Statements
Secretary-General's Statement on the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary
of the Declaration on the Right to Development
The twenty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development is an occasion to celebrate its visionary promise of people-centred development and to recommit to making this a reality.
Today we are at a decisive moment in history. As calls for change echo across the world, we cannot take refuge in silence. Leaders must respond to the demands of people who seek to build their own future. They should especially work to help women and youth enjoy lives of dignity, equality and opportunity.
Global challenges and crises are interconnected. Economic, social and environmental concerns are inseparable. And human rights are integral to them all. That is why we are placing sustainable development at the top of the international agenda. Next year’s United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, will offer a critical opportunity to chart a course to the future we want.
Ban Ki-moon
New York, 2 December 2011
