A/66/265
Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty
and human rights
Summary
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human
rights analyses several laws, regulations and practices that punish, segregate, control
and undermine the autonomy of persons living in poverty. Such measures have been
adopted with increasing frequency over the past three decades, intensifying in recent
years owing to the economic and financial crises, and now represent a serious threat
to the enjoyment of human rights by persons living in poverty.
The ways in which States and social forces penalize those living in poverty are
interconnected and multidimensional, and cannot be analysed in isolation. For the
purpose of this report, the Special Rapporteur identifies the following four areas of
concern: (a) laws, regulations and practices which unduly restrict the performance of
life-sustaining behaviours in public spaces by persons living in poverty; (b) urban
planning regulations and measures related to the gentrification and privatization of
public spaces that disproportionately impact persons living in poverty;
(c) requirements and conditions imposed on access to public services and social
benefits which interfere with the autonomy, privacy and family life of persons living
in poverty; and (d) excessive and arbitrary use of detention and incarceration that
threatens the liberty and personal security of persons living in poverty.
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