17 October 2008

Today, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, renews its commitment to the advancement of human rights as a central principle for ending poverty.

We will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals unless human rights are promoted and respected. We will not be able to end extreme poverty and hunger unless greater action is taken to support the inherent dignity and equal worth of all human beings. And we will not be able to stop women from dying needlessly during childbirth and people from getting infected with HIV unless the right to sexual and reproductive health is protected.

Today, UNFPA reaffirms its commitment to equal opportunity and human rights. We will continue to work to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted and every birth is safe. We will continue to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality.

Today, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we call on governments around the world to increase support for reproductive health and rights. Let us work together to translate human rights into reality and construct a world where all people can live in dignity.