A/HRC/17/39 Proposed standards 1. All peoples and individuals have the right to demand from all States that they urgently eliminate all weapons of mass destruction or of indiscriminate effect, including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. States shall engage actively in the strict and transparent control of arms trade and suppression of illegal arms trade. Furthermore, States should proceed in a joint and coordinated manner and within a reasonable period of time to further disarmament, under comprehensive and effective international supervision.22 2. All peoples and individuals have the right to have the resources freed by disarmament allocated to the economic, social and cultural development of peoples and to the fair redistribution of natural wealth, responding especially to the needs of the poorest countries and of groups in situations of vulnerability, aiming to put an end to inequalities, social exclusion and extreme poverty.23 3. All peoples and individuals have the right to live in a sustainable and safe environment as a foundation for peace and for the survival of mankind. 4. All peoples and individuals have a right to live in a world free of weapons of mass destruction. The use of weapons that damage the environment, in particular radioactive weapons and weapons of mass destruction, is contrary to international humanitarian law, the right to the environment and the human right to peace. Such weapons must be urgently eliminated and prohibited, and States that utilize them have the obligation to restore the previous condition of the environment by repairing all damage caused. C. Human security 31. The right to peace includes the element of human security. Human security focuses on the basic needs of the human being. It includes both the twin values of freedom from fear and freedom from want.24 The first refers to threats from conflicts and the protection of non-combatants during war, such as nuclear, chemical and biological threats; the second, to the challenges of economic insecurity and inequity, access to food, water, housing and adequate health care, and the elimination of illiteracy.25 32. Human security addresses the structural causes of instability and conflict, such as poverty, inequality and lack of economic opportunity. Human security requires economic development and enhancing social justice.26 According to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace,27 peacebuilding strategies must assure equity in development and food security. 22 23 24 25 26 27 8 Secretariat for the External Affairs of Mexico, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization SS-80/CONF.806/4, 1980. See for instance General Assembly resolutions 1653 (XVI), 2444 (XXIII), 2826 (XXVI), 2936 (XXVII) and 47/39, annex, and A/CONF.95/15, annex I. See Asian Charter, “The enormous expenditures on arms have diverted public revenues from programmes for the development of the country or the well-being of the people” (para. 4.5). In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all (A/59/2005), paras. 25126. “Human security now”, final report of the Commission on Human Security, Communications Development incorporated in Washington, D.C., with direction by its British partner Grundy and Northedge, New York, 2003, pp. 94-124. McFarlane, H. and Foong Khong, Y., Human security and the UN: A critical history. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2006, p. 151. General Assembly resolution 53/243.