A/RES/61/146 including at the country level, as well as the work carried out by United Nations child protection advisers in peacekeeping operations; 40. Welcomes the appointment of Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 51/77 of 12 December 1996 and 60/231, and recognizes the progress achieved since the establishment of the mandate of the Special Representative, as extended by resolution 60/231; 41. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Special Representative; 23 III Children and poverty 42. Reiterates that eradicating poverty is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, in particular for developing countries, and recognizes that chronic poverty remains the single biggest obstacle to meeting the needs and protecting and promoting the rights of children, and that urgent national and international action is therefore required to eliminate it; 43. Recognizes that the number of people living in extreme poverty in many countries continues to increase, with women and children constituting the majority and the most affected groups, in particular in the least developed countries and in sub-Saharan Africa; 44. Also recognizes that growing inequality within countries is a major challenge to poverty eradication, particularly affecting those living in middleincome countries, and stresses the need to support the development efforts of those countries; 45. Reaffirms that democracy, development, peace and security, and the full and effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing and contribute to the eradication of extreme poverty; 46. Recognizes that children living in poverty are deprived of nutrition, water and sanitation facilities, access to basic health-care services, shelter, education, participation and protection, and that while a severe lack of goods and services hurts every human being, it is most threatening and harmful to children, leaving them unable to enjoy their rights, to reach their full potential and to participate as full members of society; 47. Emphasizes the critical role of education, both formal and non-formal, in particular basic education and training, especially for girls, in empowering those living in poverty, and in this regard reaffirms the importance of Education for All programmes and the need to bridge the divide between formal and non-formal education, taking into account the need to ensure the good quality of educational services; 48. Recognizes the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious and contagious diseases on human development, economic growth, food security and poverty eradication efforts in all regions, in particular in _______________ 23 A/61/275 and Corr.1. 11