Independent Expert on extreme poverty

Introduction

In its resolution 1998/25, the Commission on Human Rights, recalling that the eradication of widespread poverty, including its most persistent forms, and the full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights remained interrelated goals and deeply concerned that extreme poverty continued to spread throughout the world, regardless of economic, social or cultural situations, and that its extent and manifestations were particularly severe in developing countries, decided to appoint, for a period of two years, an independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty with the following mandate:

(a) To evaluate the relationship between the promotion and protection of human rights and extreme poverty, including through the evaluation of measures taken at the national and international levels to promote the full enjoyment of human rights by persons living in extreme poverty;

(b) To take into account in particular the obstacles encountered and progress made by women living in extreme poverty as regards the enjoyment of their fundamental rights;

(c) To make recommendations and, as appropriate, proposals in the sphere of technical assistance;

(d) To report on these activities to the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth sessions and to make those reports available to the Commission for Social Development and the Commission on the Status of Women, as appropriate, for their sessions during the same years;

(e) To contribute to the General Assembly's evaluation in the year 2000 of the World Summit for Social Development by making his or her final report and conclusions available to the preparatory committee for the special session of the General Assembly devoted to that evaluation; and

(f) To make suggestions to the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-fifth session on the main points of a possible draft declaration on human rights and extreme poverty.

In its Resolution 2002/30, renewing the mandate of the Independent Expert, the Commission requested the Independent Expert to take into account the outcome of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from and to continue, including during her visits, her consultations with men and women living in extreme poverty and the communities in which they live on ways of developing their capacity to express their views and organize themselves, and to involve national human rights bodies in this exercise. Resolution 2004/23 asks the Independent Expert to take into account the situation and empowerment of women in extreme poverty, applying a gender perspective in his/her work.

In the discharge of his/her mandate the Independent Expert:

- Undertakes country visits (See Country Visits)

- Presents annual reports to the Commission on the activities and studies undertaken under his mandate. (See Annual Reports).

Independent Expert:

Mr. Arjun SENGUPTA ( India ), 2004

Ms. A. M. LIZIN ( Belgium ), April 1998-July 2004