From 23 February to 31 March 2026, the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council was held in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Peng Jianbiao, CEO of the United Nations Consultative Status of the China International Association for the Promotion of Science and Technology and Chairman of IARIS (International Regional Innovation and Standardization Alliance), attended the session as a representative of the UN ECOSOC Special Consultative Status. He delivered a speech titled “A Systematic Approach to Ensuring Rural Drinking Water Safety ” during the general debate of the Council. Through this participation, IARIS highlighted its practical pathways of promoting people’s wellbeing through standardization and addressing global challenges through regional innovation collaboration.
Focusing on Drinking Water Safety: Standardization Empowers Rural Livelihood Improvement
On 17 March, the China NGO Network for International Exchanges, together with the Permanent Mission of China to the UN Office in Geneva, co-hosted a side event themed “Marking the 40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development: Addressing Human Rights Challenges with Scientific Solutions.” IARIS actively participated as a supporting organization, gathering nearly 100 representatives, NGO leaders, experts and scholars from more than 20 countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Russia, Switzerland, and Vietnam.
In his formal address, Dr. Peng Jianbiao shared China’s 30-year transformation in rural areas – from “having access to water” to “having access to safe water” – and introduced China’s practical experience in ensuring rural drinking water safety through the “three simultaneous approaches” of standardization, institutionalization, and technological application. He noted that China has achieved the relevant targets of the UN 2030 Agenda ahead of schedule, stressing that “ensuring safe drinking water for farmers is the most fundamental realization of human rights.” IARIS has long been committed to promoting the interconnection of international standards in livelihood sectors. The case shared on drinking water standardization vividly reflects IARIS’s operational philosophy of “standards for the people.”
Sharing China’s Solutions: Innovation Collaboration for Global Sustainable Development
During the side event, representatives of IARIS shared China’s concrete practices in safeguarding the rights to health, development, and a clean environment through promoting energy technology innovation and vigorously developing clean energy technologies. These practices cover areas such as the alignment of international standards for clean energy, regional technology transfer, and innovation collaboration, providing a China solution that is both referential and actionable for global sustainable development. The presentation received high recognition from all participants. IARIS stated that it will continue to leverage its platform advantages in international regional innovation and standardization to facilitate the implementation of more green technology standards in the Belt and Road Initiative and partner countries in the region.
Looking Forward: Connecting the World through Standards, Enhancing Wellbeing through Innovation
Dr. Peng Jianbiao pointed out that IARIS will take this session as an opportunity to further deepen its collaboration with UN mechanisms and relevant international organizations. Focusing on areas such as artificial intelligence governance standards, clean energy technical specifications, and guidelines for applying science and technology to people’s livelihood, IARIS will coordinate with member units at home and abroad to promote the establishment of a more inclusive and mutually beneficial regional standardization cooperation network. Committed to approaches such as mutual recognition of standards, sharing of innovation resources, and joint capacity building, IARIS strives to contribute to the advancement of global innovation and standardization and to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
