H U M A N R I G H T S D A Y 2 0 0 6
Message of the President of the United Nations General Assembly
This year we commemorate Human Rights Day with the theme "Fighting Poverty: a matter of
obligation not charity".
When poverty is so immediate and the suffering so intense the world has a moral and strategic
obligation, to fight poverty and the address the human rights concerns of the most vulnerable.
The poorest are more likely to experience human rights violations, discrimination or other forms
of persecution. Being poor makes it harder to find a job and get access to basic services, such
as health, education and housing. Poverty is above all about having no power and no voice.
History is littered with well-meaning but failed solutions. If we are to eradicate poverty and
promote human rights we need to take action to empower the poor and address the root causes of
poverty, such as discrimination and social exclusion. It is because human rights, poverty
reduction and the empowerment of the poor go hand in hand that we all have a moral duty to take
action.