on 1 May 2020. It will meet once annually for three days in Geneva and once annually for three days in New York, in a combination of open and private meetings. The open meetings are open to participation by States, United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental organizations, regional organizations and mechanisms in the field of human rights, national human rights institutions and other relevant national bodies, academics and experts on development issues, and nongovernmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council
Koen De Feyter is currently a member of the Steering Committee of the Law and Development Research Network and the Spokesperson of the Law and Development Research group at the University of Antwerp.