Human rights and extreme poverty A/RES/69/183 concerns over food security, as well as the increasing challenges posed by climate change and the loss of biodiversity, and by the resulting increase in the number of people living in extreme poverty and their negative effect on the capacity of all States, especially developing countries, to fight extreme poverty, Recognizing that the eradication of extreme poverty is a major challenge within the process of globalization that requires the coordination and continuation of inclusive policies through decisive national action and international cooperation, Recognizing also that social protection systems make a critical contribution to the realization of human rights for all, in particular for those who are in vulnerable or marginalized situations and are trapped in poverty and subject to discrimination, Recognizing further that persistent and growing inequalities within countries are a major challenge to poverty eradication, particularly affecting those who are living in extreme poverty and in vulnerable situations, Stressing the necessity of better understanding and multidimensional causes and consequences of extreme poverty, addressing the Reaffirming that, since the existence of widespread extreme poverty inhibits the full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and may, in some situations, constitute a threat to the right to life, its immediate alleviation and eventual eradication must remain a high priority for the international community, Stressing that respect for all human rights, which are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, is of crucial importance for all policies and programmes to fight extreme poverty, Underlining the priority and urgency given by Heads of State and Government to the eradication of extreme poverty, as expressed in the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields, Reaffirming that democracy, development and the full and effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing and that they contribute to the eradication of extreme poverty, 1. Reaffirms that extreme poverty and exclusion from society constitute a violation of human dignity and that urgent national and international action is therefore required to eliminate them; 2. Also reaffirms that it is essential for States to foster participation by the poorest people in the decision-making process in the societies in which they live, in the promotion of human rights and in efforts to combat extreme poverty and exclusion and that it is essential for people living in and affected by poverty and in situations of vulnerability to be empowered to organize themselves and to participate in all aspects of political, economic, social and cultural life, in particular the planning and implementation of policies that affect them, thus enabling them to become genuine partners in development; 3. Emphasizes that extreme poverty is a major issue to be addressed by Governments, civil society, community-based social organizations and the United Nations system, including international financial institutions, and in this context reaffirms that political commitment is a prerequisite for the eradication of poverty; 4. Also emphasizes the need to accord due consideration and priority to poverty eradication within the United Nations development agenda, while stressing the importance of addressing the causes and challenges of poverty through integrated, coordinated and coherent strategies at the national, intergovernmental 3/6