As members of civil society we have the duty to bring into this room the voice of the people of the world who are victims of armed conflict, direct, structural and cultural violence, and whose human rights must be respected and protected. We expect this Declaration to be meaningful, relevant and have a significant impact on the lives of these people.
Peace is a precondition of the respect of all human rights, including the right to development, and the violation of any human right is a threat to peace. We insist on the need as a human family to declare the human right to peace.
We strongly endorse Article 1 of the 1978 Declaration on the Preparation of Societies for Life in Peace, adopted in the General Assembly with no votes against, which states, “Every nation and every human being, regardless of race, conscience, language or sex, has the inherent right to life in peace. Respect for that right, as well as for the other human rights, is in the common interest of all mankind and an indispensable condition of advancement of all nations, large and small, in all fields.”
We expect you to take responsibility as Member States and individuals to make this Declaration not just a step, but a quantum leap forward.
For this reason, we appeal to all Member States to show the political will to prioritize the protection of human rights, including the human right to peace of all humanity.
Statement delivered by United Network of Young Peacebuilders on behalf of 20 organisations.