A/RES/60/209 Acknowledging the contribution of full and productive employment to poverty eradication and to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, Recognizing that microcredit and microfinance programmes can generate productive self-employment and assist people in eradicating poverty and reducing their social and economic vulnerability, Expressing deep concern that the number of women and girls living in poverty has increased disproportionately to the number of men, particularly in developing countries, and that the majority live in rural areas where their livelihoods are dependent on subsistence agriculture, Aware that, to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, women and men must participate fully and equally in the formulation of macroeconomic and social policies and strategies for the eradication of poverty, Recognizing that the empowerment of women is a critical factor in the eradication of poverty and that the implementation of special measures aimed at empowering women can help to achieve this, Recognizing also that improving women’s economic status also improves the economic status of their families and their communities and thereby creates a multiplier effect for economic growth, Recognizing further that mobilizing financial resources for development at the national and international levels and the effective use of those resources are central to a global partnership for development in support of the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, Recognizing the ongoing international efforts, contributions and discussions, such as the Action against Hunger and Poverty initiative, aimed at identifying and developing possible innovative and additional sources of financing for development from all sources, public and private, domestic and external, to increase and supplement traditional sources of financing within the context of the follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development, and recognizing that some of the sources and their use fall within the realm of sovereign action, Noting with interest the International Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Development, to be hosted by the Government of Mauritius in 2006, Reiterating the need to strengthen the leadership role of the United Nations in promoting development, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 5 2. Reiterates that eradicating poverty is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, in particular for developing countries; Underlines the fact that each country has the primary responsibility for 3. its own sustainable development and poverty eradication, that the role of national policies and development strategies cannot be overemphasized, and that concerted _______________ 5 2 A/60/314.