HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DISCUSSES REPORTS BY HIGH COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY-GENERAL

The Human Rights Council this afternoon heard the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights present a number of reports by the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, which was followed by a general debate on the reports. At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty and the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights.

Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, presenting a range of reports, said the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the outcome of the expert consultation on the issue of protecting the human rights of civilians in armed conflict stemmed from a request by the Human Rights Council. The report of the High Commissioner regarding the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights was submitted in accordance with the Council’s invitation of March 2008 for the Office to further consult States and other relevant stakeholders on this issue, and provided a summary of general views on the draft guiding principles. The report of the Secretary-General on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights summarized information shared and observations made during the course of a workshop held on 24 and 25 November 2008.

In the general debate on the reports, delegations said, among other things, that promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all was a core mission of the Council, and fighting against discrimination of all kinds therefore remained a principal human rights challenge for all States. Poverty and extreme poverty directly impacted on the dignity of the human being and constituted an obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights. The current economic and financial crisis had the potential of exacerbating or igniting discrimination and xenophobia, as well as severely curtailing the welfare of migrants and their families. Migration was a positive force for human development in both countries of origin and destination, and hence the importance of respecting and protecting the human rights of migrants. The effective exercise of a peoples' right to self-determination was an essential pre-requisite for the genuine existence of other human rights and freedoms. As to the rights of children, education was crucial, as it reduced the vulnerability of children and programmes had to be directed to this end. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity remained a neglected topic in the Council’s discussions on discrimination even though they occurred worldwide.

Speaking in the general debate were the Czech Republic on behalf of the European Union, Chile on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, the Philippines on behalf of 20 States Parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Netherlands and Germany.

Speaking in right of reply were Sri Lanka, Nepal, Colombia and Brazil.

In concluding comments on the interactive dialogue, Cephas Lumina, Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, said that debt could contribute to development, but it was necessary to recognise that it could also be an obstacle. Current debt relief initiatives had delivered some success, but it was questionable as to whether they were durable successes. Current responses to requests for debt relief relied largely on the largesse of creditors, rather than on an international system. States should devise a voluntary basis of standards on which to determine the treatment of debt which could be identified as illegitimate, as the international community could not wait to reach an agreement, as the debt problem was a crisis which needed to be dealt with.

Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona, Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, in concluding remarks, stressed the importance of international cooperation. It was crucial, particularly for the least developed countries, in order to comply with their obligations under international human rights law. Some studies had shown that a universal social system could be limited to 5 per cent of GDP. There were also several other measures that a developing State must take in order to fight extreme poverty, such as fiscal policies, improving efficiency of social programmes and fighting corruption. Regarding civil and political rights, the Independent Expert said that a cash transfer programme, if it was badly designed, could affect civil and political rights, particularly if it was politically manipulated.

In the interactive dialogue on the reports presented by the two Independent Experts, speakers said, among other things, that extreme poverty and excessive debt burdens continued to be significant obstacles both to development and realization of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights as well as attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. The limitation of resources for increasing payments for foreign debt meant that countries did not have the ability to progress with programmes for the protection and promotion of human rights. Cash transfer programmes might help in mitigating the impact of extreme poverty on a few, but these were not a substitute for a comprehensive approach to address extreme poverty. The current financial crisis had cast doubt on the possibilities for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which should be achieved in 2015. First and foremost among these was the goal to fight poverty - in the current situation, the international community should take tangible steps to improve the situation in developing countries and minimise the effects of the crisis. Excessive debt burdens continued to be significant obstacles both to development and to human rights, and some countries spent more on servicing debt than on the basic needs of their population and on some issues such as health and education. Even where there was debt relief, the gains from these were often diluted by other factors such as the global trading environment. Economic debt was not just a human rights issue, but also a moral and political issue and should be given more attention in the drawing up of national policies.

Speaking in the interactive debate were the Czech Republic for the European Union, Pakistan for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, United States, India, Norway, Tunisia, Djibouti, Philippines, Senegal, Zambia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Cuba, Ghana, Bangladesh, Russian Federation, France, Chile, Palestine, Mexico, Brazil, Cameroon, China, United Kingdom, Peru, Yemen, Egypt, Venezuela, Morocco and Algeria.

Also speaking was a representative of a national human rights institution - the Public Defender of Ecuador, and the following non-governmental organizations: International Human Rights Association of American Minorities, in a joint statement with International Association of Schools of Social Work; Franciscans International, Europe-Third World Centre, in a joint statement with Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples; Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; and African Association of Education for Development, Colombian Commission of Jurists, North-South XXI, International Movement ATD Fourth World, Indian Movement “Tupaj Amaru”, and Arab Commission for Human Rights.


The next meeting of the Council will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, 8 June, when it is scheduled to conclude its general debate on the reports of the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner and to begin a general debate under agenda item 4, namely human rights situations that require the Council's attention.


Documents

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on the workshop on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights that took place on 24 and 25 November 2008 (A/HRC/11/3), which notes that regional human rights commissions and courts serve an invaluable role in the promotion and protection of international human rights standards and have a symbiotic relationship with the national human rights institutions of their Member States and civil society organizations. The High Commissioner for Human Rights should be invited to appoint a high-level focal point to facilitate future networking and information-sharing between the Human Rights Council, the regional and subregional human rights mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This focal point should have the capacity to act as a clearing house of best practices and lessons learned in the experience of regional and subregional human rights mechanisms, including in the implementation of human rights standards at the regional level. The focal point could also facilitate, upon request, the provision of training to emerging regional and subregional mechanisms, drawing on the experience of regional partners. This workshop, which was an initial step in promoting cooperation amongst all regional and international human rights mechanisms, as well as national human rights institutions and NGOs active in this area, should be held on a regular basis.

The report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the outcome of the expert consultation on the issue of protecting the human rights of civilians in armed conflict (A/HRC/11/31) is not immediately available.

The Council has before it the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights: the rights of the poor (A/HRC/11/32) which summarizes all submissions collected during the two rounds of consultation of 2007-2008, which concluded with a seminar held in Geneva on 27 and 28 January 2009, with States, civil society organizations, international experts, including the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, and other relevant stakeholders. The report also reflects the views expressed on the way forward with a view to the possible adoption of guiding principles. The consultation processes have disclosed a broad consensus among respondents on the importance of preparing guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights. However, the current draft guiding principles require work in a number of areas. At the end of the seminar, the Government of France made a proposal on the way forward, recommending that the Human Rights Council mandate the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty to carry out a revision of the draft guiding principles. The proposal received the unanimous support of all participants and the Independent Expert expressed her readiness to undertake such a task, should the Council so decide.

A report entitled note by the Secretariat on the right to development (A/HRC/11/33) states that taking into account the fact that the Working Group on the Right to Development will submit a report on its next session, from 22 to 26 June 2009, to the Council at its twelfth session, a consolidated report of the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner will be submitted to the Council at that session.

A report entitled note by the Secretariat on implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 8/9 on the promotion of the right of peoples to peace (A/HRC/11/38) notes that in view of the current priorities of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the preparations for the Durban Review Conference and the requirements for support to the Council, including the many new mandates that have been approved since 2007 without the allocation of commensurate additional resources, the secretariat informs the Council that it has not been possible to identify areas from which resources could be redeployed for the biennium 2008-2009.

The report of OHCHR on the integration of human rights of women throughout the UN system (A/HRC/11/39) was not immediately available.

Presentation by the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

KYUNG-WHA KANG, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her introduction of reports by the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, highlighted that the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the outcome of the expert consultation on the issue of protecting the human rights of civilians in armed conflict stemmed from a request by the Human Rights Council. Specifically, the Council invited the Office to convene, within existing resources and in consultation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, an expert gathering with the participation of Governments, regional organizations, relevant United Nations bodies, and civil society representatives. As requested, the report provided a summary of the discussion, which took place in Geneva on 15 April 2009.

The report of the High Commissioner regarding the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights was submitted in accordance with the Council’s invitation of March 2008 for the Office to further consult States and other relevant stakeholders on this issue, noted Ms. Kang. The report provided a summary of general views on the draft guiding principles, expressed during a seminar that the Office held in January 2009. It focused on the added value of the draft guiding principles, as well as their practical utility and their technical merit from a legal perspective. It also proposed the way forward. The consultations in January revealed a broad consensus on the importance of preparing guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights. But the current draft required further work in a number of areas.

The report of the Secretary-General on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights summarized information shared and observations made during the course of a workshop held on 24-25 November 2008, which provided a forum for exchange of information on good practices, as well as on the added value and challenges that regional arrangements brought and faced in the promotion and protection of human rights. This workshop was undertaken in response to a request by the Council, observed Ms. Kang. It was the first time that the Office undertook the initiative to bring together the regional mechanisms for human rights. Twenty-eight representatives of regional mechanisms, National Human Rights Institutions and civil society participated in the workshop, which was also attended by representatives of permanent missions. The report highlighted that regional human rights commissions and courts played an invaluable role in the promotion and protection of human rights in accordance with international standards. In also invited the High Commissioner for Human Rights to appoint a high-level focal point to facilitate future networking and information-sharing between the Human Rights Council, regional and sub-regional human rights mechanisms and the Office. The workshop was an initial step in promoting cooperation among regional and international human rights mechanisms. Furthermore, Ms. Kang said that the Office intended to organize such meetings on a regular basis.

General Debate

TOMAS HUSAK (Czech Republic), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all was a core mission of the Council, and fighting against discrimination of all kinds therefore remained a principal human rights challenge for all States. There were two billion people who had to cope with disabilities in the world. Religion or belief presented further grounds on which people continued to be discriminated against worldwide, and the choice of religion or belief often led to direct persecution by State authorities, including in its most brutal forms. It was entirely unacceptable that in the twenty-first century, women, half the world's population, faced not only discrimination de facto, but were also often discriminated against formally by the legal systems of the States in which they lived. Full enjoyment of human rights remained yet to be secured for children as well. On no account could an individual's sexual orientation be justification for limiting their enjoyment of their human rights. Human rights defenders were a whole category who were also prevented from full enjoyment of their human rights due to their human rights engagement.

LUCIANO PARODI (Chile), speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, said that poverty and extreme poverty directly impacted on the dignity of the human being and constituted an obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights. From the Human Rights Council it had launched a human rights approach in eradication of extreme poverty, an approach for the poorest among us. Given the financial and economic crisis, poverty had even worsened. The international community had to step up its efforts in order to eradicate extreme poverty. Countries belonging to the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries believed that cash transfer programmes were one of the means to eradicate poverty. These programmes were a longstanding practise in many countries of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. The most vulnerable groups, as women and children, had to get special attention. The elimination of extreme poverty was of utmost importance and the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries called on other countries to join their efforts. As to the right of children, education was crucial and programmes had to be directed as education reduced the vulnerability of children.

ERLINDA F. BASILIO (Philippines), in a joint statement on behalf of the 20 State parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uganda, and Uruguay, said the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was a core international human rights treaty, adopted by consensus in the General Assembly, which strengthened global protection of the human rights of migrants and members of their families. There was serious concern at the regular reports of abuse and violations of human rights of migrants in many places around the world, including in detention facilities and in transit or in the process of repatriation. The mistreatment of migrants, including irregular migrants, female migrant domestic workers, and children migrants, must be curbed and prevented. This could only be done through the full acknowledgement and respect for their human rights. The current economic and financial crisis had the potential of exacerbating or igniting discrimination and xenophobia, as well as severely curtailing the welfare of migrants and their families. It was reaffirmed that migration was a positive force for human development in both countries of origin and destination, and hence the importance of respecting and protecting the human rights of migrants.

MARGHOOB SALEEM BUTT (Pakistan) said the right to self-determination was the cornerstone right of the United Nations system that underpinned the contemporary international order. The effective exercise of a peoples right to self-determination was an essential pre-requisite for the genuine existence of other human rights and freedoms. Only when self-determination had been achieved could a people take the measures necessary to ensure human dignity, the full enjoyment of all rights including political, economic, social and cultural progress without any form of discrimination. It was an obvious conclusion that breach of an obligation arising out of recognition of the right to self-determination constituted an international crime, giving rise to an international responsibility towards States which infringed their legal duties in this matter. The Human Rights Council had the responsibility to actively pursue this fundamental collective human right of peoples. Unfortunately, however, this right continued to be denied to some on different pretexts - two of the oldest, most repeated and explicit examples of this denial were Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir. The Council and the international community should play their role to expedite the early and peaceful resolution of the latter issue.

YEVGENY USTINOV (Russian Federation) said that the issues of the reports presented by the Deputy High Commissioner were topical and deserved the Council’s attention. The Council would be completing its third year of work. Over this short time span, the Council had finished building its institutions. The review of the Human Rights Council which was planned for 2011 would be geared toward improvement. An open ended working group should be established to this end. The activities of the Universal Periodic Review had been undermined from a technical point of view the financing procedures should be reviewed. In order to ensure effective work of the Special Procedures, experts were needed. To ensure their credibility, depoliticization was needed. The Council was a new body, and it had difficult tasks to achieve. The Council should get involved into intercultural and inter-religious dialogues.

The Representative of Netherlands said the Netherlands was not only concerned about discrimination based on race or religion – and it would continue to support efforts to combat such discrimination – but it was also concerned about discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or work or descent. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity remained a neglected topic in the Council’s discussions on discrimination even though they occurred worldwide. The declaration which was read out in the General Assembly on 18 December 2008 and that was now supported by 67 countries condemned these violations and called for an end to the criminalization of homosexuality. Laws that criminalized homosexuality were often remains of a colonial legacy and could be compared to apartheid laws prohibiting sex between different races. It was important that this Council did not shy away from a debate on these human rights violations. Discrimination based on work or decent was also a topic that needed further attention by the Council.

MICHAEL KLEPSCH (Germany) said Germany had not yet participated in any debates, and this was not because of disinterest - the work of the special procedure mandate holders gave added value to the work of the Human Rights Council. Germany looked forward to the visit of the Special Rapporteur on racism. The work of the special mandate holders offered a chance to discuss issues based on independent findings and proposals - their very reason of being was to address efficiently and openly violations of human rights from a non-governmental and non-interest-based point of view, and the Human Rights Council should be ready to listen to their reports and discuss their findings constructively. This did not mean that they should be automatically accepted, but there was no need to threaten them with the code of conduct just because a mandate holder raised concerns about a specific situation in a country.

Right of Reply

DAYAN JAYATILLEKA (Sri Lanka), speaking in a right of reply, said that the European Union, Ireland, the United Kingdom and France were cheering on the idea of an investigation in the Sri Lankan conflict. Sri Lanka would agree, if they started with human rights situations that preceded the Sri Lankan conflict. Let them start investigations into French human rights violations in Indochina. Let Great Britain and Ireland have enquiries into Bloody Sunday where many found their death in Londonderry. If those countries were ready to undertake such investigations, Sri Lanka would be ready to regard their suggestion of an investigation in Sri Lanka with less contempt.

DINESH BHATTARAI (Nepal), speaking in a right of reply with regard to the statements made by the representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark and Australia, said Nepal appreciated the continued assistance provided by them, but wanted to make some clarifications with respect to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights field office in the country. An agreement was signed in 2005 to establish a field office in Nepal to monitor developments, the human rights situation and armed conflict in the country. On 21 November 2006, the end of the armed conflict was declared, and all political parties aimed to work together towards lasting peace and stability in the country. Last year a constituent assembly was elected and a Government was established based on understanding and consensus. The National Commission on Human Rights was a constitutional body for the promotion and protection in the country. Furthermore, he said that Nepal looked forward to constructive discussion and cooperation with human rights mechanisms with a spirit of openness and respect.

ANGELINO GARZON (Colombia), speaking in a right of reply, said in listening to the statement of the Colombian Commission of Jurists, the Government of Colombia respected and defended the independence of the judiciary in Colombia, and had been supporting all investigations against any public officials or other persons who could be involved in activities relating to the violation of human rights or the activities of armed groups, and had respected the judgements by the Supreme Courts on public servants who had been involved in the activities of armed groups or drug trafficking. The Colombian State was committed at all levels to fighting impunity, violence and crime in all its manifestations, in agreement with the requirement of civil society and the international community. In this fight, the initiative stated by the delegate of Amnesty International was viewed positively, and Colombia called upon other Governments to do likewise.

MARIA NAZARETH FARANI AZEVEDO (Brazil), speaking in a right of reply, said that in the interactive dialogue with Professor Alston, Brazil had participated in good faith. Improvements took place, but they also took time. Brazil’s commitment was solid. The achievements were daily transforming Brazil. During the dialogue, Mr. Alston stayed silent on Brazil, but later on, at a press conference, he said that the official Government data was not credible. Mr. Alston had violated the code of conduct by doing so, especially regarding impartiality. Mandate holders had to indicate fairly the responses by concerned country. As to the claim that data was not confirmed, the Special Rapporteur should dedicate ten minutes of his time to see on the Internet where a study of the University of Sao Paola confirmed Government data, as well as an Economist article that did the same. Stereotypes of the Special Rapporteur hindered his work. The Special Rapporteur had had free and unhindered access to information in Brazil and he met with politicians as well as with civil society. Brazil expected Mr. Alston to act fairly and to recognize the progress Brazil had made during the last six years. Brazil would not watch in silence, it would act and react to such allegations.

Continued Interactive Dialogue on Reports on Foreign Debt on the Full Enjoyment of Human Rights, and on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty

BARBARA REPOVA (Czech Republic), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner was a core mission of the Council. And yet, many obstacles persisted in the access to these rights and freedoms by millions of individuals and groups of individuals. Fighting against discrimination of all kinds remained a principal human rights challenge for all States.

MUHAMMAD SAEED SARWAR (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, said that extreme poverty and excessive debt burdens continued to be significant obstacles both to development and the realization of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights as well as attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Notably, some indebted countries spent more annually on debt servicing than on basic human rights related public services such as education and health. Even the benefits of debt relief initiatives for the developing countries were offset by volatile commodity prices, unstable exchange rate regimes and speculative financial markets. The cash transfer programmes proposed by the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty might help in mitigating the impact of extreme poverty on few, but these were not a substitute for a comprehensive approach to address extreme poverty. The Organization of the Islamic Conference felt that extreme poverty was further augmented by the debt burden. In addition, the pro-cyclical conditionality imposed by the international financial institutions, particularly the International Monetary Fund, further limited the policy space available to the developing countries.

LAWRENCE RICHTER (United States) said the United States had long recognized the potentially harmful effects that excessive debt burdens could have on development. Debt was not necessarily a negative thing – debt financed projects could enhance development and human rights. Through the G8 and the World Bank, the United States had been a leader in programmes for debt forgiveness and programmes that provided assistance to developing nations without adding to their debt burden. The United States was concerned that a human rights based approach to foreign debt was a concept that in practice would be difficult to implement either fairly or effectively. While the United States wanted to ensure fair and manageable debt repayment schedules for debtor nations, determining “illegitimate” debt would be problematic. Finally, the United States supported the Special Rapporteur’s noting the importance of export diversification as a means for developing countries to escape dependence on a single export commodity to finance debt obligations. The Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty concluded in her report that “cash transfer programmes were not necessarily the most appropriate and effective means of tackling extreme poverty and protecting human rights in all contexts” and her recommendations emphasized the importance of integrated social security systems based on solid legal and institutional frameworks.

SANJEEV KUMAR SINGLA (India) said cash transfer programmes played a significant role in reducing income inequalities and in curbing the intergenerational transmission of poverty, and could be used as an instrument for States to fulfil their obligations under national and international human rights law. Poverty eradication remained an overriding priority for India. India took note of the Human Rights Framework for Cash Transfer Programmes outlined in the report, and the recommendations made. Transparency, accountability and access to information were vital for the success of the Programmes, however, it should be borne in mind that they were not necessarily the most appropriate and effective means of tackling extreme poverty and protecting human rights in all contexts, and should be seen as only one component of social assistance policies. Human rights standards should not necessarily prescribe specific policy measures, and States should have the discretion to formulate policies that were most appropriate for their circumstances, while ensuring that international human rights obligations were taken into account.

VEBJORN HEINES (Norway) said that Norway found the focus on a human rights based approach to foreign debt both interesting and challenging. Norway had an ambitious agenda on debt relief: it did not report funds used on cancellation of bilateral debt as Official Development Assistance to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; Norway was willing to discuss the issues of creditor co-responsibility and illegitimate debt; Norway had unilaterally canceled debt, based on how loans were given. Debt service could be an obstacle to development and poverty reduction. The international instruments Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative had been a success. However, in many countries, traditional debt relief was not enough. The discussion on external debt was about more than charity, it was about fairness and sustainability and Norway had an open mind to all approaches contributing to the reduction of the external debt burdens in developing countries.

MOHAMED CHAGRAOUI (Tunisia) congratulated the Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty for the presentation made and for the relevance of the recommendations made which exposed the importance of solidarity and cooperation between all countries aimed at creating a climate of stability for lasting development around the world. Within this context, the Government of Tunisia had expanded its measures taken for the integration of such sectors in the country through the implementation of a national literacy programme which aimed to eradicate illiteracy at all levels, revision of minimum wages and promoting the living conditions in high density neighbourhoods, among other things. As a result of these programmes the middle class had been expanded to 81 per cent of the population; the rate of poverty had been reduced by 3.8 per cent, and the literacy rate increased by 18.1 per cent. The national solidarity fund established in 1992, the employment fund established in 1999, the associations for development established in 1998 made up the core institutions which constituted the mechanisms adopted in Tunisia with a view to consolidate efforts for solidarity in all parts of the country. Further, the eradication of poverty was at the forefront as part of the national plan.

AHMED MOHAMED ABRO (Djibouti) said with regards to human rights and extreme poverty, the Independent Expert was to be thanked for shedding light on the dialogue in the Council on this alarming topic which lay at the heart of promoting and protecting human rights. Curing the poor meant curing poverty. The Independent Expert should explore other possible alternatives as a solution to extreme poverty and analyse the causes and manifestations of this phenomenon in developing countries.

TERESA C. LEPATAN (Philippines) said the Philippines agreed with the Special Rapporteur that cash transfer programmes for persons with disabilities should be integrated into social protection systems. The Philippines appreciated the active role the Independent Expert played in taking forward the process of elaboration of the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights, which the Philippines viewed as a potentially useful tool that would empower people living in extreme poverty and also contributed to poverty eradication through the application of a human rights based approach. The Philippines actively participated in the consultations on the draft guiding principles, and was a co-sponsor of the resolution being presented at this session of the Human Rights Council.

ABDOUL WAHAB HAIDARA (Senegal) welcomed the quality of the report of the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty. In Senegal this fight was a priority for the Government, and as such the Government implemented a national strategy for social protection, aimed at increasing access to vulnerable groups. Many other measures were based on the principles of solidarity, such as the granting of old age pensions, free medical care for the elderly as well as child benefits. The delegation welcomed a comment from the Independent Expert on advice on how best they could broaden those services for those outside the formal economy in the informal economy?

GIFT MILEJI (Zambia) said with regards to human rights and extreme poverty, Zambia hoped to benefit from the work of the Independent Expert. The views of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt were shared, in that human rights should occupy a central place in the global response to the financial crisis if it were to have any impact on the beneficiaries. Countries sometimes had to borrow in order to meet their human rights obligations under international law. However, in the effort to try to borrow to create a conducive environment, developing countries found themselves with increasing debt burden. Excessive debt burdens continued to be significant obstacles both to development and to human rights, and some countries spent more on servicing debt than on the basic needs of their population and on some issues such as health and education. Even where there was debt relief, the gains from these were often diluted by other factors such as the global trading environment. Zambia wished the Independent Experts the best in their work and in the development of the draft general guidelines on human rights and foreign debt, and that countries would provide resources to allow the Independent Expert to carry out his investigations.

ALI ONANER (Turkey) said that Turkey had welcomed and responded to the questionnaire sent by the Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights. Turkey was pleased that more than 30 countries had responded likewise. Turkey welcomed the conclusions made by the Independent Expert, particularly on gender-mainstreaming, the focus on children and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in social protection programmes.

OBAID SALEM SAEED AL ZAABI (United Arab Emirates), speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, thanked the Independent Experts for their reports. The Independent Expert on extreme poverty was thanked for her excellent report and the focus on cash transfer programmes and to improve disparities among the poor. The Arab Group agreed with the Independent Expert that the cash transfer programme was one way to grapple with extreme poverty. Other ways included international cooperation as well as the fulfilment of rich countries obligations towards poor countries. On the global economic and financial crises, the Arab Group agreed that there should be analysis between human rights and social schemes and that the most vulnerable groups such as women and children should be a focus. The Independent Expert on human rights and foreign debt was thanked for his valuable report and commended for raising the issue of debt as a human rights issue, and that there should be increased dialogue with various stakeholders in this respect. Economic debt was not just a human rights issue, but also a moral and political issue and should be given more attention in the drawing up of national policies.

RESFEL PINO ALVAREZ (Cuba) said Cuba welcomed and congratulated the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt for a very comprehensive report, containing very alarming figures which confirmed a worsening situation for developing countries. Even more worrying was the increasing trend towards greater debt servicing, which meant that funds for development were not available. The limitation of resources for increasing payments for foreign debt meant that countries did not have the ability to progress with programmes for the protection and promotion of human rights. The Independent Expert should continue to work on the draft General Guidelines on foreign debt and human rights. The concept of illegitimate debt was interesting, and the Independent Expert should give an estimate of the total debt of developing countries that could be considered illegitimate, as well as examples of best practices, if any, on how to handle this. Cash transfer programmes could alleviate economic inequalities in societies, however they could not be considered alternatives to other types of international cooperation that had broader reach, and were therefore not the most appropriate or effective for the eradication of poverty, and should therefore be considered only as part of global efforts to do so.

MERCY YVONNE AMOAH (Ghana) said that Ghana welcomed the approach of a human rights based approach to eradicate extreme poverty. Ghana did not have a formally established cash transfer programme. The report raised some important issues, such as the link between economic, social and cultural rights and cash transfer. However, the report was rather silent on the relation between civil and political rights and extreme poverty. Did that mean that was no such relation? Ghana would appreciate the thoughts of the Independent Expert on that matter. Cash transfer programmes were not necessarily the most effective means to reduce poverty, but were only one measure among others. On foreign debt, Ghana said that States should not be made incapable of guaranteeing the most basic human rights of their people because of foreign debt.

MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh) thanked the Independent Experts for their presentations. Extreme poverty was a cause and consequence of many violations of human rights, and therefore Bangladesh supported the mandate of the Independent Expert on extreme poverty and human rights. Bangladesh welcomed the proposal the Independent Expert made to promote dialogue among development partners and the international community and looked forward to making a humble contribution in this regard. Social welfare programmes, such as food for work, cash for education programme, vulnerable group feeding, these safety net programmes were mutually reinforcing and rewarding. Success of such programmes depended on resources. Bangladesh was a developing country and relied on aid. The Government looked forward to the visit of the Independent Expert, in order to better help them implement the measures already taken. Bangladesh agreed with the Independent Expert on the effect of foreign debt on human rights that the debt problem was not just an economic issue but also had an ethical, moral and legal dimension. It was vital that the most vulnerable groups of people were the focus. Furthermore, Bangladesh also supported the Independent Expert’s view that a sustainable solution to the problem required the inclusion and analysis of a human rights based approach.

YEVGENY USTINOV (Russian Federation) said the problems studied by the Independent Experts were important and relevant, particularly in the context of the global financial crisis. Issues of extreme poverty and the consequences and foreign indebtedness were having a negative effect on the exercise of human rights, particularly in developing countries. Confirmation of this was shown in the tenth special session of the Human Rights Council, held in February, on the effect of the financial crisis on the exercise of human rights. The current crisis had cast doubt on the possibilities for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which should be achieved in 2015. First and foremost among these was the Goal to fight poverty - in the current situation, the international community should take tangible steps to improve the situation in developing countries and minimise the effects of the crisis. The Russian Federation had made progress in stepping up its implementation of international initiatives and in providing development assistance, cancelling debt in beneficiary countries for the poorest countries. It was important as a matter of principle to maintain the consistent trends that had been built up over the last years in financing development and in providing support to developing countries, which would foster human rights as a whole, but particularly economic, social and cultural rights.

VERONIQUE BASSO (France) said that France reaffirmed its commitment to support the Independent Expert on extreme poverty and hoped that through her the Human Rights Council would achieve progress in the cause of those that were deprived of their rights because of extreme poverty. The recommendations that the Independent Expert had made in her report were a useful guide, particularly for Governments, in the elaboration and implementation of cash transfer programmes, so that they could be an effective component in the fight against extreme poverty. The Independent Expert recommended that the access to information regarding those programmes had to be guaranteed. France asked the Independent Expert to further elaborate on possible measures in order to ensure such access to information, in particular since it should reach persons living in extreme poverty. France also asked the Independent Expert to give the Council an update on her suggestions made during a seminar on the guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights.

LUCIANO PARODI (Chile) said with regard to the report of the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty, Chile paid special attention to the reduction and elimination of extreme poverty in the country and the realization of human rights and fundamental liberties. Extreme poverty constituted a constant challenge; it was multifaceted and required the most urgent and tangible measures to be taken, as the populations of the world that were the most vulnerable were affected. It was vital to have an ongoing study conducted by the Council on this subject taking into account the complex aspects, its link to human rights and its respective national and international obligations. Moreover, it was important to include case studies in such a study, which would help provide a better understanding of the issue and supplement the work already done in this regard. The January seminar provided essential clarifications on poverty and human rights. It was of prime importance to go into greater depth to achieve a normative balance, among other things, by giving a new mandate to the Independent Expert to include the revised draft guidelines. In this vein, Chile would be co-sponsoring the draft resolution in this regard.

IMAD ZUHAIRI (Palestine) said poverty was everywhere in the world and could continue to be present as long as the prevailing economic system was driven by production, competition and wealth. The poor always suffered disproportionately. The economy of Palestine was destroyed by the 1967 war and the ensuing occupation, which resulted in, among other things, the immediate destruction and disruption of the economy. The Occupying Power's mechanism of movement restriction was a primary cause of poverty and humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Hungry, unhealthy, angry, desperate, humiliated people did not make good partners for peace - it was high time for the Palestinian people to recover their dignity if a just and durable peace were to be established in Palestine. Regarding the role of international assistance and protection advocated by the Independent Expert, also regarding the obligations of States to take steps with a view to achieving progressively the full realisation of the rights in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by all appropriate means, and taking into consideration the refusal of Israel to abide by its obligations and allegations that the Palestinian Authority had full jurisdiction in all matters covered by the Covenant, why had no transfer resources programme based on integration and social policies been established with regards to the economic situation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and particularly the Gaza Strip, Palestine asked.

VICTORIA ROMERO (Mexico) said that Mexico thanked the Independent Expert for her report and welcomed the emphasis on the programmes that eradicated poverty. Mexico agreed that cash transfer programmes contributed to the exercise of economic, social and cultural rights on a national, regional and international level. Those programmes had direct repercussions on those rights regarding adequate living standards, which included food and clothing. The promotion and protection of the human rights of persons that lived in extreme poverty did not have to be subjugated to economic considerations. Mexico reiterated its commitment to maintain efforts to cater to the needs of those people that were the poorest. Mexico responded to the questionnaire in the October 2008. The Mexican experience was shared at a meeting which took place last February. Mexico presented its “opportunity programme” which was a federal plan in which various national institutions, municipalities and the State participated.

JOAO ERNESTO CHRISTOFOLO (Brazil) said human rights were a central element within the broad array of responses to the economic and financial crisis. Brazil supported the work and conclusions of the report by the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights. The conclusions and recommendations of Mr. Lumina further contributed to the Council’s tenth Special Session outcome. The current global crisis offered a prime opportunity to integrate the fundamental principles of accountability, participation and transparency into the process of reforming the global financial architecture. The responsibility for managing global economic and social development must be exercised multilaterally. Brazil also considered of particular importance the conclusions and recommendations of the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty that “cash transfer programmes had the potential to assist in the realization of the right to an adequate standard of living including adequate food, clothing and housing”, and that “States must establish solid legal and institutional frameworks in order to guarantee legitimacy, effectiveness and sustainability of cash transfer programmes”.

ANNE CHANTAL NAMA (Cameroon) said the issue of the effects of external debt and other related international and national obligations on the full enjoyment of human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, was a matter of concern for all countries, causing the international community to examine the issue of foreign debt and its impact on human rights. External debt was a major obstacle to not only human rights but also to economic, social and cultural rights. The draft guidelines on foreign debt and human rights were valued, in particular the focus on illegitimate debt. The situation was much exacerbated by a serious food and financial crisis which had effects throughout the world. The debt should be properly taken on board, and human rights should be safeguarded. Cameroon called upon rich countries not to shirk their efforts in this time of financial crisis and to continue to cancel the debt of those countries crippled by debt servicing, as this would support human rights, which was something all wished to uphold.

LUO CHENG (China) said that China supported the Independent Expert’s recommendation that the cash transfer programme should be integrated in poverty reduction programmes. China continued to improve its poverty reduction programmes. It had increased its input and had developed an overarching policy for the poorest people. China welcomed the recommendations of the Independent Expert on foreign debt that human rights be integrated in the foreign debt repayment programmes. The indebted developing countries were sometimes completely stuck and such an approach would be useful. At the international level, China had declared its intent of writing off 138 interest free Government loans.

MELANIE HOPKINS (United Kingdom) welcomed the report on cash transfer programmes by the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty. The United Kingdom agreed that cash transfers should be seen as only one part of social protection and broader social policy that could assist in the realization of the right to an adequate standard of living including adequate food, clothing and housing. The United Kingdom endorsed the importance in design of social protection programmes on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, transparency and meaningful participation. How could the Special Rapporteur and the Human Rights Council work with regional bodies such as the African Union and ASEAN to promote social protection in line with the recommendations of this report? Calls were being made by the United Nations to develop and promote the global concept of a ‘social protection floor’, which was adapted to national circumstances, but still defined a core set of guaranteed essential services and transfers, that everybody should have access to, wherever they lived in the world. How did the Special Rapporteur view this concept of social protection floor? How did the work of this report link to the development of this concept?

CARLOS SIBILLE RIVERA (Peru) said with regards to the issue of human rights and extreme poverty, Peru was fully satisfied by the report of the Independent Expert with respect to cash transfer programmes - such reports were a useful tool to supplement and fine tune the efforts of the international community to eradicate extreme poverty, a subject that had the highest priority. Peru wished to share its positive experience with the programmes and had communicated these to the Independent Expert, noting that they must constitute a part of broader national strategies to face up to extreme poverty, and that they required a clear framework and mechanisms to avoid corruption, abuse, and political manipulation of these programmes. The Independent Expert should work with the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression who had recently tackled the impact of extreme poverty on this right. Peru intended to submit a draft resolution which would entrust the Independent Expert with the task of drafting guidelines for dealing with extreme poverty.

MARWAN AL-SHAMI (Yemen) thanked the Council for its interest in extreme poverty. Yemen appreciated the results and recommendations of the Independent Expert and the recommendations that she had made regarding the cooperation on an international level, in particular in an international environment that was suffering an economic crisis from which the developing countries had suffered the most. The reports of the World Bank had warned that the number of the hungry would reach 1 billion, the Millennium Development Goals were in danger and the Goal regarding hunger could not be met. Cash transfers were a good means for Governments. The main problems were the lack of resources, which was also the case in Yemen that had to cut its budget in half. The international community must cooperate and present its efforts in order to coordinate efforts to fight extreme poverty.

HEBA MOSTAFA RIZK (Egypt) said the problems of foreign debt and extreme poverty should be looked at as interlinked since the burden of debt servicing hampered the ability of indebted developing countries to implement their national development and poverty reduction strategies. It was also of high relevance during these times of multiple global crises, including the economic and financial crises, to turn the attention to their impact on the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goal 1 on halving by 2015 the number of those living in extreme poverty. The impact was most acute in the case of African countries (the large majority of which belonged to the category of Least Developed Countries). The two reports before the Council highlighted the relevance and importance of international cooperation and assistance to developing countries in addressing the challenges of foreign debt and extreme poverty. Due attention should be given to the duty of developed countries to cooperate and assist developing countries to mitigate the effects of the economic and financial crises on their societies and on their capacities to achieve their international development targets including Millennium Development Goals.

ENZO BITETTO GAVILANES. (Venezuela) said with regards to the report on human rights and extreme poverty, the greatest priority of the Government of Venezuela was poverty, in particular extreme poverty, and social exclusion was linked to the denial of the most basic human rights, including food and housing. The obstacles impeding the recognition that extreme poverty was a true denial of human rights should be eliminated. The effort to eradicate should be done through international cooperation. The most vulnerable should be helped to attain a decent standard of living and true enjoyment of human rights. Today, according to the most recent figures, extreme poverty in Venezuela was reduced to 8.5 per cent, mainly thanks to a positive effort. Efforts needed to continue to eradicate extreme poverty - the present financial crisis and food crisis were not generated by the people of the world, but they were the main victims thereof. Countries were spending more resources on defence and laws rather than promoting peace and life.

OMAR HILALE (Morocco) said that the report of the Independent Expert on extreme poverty would enrich the Council’s thoughts on the subject. Morocco was active in the field of poverty reduction, $ 100 million had been devoted to an initiative with priority to access to health. Morocco gave great importance to cash transfer programmes to reduce poverty. Cash transfer programmes gave money to poor women, if their children went to school. This programme was trying to reduce school drop-out rates.

SELMA MALIKA HENDEL (Algeria) said with respect to the report of the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty, cash transfer programmes were used by Algeria, as well as a programme of assistance to children and the protection programme for the disabled, which were only three programmes implemented, but all social transfers in the country represented 20 per cent of the State budget. It was better to teach a person to fish than to give them a fish. Subsidies were incompatible for the rights of the people in the country. The global economic and financial crises could not allow a reduction of economic and cultural rights for the individual. With regard to the Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, the conditional imposition of international financial institutions on the debtor poor countries sacrificed human rights.

KATHARINA ROSE, of Public Defender of Ecuador, said it was a national human rights institution in full compliance with the Paris Principles. The new Ecuadorian Constitution was a significant advance by the State in terms of human rights, and was a perfect instrument to encourage national development and overcome poverty and extreme poverty. With a broader framework that was more human than the previous Constitution, different aspects of civil society and the State were working on establishing jurisprudence, including elements necessary for the future of the country. The role played by the Government had allowed Ecuador to stress what had been done over previous years with regards to social inclusion programmes and strengthening protection policies. Contributions to education, health, economic and social inclusion and urban housing development as well as labour had been made. There should be no regression.

DAMIEN PERCY, of International Human Rights Association of American Minorities, in a joint statement with International Association of Schools of Social Work, said that the urgency to eradicate extreme poverty, the world’s most pitiless killer, as stated in a recent United Nations report on extreme poverty and human rights, was even more poignant today given the global economic crisis. Former President Jimmy Carter’s words when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 were also relevant: The citizens of the ten wealthiest countries were now seventy times richer than the citizens of the ten poorest ones and the separation was increasing every year, not only between nations, but within them. The result of this disparity were root causes of most of the worlds unresolved problems, including starvation, illiteracy, environmental degradation, violent conflict, and unnecessary illness that ranged from Guinea worm to HIV/AIDS.

JACQUELINE DYNAN, of Franciscans International, fully supported the pragmatic and action-oriented approach the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty chose to take in her report. This practical approach would contribute to the realization of the rights of persons living in extreme poverty, and Franciscans International encouraged her to continue her good work. What measures could be recommended in order to better integrate human rights principles and standards throughout the design, implementation and evaluation of cash transfer programmes? Would it be advisable for example to include systematically national human rights institutions in this process? To what extent could the meaningful participation of persons living in extreme poverty and civil society organizations, contribute to such a human rights based approach? At the international level, would the Independent Expert be available for consultation by States in the process of designing or evaluating such programmes?

MALIK OZDEN, of Europe-Third World Centre, in a joint statement with Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples; Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; and African Association of Education for Development, said the drafting of guiding principles on foreign debt and human rights should continue. The co-responsibility of creditors and illegitimate debt should be determined - with regards to the last, this was an important issue. It was urgent to carry out debt audits at the world level, and the United Nations was the appropriate institution to establish the modalities and provide support for these audits which should make it clear which parts of the debt was legitimate and which part not, and on this basis each country could negotiate the cancellation of even part of their debts. Creditor States should stop establishing obstacles to the efforts carried out by the Independent Expert in the exercise of his mandate and admit that the current financial crisis and lack of rules were also affecting their own populations, who were victims of the situation as well. These States should cooperate with the United Nations and establish a fair, democratic and equal international order in order to ensure the enjoyment of human rights by all.

ISABELLE HEYER, of Colombian Commission of Jurists, said that human rights principles should guide the drawing up and implementation and assessment of cash transfer programmes as strategies to overcome extreme poverty. The organization agreed to the need of the assessment of these programmes. The enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights was related to extreme poverty. The present Government of Colombia had a programme that was called family in action which was a conditioned programme. This programme covered more than 1,8 million families and their members. Family in action simply handed over cash without empowering those that were entitled to the money and did not allow overcoming poverty. Public policies should be designed to overcome more effectively poverty in Colombia and all over the world.

LILY AUROVILLIAN, of North South XXI, strongly supported and welcomed the reports of the Independent Experts. North South XXI called the special attention of these two experts to the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development to be held from 24 to 26 June 2009 in New York. This conference would consider issues related to the mandates of both of these two experts mandates. Therefore, North South XXI urged these two mandate holders to encourage Governments, especially those from Africa, to be represented at the highest levels at this meeting. Both Independent Experts were urged to have special attention for how the matters falling under their mandate related to the larger issues of the world’s financial institutions and practices.

WOUTER VAN GINNEKEN, of International Movement ATD Fourth World, said the report on extreme poverty discussed the choice between conditional and unconditional cash transfer programmes. People living in extreme poverty could not always comply with the conditionalities attached to these cash transfers - if conditions were imposed, it was most important that people living in extreme poverty fully participated in the design and implementation of such conditionalities. Everyone on the planet should be able to enjoy all economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights. To this end, all those whose rights remained unfulfilled because of poverty should be identified, and there should be monitoring and evaluation of programmes aimed at filling these gaps. The ongoing work on the draft guidelines on extreme poverty and human rights were therefore fully supported, as they would provide valuable insights into the best ways to move forward in this area.

LAZARO PARY, of Indian Movement “Tupaj Amaru”, asked the Independent Expert some questions. In the report, the organization did not see a cause effect analysis. There was no analysis in terms of globalization or the present crisis they were living in. The representative did not understand why the Expert thought that the Millennium Development Goals could not been reached. Why did the Washington Consensus not grant the right to food? How did the Expert explain that the rich countries had declared war on poor countries but not on poverty. Poverty was a political issue.

ABDEL WAHAB HANI, of Arab Commission for Human Rights, thanked the Independent Expert on the effect of foreign debt on human rights for the high quality and substantive reports, however regretted the fact that the reports were not available in Arabic. The Arab world was suffering the consequences of foreign debt. An international regulating mechanism should be established to set a ceiling on the amount of debt to be paid out from the national budgets. The Arab Commission for Human Rights supported the recommendations, and in particular on the incorporation of cash transfer programmes in social protection systems. Importance should be given to the most vulnerable sectors of societies, in particular those persons held in detention. Tangible and measures should be highlighted in a shared responsibility between the donors and the receiving countries.

Concluding Remarks by the Independent Experts

Cephas Lumina, Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, in concluding comments on the interactive dialogue, said that debt could contribute to development, but it was necessary to recognise that it could also be an obstacle. Current debt relief initiatives had delivered some success, but it was questionable as to whether they were durable successes. Current responses to requests for debt relief relied largely on the largesse of creditors, rather than on an international system. With regards to the framework, Mr. Lumina hoped to work closely with the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development in this regard, and ascertain the state of the debate on the subject, and would present his conclusions to the General Assembly later in the year. In the meantime, States should devise a voluntary basis for standards on which to determine the treatment of debt which could be identified as illegitimate, as the international community could not wait to reach an agreement, as the debt problem was a crisis which needed to be dealt with.

The pre-eminence of the obligations incumbent upon Member States and the United Nations specialised agencies could not be ignored in this regard. Some work was already being done to ensure that responsible lending practices were being followed. The two foremost financial institutions had been created at a time when the human rights framework was almost nonexistent, and they had been overtaken by developments, and they should be overseen to ensure that they followed the right methodological procedure.

MARIA AMGDALENA SEPULVEDA CARMONA, Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, stressed the importance of international cooperation. It was crucial, particularly for the least developed countries, in order to comply with their obligations under international human rights law. Some studies had shown that a universal social system could be limited to 5 per cent of GDP. There were also several other measures that a developing State must take in order to fight extreme poverty, such as fiscal policies, improving efficiency of social programmes and fighting corruption. Regarding civil and political rights, the Independent Expert said that a cash transfer programme, if it was badly designed, could affect civil and political rights, particularly if it was manipulated politically. Regarding access to information, the Independent Expert said that she would work with various special procedures in order to identify best practices.


For use of the information media; not an official record

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