UN Millennium Goals

During recent UN talks about the Millennium Development Goals, many people have displayed their concerns that human rights have not been an issue which is of the utmost importance. In this article, many world leaders in the UN state that if basic human rights for people in poverty are not improved, the wealth gap around the world will continue to increase. In the search for improved industrialization and agri-business, many countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas have increased forced evictions of citizens who live in slums. Though countries are making these economic deals which can aid them in meeting Millennium Goal 8 (develop a global partnership for development) they in turn encroach upon the rights of more economically marginalized groups by simply taking the land that the slums were located in order to make room for various businesses.

 

The Secretary General for Amnesty International Salil Shetty even stated, “Any development agenda agreed by world leaders cannot leave the poorest, most marginalized and excluded people behind. Unless world leaders commit to placing human rights at the heart of the development agenda, we cannot achieve real change. It is time for world leaders to deliver.”