Introduction

The United Nations Millennium Declaration begins with a statement of ‘values and principles’:

1. We, heads of State and Government, have gathered at United Nations Headquarters in NewYork from 6 to 8 September 2000, at the dawn of a newmillennium, to reaffirm our faith in the Organization and its Charter as indispensable foundations of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. 2. We recognize that, in addition to our separate responsibilities to our

individual societies, we have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level. As leaders we have a duty therefore to all the world’s people, especially themost vulnerable and, in particular, the children of the world, to whom the future belongs.