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Independent Expert on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty
25
October -- The Independent Expert on the question of human rights and
extreme poverty presented her report to the General Assembly. This report
highlights the importance of social protection measures in facilitating the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and provides recommendations on
the core elements of a rights-based social protection system, including the
meaningful integration of gender-related concerns. A/65/259 [F S A C R]
NEW! Report
on the importance of social protection measures in achieving the Millennium
Development Goals. NEW! Report
on the guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights -
The Progress report of the Independent expert on the question of human rights
and extreme poverty on how to improve the draft guiding principles on extreme
poverty and human rights is now available online. The independent expert will
present this report to the Human Rights Council next 15 September. Click here to
read the report. NEW! Independent Expert concludes mission to NEW! Report on the Mission to Bangladesh -
The joint report of the independent expert on the question of human rights and
extreme poverty and Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations
related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation is now available
online. The mission focused on the human rights situation of people living in
extreme poverty, the enjoyment of the rights to safe drinking water and
sanitation, and the intersection between these topics. Special attention was
paid to groups particularly vulnerable to poverty and lack of access to
sanitation and water, including women, children, persons with disabilities,
minority groups, refugees, and people living in urban slums. Download the
report: E The
mandate of UN Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme
poverty was established to evaluate the relationship between the enjoyment of
human rights and extreme poverty. The
expert is required by the Human Rights Council to examine and report back to
member States on initiatives taken to promote and protect the rights of those
living in extreme poverty. This position is honorary and the expert is not
United Nations staff nor paid for her work. Through
its resolution 8/11 , the Human Rights Council
requests the Independent Expert to: ·
Identify approaches for removing all obstacles, including
institutional ones, to the full enjoyment of human rights for people living in
extreme poverty and to identify efficient measures to promote their rights. ·
Make recommendations on how persons living in extreme poverty
can participate in the definition of measures affecting them. ·
Study the impact of discrimination and to pay particular
attention to the situation of women, children and other vulnerable groups,
including persons with disabilities living in extreme poverty. ·
Participate in the assessment of the implementation of the Second United Nations Decade
for the Eradication of Poverty and to submit recommendations on the
realization of Millennium Development Goals, in particular the first goal. ·
Develop cooperation with United Nations bodies dealing with
the same subject and to continue participating in relevant international
conferences on extreme poverty.
Main activities In
the fulfillment of the mandate, the Independent Expert: ·
Undertakes country visits ; ·
Responds to information received concerning the human rights
situation of people living in extreme poverty; ·
Develops constructive dialogue with Governments, international
organizations, civil society and other relevant actors with a view to
identifying ways to remove all obstacles to the full enjoyment of human rights
for people living in extreme poverty . ·
Submits annual reports to
the Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly on the activities of the
mandate. Independent Expert : Ms.
Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona (
The report particularly calls on States to devote increased
attention to the issue of gender equality while designing, implementing and
evaluating social protection programmes within a human rights framework. The
independent expert will present this report to the General Assembly in October.
Click here to
read the report. A/65/259 [F S A C R]. This report is particularly pertinent given the UN Summit
being held on the Millennium Development Goals from 20 to 22 September 2010 in 
Read the press release here and the independent expert's statement at the press
conference here.The mandate
Objectives of the mandate
Mr. Arjun SENGUPTA (
Ms. A. M. LIZIN