Promote and protect human rights in the process of development

Development is a shared aspiration of humankind and reflects the desire of all nations for a better life. International human rights instruments, such as the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, all enshrine poverty eradication and development as fundamental human rights.

Over the past 70-plus years since its inception, the United Nations has made vigorous efforts to promote poverty reduction and common development throughout the world. These efforts, the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular, have helped lift 1.1 billion people worldwide out of poverty, 1.9 billion people have gained access to safe drinking water and 3.5 billion people have been connected to the internet. This marks a major step forward in the global development endeavor.

Peace and development, however, remain the main challenge of our times. More than 700 million people are still suffering from hunger, over 128 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and over 65 million people have been displaced from their homes. Global development is still unbalanced, uncoordinated and inadequate, resulting in a host of problems such as the backlash against globalization and a surge in protectionism and terrorism. It remains a long and arduous task to eradicate poverty, achieve development and ensure human rights for all.