UNITED NATIONS
Despite efforts by the international community, a world "free from want and fear" remains a distant aspiration for too many people all over the world, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday.
The right to food and the right to express one's opinion are equally important, Ban said.
He spoke at a two-day UN debate convened to discuss how the campaign for human rights and the rule of law should proceed after 2015. It was convened by UN General Assembly President John Ashe.
In his remarks, Ban stressed that poverty cannot be eradicated, nor can peace be fully achieved, without respect for human rights.
Ban said that more than 1 billion people around the world remain extremely poor and deprived of basic rights and freedoms. He said poverty and discrimination are still often linked to gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
The realization of human rights -- including the right to development -- depends fundamentally on rule of law "consistent with international norms and standards," Ban said.
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