"Now is the time" to realize goals of UN declaration on development

UN Secretary-General BanKi-moon said here Tuesday that the international community must recommit to the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of the Right to Development. His statement came as he spoke at a UN General Assembly event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the declaration. "Now is the time to realize the declaration's ideals," Ban said. "So that people can live with dignity, free of want or fear." The Declaration of the Right to Development was passed in December 1986. It proclaimed that development is a human right that everyone should be able to enjoy. Ban said that there has been "significant progress" in working towards the goals of the declaration, particularly through the global efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight international development objectives due to be met by 2015. "But for far too many people, basic needs are still a distant dream," said Ban. "As we meet calls for change echo across the world, we cannot take refuge in silence." The secretary-general said that in order to meet the goals of the Declaration of the Right to Development, he has urged word leaders to listen carefully to their people and empower them by allowing them to "unlock their own potential." "People do not want handouts," Ban said. "They are not interested in charity. All they ask is the right to build their own future." The secretary-general said that he relayed this message during his recent visit to the G20 summit in Cannes, France. Speaking to leaders of the world's 20 largest economies, Ban said he called for a "new social contract for the 21st century" that includes all countries, not just the wealthiest. "I proposed a Global Jobs Pact," Ban said. "We need a recovery that generates jobs, so that growth is sustainable and inclusive." He also said that he supports a Social Protection Floor, which may vary in its specifics from country to country, but will reduce poverty while promoting equality. "We must invest in people, especially women and youth," said the secretary-general. "They make up more than two-thirds of the global population. But they have more than numbers. Women and youth have the ability and energy to drive progress." Ban assured the 193-member General Assembly that the United Nations is making sustainable development its "top priority." He added that the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will be a chance for the global organization along with international community to create a better future and promote development for all.