E/CN.4/1999/48 page 5 the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. “2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection”. 9. Poverty and inequality are therefore violations of these human rights and others such as the right to life, the right to participate, freedom of expression and association, and the principle of non-discrimination. Poverty is the principal cause of human rights violations in the world. It also prevents people from assuming not only their duties as individuals, but also their collective duties as citizens, parents, workers and electors. 10. Further to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenants on Human Rights recognized that the ideal of free enjoying freedom from fear and want can be achieved only if created whereby everyone may enjoy his/her economic, social rights, as well as his/her civil and political rights. the International human beings conditions are and cultural 11. Article 6 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights proclaims that “every human being has the inherent right to life”. The Human Rights Committee, in its General Comment 6 on article 6, noted that “... the right to life has been too often narrowly interpreted. The expression 'inherent right to life' cannot properly be understood in a restrictive manner, and the protection of this right requires that States adopt positive measures. In this connection, the Committee considers that it would be desirable for States Parties to take all possible measures to reduce infant mortality and to increase life expectancy, especially in adopting measures to eliminate malnutrition and epidemics”. 12. In article 11 (1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, States parties recognized “the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international cooperation based on free consent”. 13. In addition, article 12 (1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognized “the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”. Steps to be taken by States parties shall include the reduction of the stillbirth-rate and of infant mortality and for the healthy development of the child; the improvement of all aspects of environmental and industrial hygiene; the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases; and the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness (art. 12 (2)). 14. Moreover, article 13 (1) recognized the right of everyone to education aiming at, inter alia, the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity. States parties shall strengthen the respect for human