A/RES/63/175 2. Reaffirms also 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 that it is essential for people living in poverty and vulnerable groups to be empowered to organize themselves and to participate in all aspects of political, economic and social life, in particular the planning and implementation of policies that affect them, thus enabling them to become genuine partners in development; Emphasizes that extreme poverty is a major issue to be addressed by 3. Governments, civil society 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; Reaffirms that the existence of widespread absolute poverty inhibits the 4. full and effective enjoyment of human rights and renders democracy and popular participation fragile; Recognizes the need to promote respect for human rights and 5. fundamental freedoms in order to address the most pressing social needs of people living in poverty, including through the design and development of appropriate mechanisms to strengthen and consolidate democratic institutions and governance; Reaffirms the commitments contained in the United Nations Millennium 6. Declaration, 11 in particular the commitments to spare no effort to fight against extreme poverty and to achieve development and poverty eradication, including the commitment to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the world’s people whose income is less than one United States dollar a day and the proportion of people who suffer from hunger; 10F Reaffirms also the commitment made at the 2005 World Summit to 7. eradicate poverty and promote sustained economic growth, sustainable development and global prosperity for all, including women and girls; 12 1F 8. Encourages the international community to strengthen its efforts to address challenges that are contributing to extreme poverty, including those posed by the current food, energy and financial crises in all parts of the world, especially in developing countries, by enhancing its cooperation to help build national capacities; Reaffirms the critical role of both formal and informal education in the 9. achievement of poverty eradication and other development goals as envisaged in the Millennium Declaration, in particular basic education and training for eradicating illiteracy, and efforts towards expanded secondary and higher education as well as vocational education and technical training, especially for girls and women, the creation of human resources and infrastructure capabilities and the empowerment of those living in poverty, and in this context reaffirms the Dakar Framework for Action adopted at the World Education Forum in 2000, 13 and recognizes the importance of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization strategy for the eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty, in supporting the 12F _______________ 11 See resolution 55/2. See resolution 60/1. 13 See United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Final Report of the World Education Forum, Dakar, Senegal, 26–28 April 2000 (Paris, 2000). 12 3