A/RES/53/155 Page 4 (f) Democracy, respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, transparent and accountable governance and administration in all sectors of society, and effective participation by civil society, are an essential part of the foundations necessary for the realization of social and people-centred sustainable development; (g) The participation of developing countries in the international economic decision-making process needs to be broadened and strengthened; 6. Also reaffirms that democracy, development and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms would be strengthened by enhanced international cooperation, in particular, for development; 7. Urges all States to eliminate all obstacles to development at all levels by pursuing the promotion and protection of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, implementing comprehensive development programmes at the national level, integrating these rights into development activities and promoting effective international cooperation; 8. Reiterates that the existence of widespread absolute poverty inhibits the full and effective enjoyment of human rights and renders democracy and popular participation fragile; 9. Invites the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, within her mandate, to give due regard to the impact of the problem of the external debt burden of developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, on the full enjoyment of the right to development in those countries; 10. Expresses deep concern about the overall decline in official development assistance flows, and calls upon the developed countries, in a spirit of partnership, to mobilize further resources for development assistance to support the efforts of States towards the realization of the right to development, with a view to fulfilling as soon as possible the commitments undertaken to meet the agreed United Nations targets; 11. Affirms the need to apply a gender perspective in the implementation of the right to development, inter alia, by ensuring that women play an active role in the development process, and emphasizes that the empowerment of women and their full participation on a basis of equality in all spheres of society is fundamental for development; 12. Expresses concern about the adverse impact of the current financial crisis on the realization of the right to development and the full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in affected countries, especially on the right to food, health, education and work; 13. Affirms that international cooperation is acknowledged more than ever as a necessity deriving from recognized mutual interest and, therefore, that such cooperation should be strengthened in order to support the efforts of developing countries to solve their social and economic problems and to fulfil their obligations to promote and protect all human rights; 14. Welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General to give high priority to the right to development, and urges all States to promote further the right to development as a vital element in a balanced human rights programme; /...