A/HRC/29/35 37. “The Future We Want”,33 the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2012, encompasses a broad range of issues and outlines an agenda for the future, representing the common vision of States with the full participation of civil society. In it, the Heads of State and Government who attended the Conference recognize that eradicating poverty is the “greatest global challenge facing the world today” and commit themselves to freeing humanity from poverty and hunger “as a matter of urgency. 34 The contents of the outcome document are summarized thus: We recognize that poverty eradication, changing unsustainable and promoting sustainable patterns of consumption and production and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are the overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for, sustainable development. We also reaffirm the need to achieve sustainable development by promoting sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth, creating greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable development and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems that supports, inter alia, economic, social and human development while facilitating ecosystem conservation, regeneration and restoration and resilience in the face of new and emerging challenges. 35 We reaffirm the importance of international human rights instruments and international law. We emphasize the responsibilities of all States, in accordance with the Charter , to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction;36 We reaffirm our commitment to strengthen international cooperation to address the persistent challenges related to sustainable development for all, in particular in developing countries, … the need to achieve economic stability, sustained economic growth, the promotion of social equity and the protection of the environment, while enhancing gender equality, the empowerment of women and equal opportunities for all, and the protection, survival and development of children to their full potential, including through education. 37 38. The avowed commitment of States to strengthening international cooperation to address the “persistent challenges” to sustainable development cannot be overemphasized, as it implies that they must be true to that pledge. It should also be emphasized that States stressed that sustainable development required concrete and urgent action, and that sustainable development could “only be achieved with a broad alliance of people, government, civil society and the private sector, all working together to secure the future we want for present and future generations”.38 Those words, together with those in the preceding paragraph, effectively define international solidarity. Another report, entitled “A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development”,39 contains the recommendations of the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 General Assembly resolution 66/288, annex. Ibid., para. 2. Ibid., para. 4. Ibid., para. 9. Ibid., para. 11. Ibid., para. 13. See the report of the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity (A/69/366), in which the Independent Expert seeks to contribute to the process of formulating the future sustainable development goals to ensure that they are consistent with universal human rights standards, focusing on the value added to those goals when they are defined and informed by the right to international solidarity. 15