The meaning of “development” changes depending on what society needs to achieve a better life at a given time (Crocker 1992, p. 585) . Exactly how we approach development varies depending on our conception of justice in light of this goal. This article examines three approaches to development: the rights-based approach, the basic needs approach and the capabilities approach. Bottom line: When it comes to fairness, the rights-based approach is the nicest of the three, but it is nonetheless not without its flaws. The rights-based approach is based on the concept of human rights, which aim to create freedom, justice. and world peace (United Nations 2014, “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” para. 1). This approach views development in terms of strengthening the capacity of individuals and nation states to realize and claim their rights from duty bearers and to fulfill their obligation to respect, protect and fulfill these claimed rights ( Joussan 2003 p. 15; , “What are human rights? » The nature and extent of these rights were determined through a process of negotiation and agreement between different member states around the world (United Nations 2014, “Document History,” para. 1-7) and were codified in what follows. documents: The Charter of the United Nations (1945), The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966 ) and The Declaration of the Rights to Development (1986). The Charter and the Declaration do not have legal force and rather serve as a vision towards which member states must strive. But these pacts accepted and signed by the different member states are found in the middle of the document...... Approach to the State, Property and Discrimination, Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 906-932OHCHR 1996-2012, What are Human Rights?, United Nations, accessed April 27, 2014, http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspxSmith MJ 1999, Humanitarian Intervention: An Overview of the Ethical Issues, in Patrick Hayden (ed.), The Philosophy of Human Rights, Paragon House, USA, pp. 478-500Spalding N. 1990, The Relevance of Basic Needs for Political and Economic Development, Studies in Comparative International Development, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 90-115United Nations 2014, History Of The Document, United Nations, accessed April 27, 2014, http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/history.shtmlUnited Nations 2014, Universal Declaration of Human Rights Rights, United Nations, accessed April 27, 2014, http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml