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The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Social insurance and social assistance are the two main segments of social protection. "Social insurance" refers to contributory insurance schemes providing pre-specified support for affiliated members. "Social assistance" encompasses initiatives providing both cash and in kind assistance to those living in poverty. Relevant social protection measures addressing the needs of those living in extreme poverty include cash transfer schemes, public-works programmes, school stipends, social pensions, food vouchers and transfers, and user-fee exemptions for health care, education or subsidized services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, several kinds of social protection programmes contribute to income generation and enable recipients to accumulate and protect assets, building their resilience in the face of shocks and increasing their chances of escaping extreme poverty. The additional income that social protection provides through various types of cash or in kind transfers and microcredit schemes enables families and individuals to accumulate savings, engage in long-term planning and invest in productive assets. Increasingly, social protection programmes are also designed to enable households to invest in human capital development, thus preventing poverty from being passed on from one generation to the next.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Efforts to advance a development agenda based on human rights must address State obligations concerning gender equality and women's empowerment. Since several social protection programmes, such as cash or asset transfer schemes, and public-works schemes, explicitly target women, it is often assumed that gender issues are already addressed. Such targeting, however, does not mean that gender dynamics have been adequately taken into account in the design, implementation and evaluation of such programmes. Owing to existing economic, social and cultural inequalities, women face a number of obstacles that affect their ability to benefit from social protection schemes. States must therefore examine and address the roles that power and gender dynamics play in the implementation, sustainability and impact of social programmes. Otherwise, such programmes may increase the vulnerability and inequality of women, and thus fail to comply with human rights standards.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- States have the duty to protect persons against risks and vulnerabilities in an equal and non-discriminatory manner. Human rights obligations go beyond eliminating discrimination in law, policy and practice, and require States to take special measures to protect the most vulnerable segments of society as a matter of priority, while taking measures to progressively ensure universal protection. In this regard, the human rights approach is fundamental in channelling policies related to the Millennium Development Goals towards those who are most vulnerable and suffer most from direct and indirect forms of discrimination. Such channelling is an element missing from the Millennium Development Goal agenda.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Numerous studies demonstrate that specific cash transfer programmes have been effective in working towards target 2 of the Millennium Development Goals: halving the number of persons suffering from hunger by 2015. For example, the Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in India, the initiative "Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction: Targeting the Ultra-Poor" in Bangladesh and the Kalomo District Pilot Social Cash Transfer Scheme in Zambia have all improved nutritional levels. In a wide range of programmes and countries, there is strong evidence of a direct link between income supplementation and food consumption among beneficiary households. A number of countries have noted the possible role of school meal programmes and the distribution of food baskets in the achievement of significant gains towards the fulfilment of target 2.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- This principle is supported by a number of specific human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and association. Participation must go beyond simple consultation. States should create an enabling environment for the effective participation of all vulnerable and disempowered groups, taking into account their constraints as well as asymmetries of power. Participation is also essential to ensure that interventions aimed at the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals are empowering and transformative, rather than the result of technocratic, top-down State policies. There are several programmes into which participatory mechanisms have been incorporated, with varying degrees of success. Brazil's "Bolsa Familia" programme, for example, requires municipal Governments to establish supervisory bodies composed of representatives of both local government and civil society, who jointly make decisions on how best to implement the programme within their community.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- The fact that structural discrimination against women prevails in most societies and the consequent limited influence of women in decision-making processes must be taken into account in all stages of programmes. Gender stereotypes frequently attribute to women the responsibility of caregiving, particularly for children and older persons. While such activities contribute significantly to household and community well-being and development, they often go unrecognized by States and societies. Domestic responsibilities are usually not remunerated, and they often prevent women from gaining access to the formal labour market and limit the opportunities for women and girls to participate in capacity-building activities, including education and training.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- It is widely accepted that the provision of social protection benefits to women significantly improves the education, health and nutritional levels of children. Understandably, this component has been incorporated into many social protection schemes around the world, with very positive consequences. However, the specific channelling of social protection towards women to increase the well-being of other household members must not undermine women's enjoyment of their human rights. The design of programmes should respect and acknowledge the role of women as care providers without reinforcing patterns of gender discrimination and negative stereotyping.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- Evidence also shows the positive impacts of social protection for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. For example, in a number of African countries in which HIV/AIDS is prevalent, universal old-age pensions have significantly improved the lives of AIDS orphans raised by their grandparents. There are also programmes that are testing how financial incentives in the form of cash transfers could have a positive impact in preventing HIV/AIDS (Goal 6). For example, the RESPECT Project, a pilot cash-transfer programme in the United Republic of Tanzania, uses cash as an incentive to reduce risky sexual activity among young people, male and female, who are at high risk for HIV infection and to provide counselling and periodic screening for sexually transmitted infections. The final outcomes of this approach have yet to be seen, and further human rights analyses are required.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Youth
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Qualifying conditions for benefits of targeted schemes must be gender-sensitive, reasonable, objective and transparent. Particular care should be taken to ensure that it is the wealth of the older person him/herself that is assessed and not that of their household. Using household targeting methods for an individual benefit can place older persons in a disadvantageous position because of a lack of studies about household distribution of wealth. While community targeting is a method that can be implemented at reduced costs in many countries, it should also be examined carefully. Indeed, by leaving the decision of who gets the benefit to the discretion of community leaders, community targeting can reinforce power structures and patron-client relations. This can result in creating tensions between beneficiaries and others, further stigmatizing some groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- The principle of equality and non-discrimination also requires States to ensure that social pensions are physically and culturally accessible to all older people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- The living conditions of persons living in extreme poverty clearly impact on their health status throughout their life. Higher incidence of ill-health and premature mortality correlates with socioeconomic factors in all regions of the world. Ageing increases a person's susceptibility to illness and disability, and this phenomenon is further aggravated by poverty as they are less likely to be able to afford health care and more likely to maintain poor nutritional diets. They are also more likely to have engaged in physically demanding work for a living. Therefore, policies must take into account that older persons living in poverty may have a greater need for health care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Several treaties contain specific references to old age. The Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women stipulates "the right to social security, particularly in cases of retirement, unemployment, sickness, invalidity and old age and other incapacity to work" (art. 11). It is also understood that the prohibition of discrimination included in major human rights treaties is understood as non-exhaustive; therefore, even if age is not mentioned specifically as a prohibitive ground for discrimination, it should still be accepted under "other status". The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families specifically identifies age as a prohibited ground for discrimination.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- In 1995, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted a general comment on the rights of older persons, in which it stressed that States needed to adapt their social and economic policies to respond to the needs of ageing populations and should give more consideration to older persons in their human rights monitoring and reporting. The general comment also sheds light on the relationship between the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Vienna International Plan of Action and the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, clearly indicating that both binding and non-binding commitments are linked.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- In 2009, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women established a working group to elaborate a general recommendation on the rights of older women. In its preliminary work, the working group explains that the impact of gender inequalities throughout a woman's lifespan is intensified in old age and often results in unfair resource allocation, maltreatment, abuse, gender-based violence and prevention of access to basic services. The general recommendation will be an important tool for addressing the human rights of older women and the elimination of discrimination they face throughout their lives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- As people grow older, they tend to be progressively excluded from the formal and informal work markets by employers who prioritize a younger workforce. At the same time, they are often not protected by social security systems (addressed below). Without access to work or income, the poorest tend to depend on others for their survival or have to seek less secure sources of income (often begging or undertaking menial work). Research indicates that the older persons who manage to enter and remain in the workforce occupy less attractive jobs, with lower pay than people of prime age.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Traditionally, States have privileged the establishment of contributory pension systems with the objective of achieving universal coverage once the formal sector expanded. Today, with a vast number of workers in the informal sector, this approach must be re-examined. Contributory systems have left the majority of the population unprotected when they reach old age. Estimates indicate that less than 20 per cent of older persons are covered by pensions today and only about 25 per cent of the labour force is currently contributing or accruing pension rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The benefit of social pensions may also reach beyond their direct beneficiaries and assist family members of the older person and any children in their care. In AIDS-affected countries, for example, where older persons are the primary caregivers of children orphaned by AIDS, social pensions may impact positively on child well-being. A study in South Africa found that children living with pensioners are, on average, 5 centimetres taller and that such a pension being given led to an 8 per cent increase in school attendance among those in the poorest percentile of the population.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- Research indicates a possible relationship between social protection and declines in child mortality (Goal 4). For example, by eliminating financial disincentives, cash transfer programmes directed at families with small children have demonstrably increased the number of regular medical check-ups for such children, thus reducing the risk of child mortality. Such programmes have also been effective in increasing the child immunization rates, reducing the incidence of illness and, in extreme cases, premature death. Similarly, food transfers have demonstrably reduced malnutrition among children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Human rights treaties apply to all members of society and as such older persons are clearly entitled to the full range of rights established by them. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights mentions the particular vulnerability of older persons in article 25, which stipulates that "everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including … medical care and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- In order for legal and institutional frameworks to comply with core human rights principles, they should spell out eligibility requirements, provide for mechanisms to ensure transparency and access to information about programmes, define the various roles and responsibilities of all those involved in implementing the programme (e.g. Governments at the national and local levels, international organizations and civil society organizations), and establish accessible complaints mechanisms. Finally, they should set the ground for participation channels for beneficiaries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- Gaining access to judicial and administrative remedies can be costly and time-consuming, and may not adequately address systemic deficiencies within a particular programme. Therefore, accountability mechanisms must be accompanied by measures to ensure access for those living in poverty, such as the provision of legal aid. In addition, States must allow for broader political accountability. This entails guaranteeing civil and political rights such as freedom of assembly and expression, and ensuring space for civil society activism and petitioning of the Government.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- While it is positive that the importance of sustainable development is reflected in the Millennium Development Goals, it is regrettable that they fail to include a specific goal or target related to climate change. This is despite the fact that those living in extreme poverty are affected the most by, yet have contributed the least to, the phenomenon. In addition, Goal 7 (ensure environmental sustainability) is criticized for not appropriately representing the realities of developing countries. For instance, many low- and middle-income countries argue that they cannot afford to focus on renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and instead need to use natural resources to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. While this is a complex issue, the "pollute first, clean up later" approach is clearly not a viable option. For most low-income countries, Goal 7 is not necessarily about cutting emissions, but rather about enabling those in poverty to "manage, control and sustainably develop natural resources". In this regard, social protection programmes can play a considerable role.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- While climate change simultaneously poses massive challenges for human rights and the prospects of those living in extreme poverty, the international and domestic actions required in the context of climate change represent an unparalleled opportunity to overcome poverty, generate new levels of development, further the realization of human rights and build a more stable, balanced and robust global economy. States - particularly the industrialized countries that emit high levels of greenhouse gasses - must provide substantial funding, separate from and additional to pre-existing official development assistance (ODA) commitments, to help developing countries adapt to the inevitable effects of a warming climate.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- Several developing countries face human, technical and financial constraints in establishing robust social protection systems. They require funds in order to first establish and then scale up such programmes. In this sense, social protection provides an excellent opportunity to forge stronger global partnerships. As addressed in previous reports, legally binding obligations and political commitments such as those set out in the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals highlight the shared international responsibility for poverty reduction. International support for social protection measures becomes even more relevant in the context of the global economic crisis and its severe impact on the least developed countries. Unfortunately, the international community is failing to meet its ODA commitments, with negative consequences for the expansion of social protection systems around the world.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- One of the most positive initiatives aimed at strengthening global partnerships in the context of social protection is the Social Protection Floor Initiative, launched in 2009 by the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination. Identifying a number of basic human rights obligations as focal points, the Initiative helps mobilize resources and expertise to assist countries in filling critical gaps in protection. The Initiative could be understood as the minimum set of policies upon which States can build higher standards of protection once national budget capacities have increased. It could be strengthened through the greater incorporation of human rights and the broadening of its scope to all relevant actors at the country level, including civil society organizations and the private sector.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Accepting these principles entails both carefully screening policy choices to prevent the unfair exclusion of disadvantaged and disempowered groups - in particular, persons with disabilities, older persons, indigenous peoples, minorities and persons with HIV/AIDS - and actively seeking out ways to ensure that they are reached. In this regard, social protection programmes must be physically and culturally accessible. This means, for example, that benefits must be distributed within a safe physical distance and that transportation or opportunity costs must be taken into account. Outreach and information regarding programmes must be specifically designed to reach groups that are particularly vulnerable or excluded; examples include radio announcements and community plays aimed at overcoming illiteracy. Information about programmes must be available in the languages of minorities, indigenous peoples and immigrant populations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- Economic shocks affect women and men differently. Owing to discrimination and gender inequality, women are disproportionately represented in the informal economy and thus have less access than men to many social insurance benefits, such as pensions and unemployment and sickness benefits. Even where women are employed in the formal labour market, discrimination often results in lower wages. Moreover, an interrupted work history as a result of care responsibilities, in particular child-rearing, and a longer life expectancy worldwide reduce the ability of women to contribute to social protection schemes and further disadvantage them in old age.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- A human rights framework also demands accountability and redress mechanisms. Policymakers and others whose decisions and actions have a negative impact on the right to social security or the right to an adequate standard of living must be held accountable. Independent and effective judicial and quasi-judicial (such as human rights commissions and ombudspersons) mechanisms must be put in place to monitor the formulation and implementation of social policies. As has already been emphasized, in order to ensure that the more disadvantaged and disempowered can gain access to accountability mechanisms, such mechanisms must meet certain technical requirements, such as guaranteeing confidentiality, allowing for individual and collective complaints, being sufficiently resourced, being independent from political interference, and being culturally appropriate and gender-sensitive.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Social protection can also promote maternal health (Goal 5). For example, social cash transfers, which provide additional income, can be used by beneficiaries to cover health-care and transportation costs. Evaluations of the "Juntos" scheme in Peru, a conditional cash transfer programme, showed an increase of approximately 65 per cent in the number of prenatal and post-natal visits to health clinics and a reduction in the number of home births in areas where there were high levels of maternal mortality. In addition, social funds supporting the development of local health-care infrastructure have been proved effective in reducing infant mortality rates.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- In all types of programmes, it is crucial to ensure that gender-sensitive eligibility criteria are utilized. Some administrative requirements, such as the requirement that identification or birth registration documents be shown in order to qualify for a programme, may exclude women as they are less likely to possess an identity card or to have been registered at birth. Moreover, targeting methods can be dangerous if no attention is paid to local power structures. For example, having community leaders determine who receives benefits (community targeting) can reinforce power structures, local gender norms and patron-client relations, often to the detriment of women, who are less able than men to influence decision-making processes. In some cases, community-targeted programmes have resulted in the further exclusion of already socially marginalized women.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- The review process is also an important opportunity to strengthen the international environment supporting gender equality in a broad sense and women's own voice and agency. Improvements in gender equality achieved through social protection and other, more comprehensive measures are strongly linked to the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger (Millennium Development Goal 1). Calls for the achievement of Millennium Development Goals must be complemented by a renewed commitment to the existing gender-related framework within human rights law, such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Over the next five years, in order to ensure compliance with the Goals as well as with the commitments after 2015, gender-specific issues should be made much more visible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 101
- Paragraph text
- Poverty is not gender-neutral, and any approach to social protection that is aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals while respecting human rights must take account of the fact that women and men experience poverty differently. Numerous studies have shown a positive link between improvement in terms of women's access to health care, education and other social benefits, and economic growth, the reduction of income poverty and overall progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Gender equality is a development objective to which gender-aware social protection can contribute.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- At regional level, there are several provisions recognizing the specific vulnerability of older persons that call on States to implement specific measures to protect the elderly. They also emphasize the right to social security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights stipulates that "the aged and the disabled shall also have the right to special measures of protection in keeping with their physical or moral needs" (art. 18). The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) recognizes the particular vulnerability of older women and requests States to take a number of measures "commensurate with their physical, economic and social needs as well as their access to employment and professional training" and "ensure the right of elderly women to freedom from violence, including sexual abuse" (art. 22).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- The Revised European Social Charter recognizes "the right of elderly persons to social protection" (art. 23). It calls on States to adopt or encourage appropriate measures to: (1) "enable elderly persons to remain full members of society for as long as possible"; (2) "enable elderly persons to choose their lifestyle freely and to lead independent lives in their familiar surroundings for as long as they wish and are able"; and (3) "guarantee elderly persons living in institutions appropriate support, while respecting their privacy, and participation in decisions concerning living conditions in the institutions".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- Several International Labour Organization conventions and declarations also recognize the right to social security, including the Declaration concerning the aims and purposes of the International Labour Organization, to pursue "the extension of social security measures to provide a basic income to all in need of such protection and comprehensive medical care". The main standards are established by Convention No. 102 concerning Minimum Standards of Social Security and Convention No. 128 concerning Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits. Convention No. 102 establishes worldwide-agreed minimum standards for all nine branches of social security: medical care, sickness benefit, unemployment benefit, old-age benefit, employment injury benefit, family benefit, maternity benefit, invalidity benefit and survivors' benefit.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- As a necessary part of a rights-based approach to social pensions, the right to social security must be included in national legal frameworks. The most solid experiences of non-contributory pensions are those grounded in legal instruments that ensure the permanence of these initiatives and give rights-holders the possibility to claim for the protection of their right. Spain, for example, reported that the same legal instrument regulates contributory and non-contributory systems. Brazil has the right to non-contributory pensions enshrined in the Constitution and a law also indicates that the value of pensions must be defined in accordance to a national index for payments.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- A social pension scheme without accountability and redress mechanisms is more likely to be viewed as an instrument of charity that can be manipulated by political actors than part of someone's entitlement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 106
- Paragraph text
- Non-contributory pensions are the only means by which universal pension coverage can be achieved and gender imbalances redressed. However, social pensions must not be regarded as the sole response to old-age poverty. To be effective in the promotion of an adequate standard of living, social pensions can only be one component of a comprehensive social protection strategy that addresses the impact of extreme poverty throughout one person's life cycle and includes measures to ensure older persons access to adequate social services, in particular access to health care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- Wide and informed public participation in the development and implementation of social policies is an essential feature of policies grounded in human rights standards. Participation of the intended beneficiaries is not simply desirable in terms of ownership and sustainability, but is also part of their right to take part in public life which is a core component of human rights instruments. Owing to the asymmetry of power between the beneficiaries and the authorities that administer the programme, beneficiaries are often unable to realize their rights. Promoting meaningful public participation must thus be an essential feature of the design, implementation and evaluation of social pensions. Special attention must also be devoted to ensuring the effective participation of older women and other groups that may be marginalized.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- The financial affordability and sustainability of expanding social pension programmes have immediate implications on the determination of benefit levels. While States should bear in mind the need to expand the coverage of existing schemes, ensuring that the levels of pensions remain adequate for beneficiaries is also a major concern. In this context, the benefits must be high enough to enable older people to enjoy an adequate standard of living and afford the goods and services they require to realize at least the minimum core content of their economic, social and cultural rights. While the cost of schemes can be reduced by increasing the age of eligibility or decreasing the size of the benefit, a balance should be struck between reaching all those in need and providing a benefit that would allow older people a minimum subsistence level.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Accessibility also requires that policymakers assess and take into account any possible discriminatory impact of the manner in which grants or transfers are disbursed. For example, owing to limited mobility (such as that of persons with disabilities and older persons), lack of familiarity with electronic methods of payment (such as through the use of debit cards and mobile phones) and the gender impact (such as when queues are guarded by armed personnel), modes of disbursement could have unintended discriminatory effects.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- In practical terms, States must devise strategies to overcome context-specific cultural and geographical barriers. For instance, some States provide boarding facilities at some primary and secondary schools to encourage children living in remote areas or belonging to nomadic groups to attend school. Likewise, States should develop more specific and disaggregated development indicators so as to tailor their social programmes more precisely and equitably to the needs of particular communities and groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- Rights-based social protection systems can support progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by, inter alia, promoting women's participation in economic activities, increasing their participation in the workforce, providing them with income security in old age and improving nutritional levels and food security, as well as girls' access to education. If women cannot, on an equal basis with men, benefit from development, participate in the labour market and participate in public decision-making, the achievement of the Goals will be seriously compromised.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Gender concerns remain largely ignored, even when social protection schemes specifically target women within households or female-headed households. The channelling of social protection to women may amplify the impacts of certain schemes reaching children or older persons, but it does not ensure that the root causes of gender inequality are adequately addressed. Evidence shows that social protection systems are rarely gender-neutral and that badly designed programmes can exacerbate or contribute to inequalities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- Where there is political will, low-income and middle-income countries can implement social pension programmes. Without detracting from developing States' own obligations, international assistance must also play a role in helping developing countries to progressively realize the right to social security. In those countries where the protection gap is widest, establishing or enhancing non-contributory pensions requires overcoming considerable resource, institutional and technical constraints. International assistance can be critical in this respect.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 105
- Paragraph text
- The traditional reliance of many States on contributory pension systems as the main source of social security in old age has left a significant portion of older persons unprotected. This problem is particularly serious for women as most are not covered by contributory pension schemes although they tend to live longer. Investing in non-contributory pensions can play an important role in empowering older people and contribute to the realization of their human rights, in particular their economic, social and cultural rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- While including wealthier older people in a universal scheme may be a legitimate concern of States in the context of scarce resources, when there is a high level of poverty and low contributory pension coverage, the proportion of non-poor older people covered by the universal pension is likely to be small. Moreover, evidence suggests that attempts to exclude the wealthiest from a social pension may decrease political support, create disincentives to contributing to other pensions systems and even increase the total costs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- Considering limited fiscal resources, in some countries, it could be possible to begin with a universal pension offered at an advanced age (providing adequate level of benefits) and from there slowly extend the programme to include persons of a less advanced age. However, this should be carefully examined. While a high age requirement could reduce costs and help the programme to be implemented immediately and later scaled up, if the age requirement is too high it may be regressive, as it could predominantly benefit the better-off in society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- In accordance with the interpretation of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the right to health must be understood as a right to the enjoyment of a variety of facilities, goods, services and conditions necessary for the realization of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. This includes the obligation of the State to guarantee timely and appropriate access to health care and address underlying determinants of health, such as access to safe and drinkable water or an adequate supply of safe food.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Many studies note the potential of social protection initiatives to promote progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 1, in particular target 1: halving income poverty by 2015. The World Bank estimates that social protection interventions could reduce the total poverty head-count rate by 5 to 10 per cent. Data from national flagship programmes show such results. In Mexico, for example, the PROGRESA programme, a cash transfer scheme, may have led to a 36 per cent decrease in the poverty gap among beneficiaries. Together with an increase in the minimum wage, Brazil identifies the expansion of its cash transfer programme, "Bolsa Familia", as the reason for its having met target 1 ahead of schedule.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- Gender inequality causes and perpetuates poverty. Gender-based discrimination limits women's opportunities to gain access to education, decent work, land ownership, credit, inheritance and other economic resources, thus increasing their likelihood of living in extreme poverty. Other factors, including age, ethnicity, race, disability and health status, compound the discrimination that women face and affect their living conditions. Accordingly, it is widely accepted that improving the situation of women is essential for sustainable development. Eliminating extreme poverty in the long run, therefore, requires careful consideration of the various types of risks and the vulnerability to poverty experienced by men and boys and by women and girls.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- However, the independent expert stresses the need to be cautious in evaluating progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 2 (achieve universal primary education) through targets based solely on enrolment numbers. Whether the detected positive effects on school enrolment translate into substantive gains in education is a question still open for debate. While school enrolment and attendance are necessary, the establishment of additional policies to ensure the availability and adequacy of schools, the high quality of education and the transition from school to the labour market is also essential.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- Donor States must ensure coordination, predictability and a long-term perspective in the provision of assistance. Ensuring sustainability requires the strengthening of the recipient State's capability to eventually implement the programme unassisted. This includes a broad range of measures that can be supported by donor States, such as providing technical support to local and national authorities, building civil society's capacity to monitor the social protection system and hold the Government accountable, and assisting in strengthening the capacity to mobilize domestic resources (such as through more effective tax systems).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Older women are disproportionately disadvantaged: they are marginalized due to their age and tend to be poorer than men. Because of gendered discrimination patterns throughout their life, women are often in a situation where they have accumulated lesser wealth than men. Cultural practices of early marriage and women's longer life expectancy than men worldwide lead to a situation where women are more likely to be widows than men, and being widowed puts older women at higher risk of being poor. In many countries, women have limited access to land and other assets. For example, in India, 60 per cent of older women (compared to 30 per cent of older men) have no valuable assets in their name and research indicates that few female widows can count on family or community support. In urban China, poverty rates are three to four times higher among older women than among older men.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Most older women are excluded from formal social security and health insurance schemes as these are linked to paid, formal-sector employment. In developing countries, the great majority of women work all their lives in the informal sector or unpaid activities. In developed countries too, older women are more likely than men to be poor at old age. On average, in European Union countries, older women have a poverty risk rate of about 22 per cent as compared to 16 per cent for older men. They are less likely to receive a large contributory pension since they are more likely to have stopped work at some point over their lifetime to take on the burden of child rearing and are also more likely to have received lesser wages for their work than men.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- In many parts of the world, the widespread migration of younger generations to the cities challenges the idea that the active generation will support their elders. In the rural regions of many Asian countries, urban migration is causing a substantial decrease of co-residence of older persons with their younger families. The same phenomenon is documented in African countries. Having to rely on their children that have moved nationally or internationally is often a risk for older persons. Often, financial support provided by children becomes irregular and insecure, even though they may still be asked to care for grandchildren.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The overarching goals of the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing include ensuring the full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, and civil and political rights by older persons and the elimination of all forms of violence and discrimination against older persons; achieving gender equality for older persons through inter alia eliminating gender discrimination; and providing quality health care, support and social protection for older persons. The Plan of Action combines a statement of political will with practical recommended actions for States. Given their specificity and level of detail, these are vital tools to guide a State in implementing its political and legal commitments.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- This coverage gap particularly affects those living in extreme poverty. It is in countries with lower GDP per capita and among the least educated that coverage rates of existing contributory social security systems are lowest. Contributory systems cover 85 per cent of the labour force in almost all high-income member States of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), but in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, coverage can fall to below 5 per cent of the workforce. Even middle-income countries of Latin America that had established social security systems covering a significant proportion of the population saw coverage rates declining in the last decades following the liberalization of labour markets.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- In the absence of contributory social security, social assistance and, in particular, the provision of non-contributory pensions to older persons plays a central role in bridging the existing protection gap. Studies conducted in countries that have established non-contributory schemes demonstrate their positive impact on poverty indicators. In OECD countries with good coverage of formal insurance and the longest experience in investing in this type of pension, poverty rates would be significantly higher without non-contributory schemes. The same is true for middle-income countries that have also invested in social pensions during recent decades.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- Despite these obligations and commitments, most Governments are consistently failing to honour their longstanding commitments to reach a target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for official development assistance. Moreover, States have only recently started considering international assistance in relation to social security. Donor countries need to change this approach. Their responsibilities under international human rights law also require them to support and strengthen social security systems, including social pensions worldwide. This will substantially help reduce poverty and ensure compliance with human rights norms over the long term.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- Evidence shows that participatory strategies are often not meaningful as they are often reduced to mere consultation that does not allow for real input from participants into decision-making. Frequently, participation processes are incorporated to social programmes without serious thought being given to the factors that limit older persons' possibilities to take part in public life and influence decisions affecting them, such as physical impairments and sensory losses, local power structures and family relations. Relying on family members or community leaders as the only communication channel with older persons limits their ability to voice personal views and can reinforce their dependency on others.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- While the impacts of social protection programmes vary according to their objectives, their design and their level of implementation, as well as the level of development in the areas where they are implemented, there is strong evidence that such initiatives can significantly contribute to the reduction of extreme poverty and can thus be instrumental to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes often increase demand for education, therefore contributing to the realization of the right to education. Empirical evidence shows a close link between family income and the education of children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- While accessible, high-quality and gender-sensitive health-care services contribute to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6, social protection also contributes, both directly and indirectly, by addressing fundamental economic obstacles that result in health challenges, improving the overall standard of living and promoting the right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- When social protection is implemented within the framework of a gender-sensitive approach (as elaborated below), it enhances the status of women by, inter alia, strengthening their economic power, improving girls' access to education, increasing the participation of women in the workforce and providing them with income security in old age. Anecdotal evidence suggests that, by enabling them to gain control over household resources, some programmes directed at women have improved their social status and their confidence within their families and communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- In any serious policy discussion about the Millennium Development Goals, their links with the gender dynamics of power, poverty and vulnerability must be recognized. A gender-sensitive approach towards the Goals can maximize synergies and help to tackle the root causes of poverty and vulnerability, thus helping to achieve all of the Millennium Development Goals, rather than just Goals 3 and 5. Moreover, the Goals currently have limited gender-sensitive targets and indicators, and must be complemented by States' obligations regarding women's rights under international human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- To be effective social pension programmes must periodically review decisions taken on at least three key elements: (a) the procedures utilized to register beneficiaries (in particular to identify the possible wrongful exclusion of beneficiaries); (b) the implementation of the programme (to monitor all sorts of possible abuses occurring when assistance is provided at the local level, e.g. sexual harassment); and (c) the overall payment procedures (to monitor misappropriation of financial resources throughout the different stages of implementation).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The Committee explicitly notes that States cannot rely solely on contributory systems for old-age pensions, as all individuals will not always be able to secure sufficient means to maintain an adequate standard of living. States must have a non-contributory pension system in place. Therefore, within the limits of available resources, States must provide non-contributory old-age benefits to assist, at the very least, all older persons who, when reaching the retirement age, are not entitled to an old-age insurance-based pension.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- Programmes must be designed to mitigate gender-based power relations and address unequal decision-making powers and roles within both the household and the community. States should, for example, ensure the effective participation of women by establishing sex quotas in the governance structures of programmes. Programmes should take every opportunity to promote gender equality and mobilize women to organize themselves. For example, programme administrators should explore ways in which to make the best possible use of their regular interaction with communities to address prevailing gender inequalities, including identifying women's obstacles and addressing gender-based violence and early marriage. Where community meetings exist, they can be used to address women's time constraints and to mobilize women's groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- At a basic level, social protection has the potential to shield the most vulnerable segments of society from various "shocks". These include personal crises such as lack of income due to unemployment, disability or sickness, as well as crises at the macro level such as economic slowdowns, large-scale structural adjustments or, increasingly, crises due to climate-change-related environmental degradation (including crop failures, flooding and droughts). By transferring resources to those in need, social protection increases consumption, reduces a household's extreme vulnerabilities and prevents further deterioration in living conditions. Evidence suggests that without social protection, there will be, inter alia, an increase in poverty and the prevalence of child labour and HIV/AIDS, higher levels of exclusion from access to health and education, and low access to productive activities. Social protection also helps to keep individuals who live on or close to the poverty line from backsliding into poverty following a sudden loss of income or increase in expenses.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- The duty to implement social protection policies to expand the protection available to persons living in extreme poverty flows directly from a number of human rights, in particular the right to social security and the right to an adequate standard of living, which are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, several international and regional human rights treaties, conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and national constitutions. Ensuring access to social protection is thus not a policy option, but a State obligation under international human rights law. Understood in this way, human rights can greatly contribute to the building of the political support necessary to establish and expand social protection systems.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Conditional cash transfer programmes, in which women are expected to take full responsibility for meeting the conditions attached to programme participation (such as ensuring that children attend school and undergo compulsory medical check-ups) can be of particular concern. By imposing such responsibilities only on women, programmes may perpetuate gender stereotypes, limit women's ability to work and further undermine their well-being. Additional demands on their time may limit women's ability to seek health care (particularly if health-care centres are not easily accessible and childcare is unavailable) or further deprive them of leisure time. In some situations, such requirements can place a woman at risk of violence or abuse within the household for not having ensured compliance and thus having lost the benefit. They can also create scope for abuse by the relevant authorities, such as teaching personnel or health service providers.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- Gender inequality and discrimination patterns greatly affect the equal opportunities of women and men to seek, share and receive information about social protection programmes, participate in decision-making processes and register complaints that can result in local authorities being held accountable. The designing and implementation of participatory channels without taking into account gender relations within the community may reinforce women's dependency on men. For example, women may be present at a community meeting, but gender roles may prevent them from expressing their concerns, especially if male members of the community are present.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes must include accountability mechanisms that are accessible to both men and women. Their design must thus take into account the gender dynamics within the community and the household that may prevent women from voicing or lodging a complaint. Such mechanisms must also take account of the realities of gender-based violence and sexual harassment. Women, for example, might be reluctant to participate in programmes or claim rights and entitlements for fear of violence or abuse from male community members or sexual harassment from a male programme implementer. Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms must also incorporate sex-disaggregated indicators to assess and improve their ability to take into account women's voices.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- The present report stresses the fact that a rights-based approach to social protection programmes will maximize their potential for ensuring the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. This section contains recommendations concerning how to frame the discourse on social protection and the Goals in human rights terms. Social protection interventions based on human rights can ensure that underlying obstacles cutting across all Millennium Development Goals are tackled. As the core of a rights-based social protection system, special attention to the various impacts of poverty on men and women must be provided by policymakers during the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- The establishment of a solid legal and institutional framework for social protection measures at the national level is a fundamental first step towards the realization of human rights as well as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Enshrining social protection within domestic law affirms the duty of States to protect and promote the right to social security and an adequate standard of living. It solidifies States' long-term commitment to poverty reduction, placing social protection firmly on the political agenda. The independent expert has repeatedly emphasized the significance of legal and institutional frameworks in ensuring the long-term success of social protection programmes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- The explicit inclusion of human rights norms, such as the right to social security, in domestic legislation places social protection within a framework of legally binding and enforceable rights and obligations. For example, various State constitutions unambiguously provide for the right to social security. Under such a framework, beneficiaries of social protection become "rights-holders" who can make claims against the State. Similarly, States and development partners become "duty-bearers", responsible for allocating resources to social protection in a manner that reflects human rights principles.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- Legal and institutional frameworks also clarify the various roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders (Governments, development agencies and civil society organizations, as well as beneficiaries). This is an essential requirement for accountability. It also guarantees the involvement of State authorities throughout the development of social protection programmes. Clear and effective legal and institutional frameworks also significantly reduce the risk that political changes will jeopardize existing social protection programmes, which in turn protects beneficiaries from potential violations of their right to social security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- The effects of social protection measures such as cash and in-kind transfers on the health status of persons living in extreme poverty will not be consolidated unless they are accompanied by adequate investment in the provision of health care and the guarantee of access to medicines. Also essential is coordination among various social policies, including coordination between programme managers and health service providers, to ensure adequate, accessible and gender-sensitive health-care services, even in the most remote and vulnerable communities. In addition, States should provide mass immunizations and public health awareness campaigns.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- For example, appropriate social protection programmes could include cash transfers to those who are most vulnerable to climate change risks and have the least adaptive capacity. This could prevent them from using damaging coping mechanisms and help them to build assets and resilience through the development of more climate-resistant livelihoods, livelihood diversification or weather-indexed crop insurance. Properly designed and implemented employment guarantee schemes could be another way in which to build the resilience of vulnerable persons in the face of climate change. Social protection programmes must be among the pillars of the climate change action plans that are increasingly being formulated by Governments.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- States must remove administrative barriers that prevent older people from accessing social pensions, such as requiring identification documents for registration when such documents are costly or may not exist in countries where many people are not registered at birth. Administrative requirements often affect women disproportionately as they are less likely to have identity cards and have been registered at birth. There are alternative ways to assess and record ages based on local knowledge and personal references. Furthermore, the establishment of social pensions can be used as an opportunity to improve data collection and registration.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Ensuring that benefits are distributed within safe physical reach and at a reasonably convenient geographic location is part of ensuring accessibility. Limited physical strength and mobility can be a major obstacle for older persons, thus particular attention should be paid to older persons' opportunities cost in terms of transport, loss of labour or caretaker time. While electronic methods of payment (e.g. debit cards, smart cards and mobile phones) can improve cost efficiency and provide flexibility of access, issues relating to older persons' lack of familiarity with these mechanisms must be taken into account.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Universal pensions require the simplest structure with the lowest administrative costs and therefore are more likely to be successful in achieving their aims. Many developing countries provide universal pensions, such as Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Namibia, Nepal and Samoa. Universal pensions avoid creating disincentives for low-income workers to save for their old age and disincentives for older persons to continue working beyond retirement age. They can also reduce opportunities for corruption, as they are available to all who meet the age requirement and there is no stigma attached.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- If there are strong objections to including wealthy older people in social pensions, there are ways to reduce the benefits to the wealthier beneficiaries. One way is pension-testing that excludes those with other pensions and, if well-designed, should taper the size of the non-contributory pension benefit in line with the income received from contributory pensions. This reduces the disincentive for people to save for retirement. In developing countries where there are inefficient progressive income tax structures, older people on higher incomes can often be dissuaded from collecting the universal pension where the benefit is a relatively small amount. Whatever method is used to identify eligible beneficiaries, it is crucial to have an age eligibility criteria adapted to the specific characteristics of the country.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Implementing an income- or poverty-targeted system introduces exclusion errors because the selection of beneficiaries is a complex and often controversial process. While the State has some mechanisms to minimize this (e.g. cross-checking targeting and re-targeting exercises), which can significantly increase administrative costs, the exclusion of rightful beneficiaries constitutes a violation of their right to social security. Moreover, those excluded are often the most vulnerable, as they will find it most difficult to claim for their inclusion. Targeting can also create perverse results such as encouraging older people to stop working, in order to keep the benefits.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- States must adopt specific measures to ensure access to social pensions by those in most vulnerable conditions, for example, by removing administrative barriers that prevent them from accessing social pensions, such as the lack of documentation. Specific measures are also needed to ensure that benefits are distributed within safe reach and at a convenient geographic location, paying particular attention to physical and mental impairments that affect older persons.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 97
- Paragraph text
- In such contexts, the income security and empowerment that a social pension provides is vital. However, the importance of social pension for women must not absolve States of their duty to take other measures to ensure gender equality and protect women against gender-based violence. In most countries, women's vulnerability to poverty will not change with a social pension alone. Measures such as access to land and economic resources for women, fair inheritance rights and full legal capacity are essential to improve their standard of living.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, registration processes can exacerbate social inequalities. What may appear to be a standard requirement can lead to the exclusion of linguistic minorities or persons with disabilities. Administrative barriers that inadvertently discriminate against those living in extreme poverty - for example, by requiring expensive identification documents, or requiring birth registration documents in areas where many people are not registered at birth - should be removed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- The right to social security is firmly grounded in international human rights law and several treaties contain specific references to old age protection through social security schemes. Further to articles 22 and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it appears in articles 9, 10 and 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 5 (e) (iv) of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, article 11 of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, article 26 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 27 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities mentions the right to social protection (art. 28).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- The proportion of older persons is growing fastest in developing countries. In South East Asia, the percentage of older persons will have increased to 10 per cent by 2025 and 19 per cent by 2050. In South Asia, it is projected that the older population will have increased by 350 million between 2000 and 2050. This is more than five times the increase of 66 million from 1950 to 2000. Older persons constituted less than 7 per cent of the increase in population from 1950 to 2000 but will account for 20 and 62 per cent of the increase from 2000 to 2025 and from 2025 to 2050 respectively. In Africa, the pace of growth of the older persons' population is slower, but nevertheless the number of persons aged 60 or above is set to quadruple: from 47.9 million in 2005 to 206.8 million by 2050. In Latin America and the Caribbean, about 24 per cent of the population will be 60 or over by 2050, with the most rapid growth occurring among the "oldest old", those aged 80 or above. By 2050, there will be more people aged over 60 than under 15 years of age.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- As detailed in the expert's previous reports, social protection is defined as encompassing a wide range of policies designed to address the risks and vulnerabilities of individuals and groups, irrespective of whether they can or cannot work. It seeks to help them cope with, and overcome, situations of poverty, especially when they result from circumstances outside of their control. Social protection systems are generally structured around three important objectives for poverty elimination: (i) facilitating recovery from crises that have led people to become poor; (ii) contributing to the ability of chronically poor people to emerge from poverty; and (iii) supporting the less active poor (such as the elderly, persons with disabilities and children) so that their poverty will not be inherited by the next generation. Governmental entities are the main providers of social protection, but often civil society entities and the private sector also contribute.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- Social protection can be divided in two main segments: social insurance and social assistance. Social insurance refers to all contributory insurance schemes providing pre-specified support for affiliated members in the event of contingencies such as injury, sickness, disability and old age. Social assistance encompasses all initiatives providing both cash and in-kind assistance to those living in poverty; these are often financed by general taxation revenues or external aid. Social pensions consist of cash benefits received by persons above a given age without the requirement of compulsory contributions; they are essential components of social assistance. Contributory and non-contributory schemes should be regarded as complementary and mutually reinforcing aspects of social protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Assessing poverty among older people is a complex exercise, and several factors cause household surveys to underestimate poverty among older persons. For example, there is a lack of understanding of the dynamics of dependency upon different family members. Disaggregated data on this issue is lacking, which leads to a lack of understanding of how income is distributed within a household and of the specific situation of older persons within that household. Measures of old-age poverty that rely on household income ignore the fact that in many multigenerational households resources are allocated disproportionately towards children and those of working age.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- In such circumstances, receiving a social pension can increase access to health care, especially in the long run as it represents a stable and predictable source of income. However, social pensions can only positively affect older persons' enjoyment of the right to health if adequate health-care services are in place. Research shows, however, that public health policies often prioritize younger women and children and lack consideration of the specific needs of older people. Thus, health services are not geared towards fulfilling these needs and there can be significant gaps in the provision of services. This is particularly true about long-term care, for which resources and capacities are limited everywhere.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- In some countries, structural discrimination against women and increased competition for family resources from younger members often means older women lose control of assets once owned by their husbands and are left without a source of income. In extreme cases, they are subjected to accusations of witchcraft. The context in which accusations of witchcraft are made is complex, resulting from deep-seated cultural beliefs, and the need to apportion blame and seek redress for a negative event, such as a death in the family or crop failure and poverty. Nevertheless, the low status of women and their inability to defend themselves makes them the primary targets of such violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Poverty
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 99
- Paragraph text
- States have made a number of public political commitments underlining the shared international responsibility for poverty reduction and the need for a partnership among developed and developing countries against extreme poverty. The commitment to support through international cooperation is also present in human rights treaties such as the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (arts. 2.1 and 11) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 4). The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights further emphasizes "that it is particularly incumbent on States parties and other actors in a position to assist, to provide 'international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical' which enable developing countries to fulfil their core obligations". This is based on the underlying premise that some countries will not be able to achieve the full realization of economic, social and cultural rights if those countries in a position to assist do not actually provide them with assistance.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Difficulties in assessing poverty among older people are particularly problematic from a human rights perspective. They result in weaker knowledge of the specificities of old-age poverty, which most likely leads to policy choices that ignore and possibly exclude older people living in extreme poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- For the purposes of the present report, "social protection" refers to policies and programmes aimed at enabling people to respond to various circumstances and manage levels of risk or deprivation deemed unacceptable by society. The objectives of these schemes are to offset deprivation and ensure protection from, inter alia, the absence or substantial reduction of income from work; insufficient support for families with children or adult dependents; lack of access to health care; general poverty; and social exclusion.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- In addition to avoiding policies that exacerbate gender inequalities, social protection systems should actively promote gender equality and empower women. Policymakers must design, implement, monitor and evaluate social protection initiatives through a gender lens. Programmes should address asymmetries of power and structural inequalities, and enhance the realization of women's rights. They must take into account the multiple forms of discrimination that women experience, and ensure that women's specific needs are addressed throughout their lives: during adolescence, adulthood and old age.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- The outcomes and impacts of social protection systems vary greatly; what has worked well in one context may work differently in another. Given that social protection programmes are implemented in a variety of distinct social, economic, political and cultural contexts, each of which entails different gender roles and perspectives, it is impossible to provide a "one-size-fits-all" policy that will ensure a rights-based approach and gender awareness. However, a number of core gender-related dimensions can be identified.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Before designing and implementing a gender-aware social protection policy, States must conduct a comprehensive and disaggregated gender analysis that assesses the vulnerabilities of both genders as potential beneficiaries. The collection of disaggregated data, in terms of both sex and age, is essential not only for the design of effective social protection systems, but also for the unmasking of the gender dynamics that underpin - and often undermine - the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- Policymakers should invest in capacity-building to ensure that those implementing social programmes at both the national and the local levels are aware of gender issues. In addition, programmes should encourage capacity-building that empowers women to claim their rights. It is also critical that social protection programmes include built-in participation and accountability channels that are accessible to both women and men. Furthermore, gender indicators must be integrated into the monitoring and evaluation of social programmes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- There are many examples of social protection programmes that directly target improvements in the school enrolment of children of beneficiary households by imposing conditionalities (co-responsibilities) related to school attendance and performance rates. Moreover, programmes that lack an explicit focus on schooling can also have a positive impact on the education level of children. For example, research shows that social pensions (non-contributory pensions for older persons) in Brazil, South Africa and Namibia have been used by grandparents to pay their grandchildren's school fees.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- The Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals highlight the shared international responsibility for poverty reduction and the need for a partnership among developed and developing countries against extreme poverty. Numerous legally binding human rights obligations refer to international assistance and cooperation. Additionally, States must ensure that their international assistance and domestic development policies are designed and implemented in ways consistent with their human rights obligations, and further the realization of human rights in the recipient countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- The international community can play a key role in supporting the establishment and scale-up of social protection systems. A number of core common principles can guide donors on how best to ensure and support the long-term sustainability of social security systems in recipient States. The statements of Governments reaffirming their commitment to human rights, gender equality and social protection must be translated into the increased allocation of resources to social protection systems that take into account gender equality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Integrating ageing populations in policymaking is not just a question of financing welfare policies. It requires a change of vision of the relations between generations and the roles of different age groups. States should not rely on the traditional vision that families will take care of older persons that have become dependent, especially as traditional family care structures are under increased pressure as a result of, inter alia, migration and urbanization. States have a duty towards older persons that must not be reduced to a question of affordability.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- In all instances, by protecting vulnerable groups, preventing regression into poverty, promoting income generation and investing in human capital, social protection programmes help to reduce income poverty and hunger. However, such programmes must be supported by sound macroeconomic and fiscal policies in order to ensure their long-term sustainability. Moreover, their effectiveness in the attainment of human development objectives is greater when adequate social services are available.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- Governments must challenge the myth that social pensions are a burden to the economy and the stereotyping of older persons as a burden to development. Indeed, social protection systems may act as economic stabilizers in critical periods and can have positive repercussions on local economies. For example, studies show that in rural areas, old-age pensions have an overall positive impact on the protection of poor rural communities affected by the adverse effects of agriculture reform and encourage local economic activity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Social pensions, however, should be seen as only one component of a broad social protection system designed to tackle the multidimensional aspects of poverty. The focus on older persons should consist of setting basic, non-contributory pensions as one of the pillars of a comprehensive approach that includes measures to ensure access to basic services (especially health services) and eliminate discrimination based on sex.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- In its general comment No. 19 on the right to social security, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights spells out the key features of this right and the content of respective States' obligations. It notes that States parties are obliged to progressively ensure the right to social security to all individuals within their territories, providing specific protection for disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- While targeting mechanisms may be seen as way of reaching the poorest, from a human rights perspective, caution is required. In principle, human rights standards are not compromised by the use of targeted schemes as a form of prioritization of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups within a longer-term strategy of progressively ensuring universal protection. However, targeted schemes must be implemented with the intention of providing widespread coverage.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- The international community has committed itself to addressing the challenges associated with ageing in three documents: the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (1982), the United Nations Principles for Older Persons (1991) and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002). These documents complement the existing human rights and labour standards which establish legally binding obligations upon States.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- The main advantage of targeted pensions is that their overall cost to the State, when compared with universal pensions, is low. In practice, however, the affordability of universal pensions is a political question. Evidence shows that, where there is political will, even low-income developing countries can afford these programmes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- For all the above reasons, it can be concluded that a universal pension scheme is most in keeping with human rights obligations as: (a) it responds to the claim of universality of human rights norms; (b) it complies with the principle of equality and non-discrimination; (c) it reduces opportunities for corruption and manipulation in the selection of beneficiaries which typically excludes the poorest; and (d) reduces possible stigmatization as it is available to all who comply with the age requirement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- Eligibility requirements for social pensions must be provided for in national law and mechanisms must be available to ensure the timely inclusion in the programmes. When adopting a universal scheme, States must put in place rolling registration systems to allow individuals to register as soon as they reach the age requirement. If the scheme is poverty-targeted, the qualifying conditions for benefits must be gender-sensitive, reasonable, objective and transparent.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Cultural accessibility requires that outreach and information on social pensions must be specifically designed to reach excluded segments of society (e.g. radio announcements, talk shows, community plays, etc.). Outreach must also overcome illiteracy and linguistic barriers that may impair the access of older people from minorities, indigenous or migrant communities (e.g. by making information available in languages used by minorities and indigenous peoples).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- A human rights approach emphasizes that transparency and access to information are important safeguards against corruption and means of increasing accessibility and participation. Limited access to information by beneficiaries impedes their access to programmes and their ability to claim their rights. Non-transparent implementation of pension schemes risks perpetuating unequal power relations and increasing the likelihood of mismanagement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- In addition, States must determine whether the way in which a programme channels the transfer causes or perpetuates the unequal distribution of labour between the genders within the household. For example, a programme that increases the amount of time that a mother spends away from home may have a detrimental effect on girls' schooling if girls are then required to carry out the activities usually performed by the mother, such as cooking or collecting water.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Women rely on social services more than men owing to their reproductive and caregiving roles. Thus, if social services remain indifferent to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women, and if economic barriers such as service fees for health and education remain in place, the potential benefits of social protection will be undermined.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- Legal frameworks are of particular importance when States decide to implement small-scale initiatives and pilot projects. States have a duty to ensure that when pilot projects are discontinued, for example, the beneficiaries are protected from negative changes that could lead to income insecurity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Social protection contributes to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 1 (eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) by transferring resources to those living in extreme poverty, enabling the beneficiaries to generate income, protect their assets and accumulate human capital.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Ensuring respect for these principles implies a preference for schemes that are universal. While targeting mechanisms may be seen as a way in which to reach those in extreme poverty, States must remain focused on the ultimate goal. While policies should prioritize the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, in accordance with human rights standards, they must also form part of longer-term strategies to progressively ensure universal coverage.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes must be designed to address imbalances, risks and vulnerabilities, particularly with respect to gaining access to productive resources, education, health and work, as well as in terms of the reproductive and productive role of women. This requires adopting and supporting policies that address the specific gender-based obstacles preventing men and women from participating in social protection programmes on equal terms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes must respect and acknowledge the role played by women as providers of care, without reinforcing patterns of discrimination and negative stereotyping. Measures must be taken to promote the value of care and to combine societal and State responsibilities for care work, encouraging men to participate more actively in supporting and caring for family members.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- While reducing income poverty is an essential first step towards the achievement of other development goals, extreme poverty cannot be defined simply in terms of income, and poverty reduction should not be measured solely on the basis of global targets. Even if Millennium Development Goal 1 is achieved by 2015, it is likely that many of those living in extreme poverty will not be reached. Furthermore, the Goal may increase the incentives for States to focus attention on those most easily reached, namely, individuals living just below the poverty line, rather than those who are most marginalized and in need of help. States should adopt development plans that include precise national benchmarks and targets, fulfilling human rights obligations so as to ensure that those in extreme poverty are reached. Such obligations include those imposed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which requires States parties to take progressive measures to realize fully all economic, social and cultural rights while also ensuring minimum essentials for all. Once again, this illustrates the importance of social protection measures, particularly social assistance measures, in prioritizing those in extreme poverty and in promoting universal protection as soon as resources allow.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- While cash transfers enable families to absorb the costs associated with schooling, other programmes, such as school feeding programmes or initiatives that provide fee waivers or subsidies for low-income families with children, also appear to be associated with higher school attendance levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- In some cases, investment in infrastructure through public-works projects increases access to and the quality of educational facilities. Such projects can take the form of the building of schools or of roads or bridges improving access to them. Several studies demonstrate the contributions of such investments to higher school enrolment rates and to the total number of years of accumulated education in the communities concerned.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Nonetheless, social protection programmes have limits. Many countries pride themselves on having achieved quantifiable improvements in gender equality, especially regarding girls' access to education. For example, the Female Secondary School Assistance Project in Bangladesh, which provides girls with a stipend so that they can attend school, has been recognized as successful in raising enrolment rates for girls. However, States must take care not to limit their efforts to promote gender equality to improving parity between girls' and boys' enrolment rates. While stipends promoting girls' enrolment are important, they must be accompanied by broader measures addressing other concerns of particular importance to women, such as gender-based violence, including harmful traditional practices (for example, female genital mutilation and child marriage). Several countries have expressed frustration at the narrowness of some of the indicators for Millennium Development Goal 3 (promote gender equality and empower women) and have chosen to focus their energies on their own indicators related to gender equality, such as formal workforce participation, wage gaps, political participation and domestic violence. The independent expert believes States should adopt or revise national targets and indicators for all Millennium Development Goals in line with their obligations under human rights law, in order to accelerate their progress in achieving the Goals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Environmental degradation disproportionately affects those living in extreme poverty. Data show that extreme weather events such as storms, droughts and cyclones have particularly severe effects on those living in poverty and pose real and direct threats to their ability to live their lives in dignity. In most cases, they rely on natural resources for their basic means of survival and are less able to prepare for, or adapt to, climate change and its effects.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Considering the vulnerability of older persons, the Committee highlights the fact that States are duty-bound to progressively ensure that everyone is covered by contributory or non-contributory systems. To this end, States parties must develop a national strategy for the full implementation of the right to social security in old age, and allocate adequate fiscal and other resources at the national level.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- Under the Covenant, States are prohibited from deliberately taking any retrogressive measures, including in regard to the right to social security, unless they can prove that they have only been introduced after the most careful consideration of all other alternatives and are duly justified by reference to the totality of the rights stipulated in the Covenant. If necessary, developing countries should seek international cooperation and technical assistance to realize progressively the right to social security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- As argued in the present report, social protection can play a crucial role in facilitating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. However, this cannot be accomplished without a strong emphasis on gender equality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- In view of the effect of gender dynamics on the realization of all the Millennium Development Goals, organizations have suggested that investing in women should be the first strategy for achieving the Goals. The independent expert believes that at the current stage, the achievement of the Goals greatly depends on the strengthening of women's enjoyment of the full range of their human rights, including gender equality and women's empowerment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Women tend to work in sectors greatly affected by economic instability. During economic crises, they are thus often the first to lose their jobs. Furthermore, owing to lower levels of education, less control over productive resources and access to different supportive networks, they have weaker negotiating positions than men and fewer chances of finding other income-generating activities in which to engage.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Targeting requires sophisticated administrative systems that may not be available in many developing countries. Moreover, the more complicated the method of calculation, such as proxy means testing, the more opaque the eligibility criteria become and the harder it is for the intended beneficiaries to scrutinize the process. As the process becomes less transparent, it becomes increasingly difficult for individuals to claim for protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- While increased longevity is a worldwide phenomenon, the elderly population is by no means uniform, and risk factors for poverty are multiple depending on the country and on personal situation. Core factors include: lack of access to regular income and work and health care, declining physical and mental capacities, and dependency within the household.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- Guaranteeing transparency and access to information requires careful consideration with respect to the core components of the non-contributory pensions system, such as: (a) targeting mechanisms; (b) eligibility criteria; (c) benefit levels; (d) existence of complaints and redress mechanisms. Individuals and organizations should have the right to seek, receive and impart information in a clear and transparent manner.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- As people age, they become frailer and their need for health-care services is likely to increase. Such needs incur costs that older persons cannot always cover adequately. For example, when user fees are imposed on health-care services, older persons without a reliable income may not be able to access these services. In these contexts, many may fall into a vicious cycle where poor health engenders poverty and poverty engenders poor health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Human rights standards emphasize that everyone has the right to an effective remedy when his or her rights have been violated. Policymakers and others whose actions have an impact on the social pension schemes must also be held accountable when their decisions and actions impact negatively on the right to social security of older persons. Moreover, effective accountability mechanisms not only enhance protection for beneficiaries, but also improve the efficiency of social policies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- If they are to contribute to the transformative process envisioned in the context of human rights obligations, social protection programmes and policies must create space for effective and meaningful participation. From a human rights perspective, the effective participation of the beneficiaries is not only desirable in terms of ownership and sustainability, but is in itself a human right: the right to take part in public affairs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- In order to fulfil their human rights obligations States must guarantee transparency and access to information regarding social protection. They must implement programmes in a manner that enables individuals to easily recognize and understand eligibility criteria, the specific benefits that they will receive, and the redress mechanisms provided.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognizes that "everyone has the right to special protection in old age" (art. 17). It also called for States to take the necessary steps "to make this right a reality", particularly by providing food and adequate medical services; undertaking work programmes specifically designed for the elderly and establishing social organizations designed to improve the quality of life for the elderly.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- The gender-specific effects of economic shocks are also apparent within households. When such shocks are confronted, gender bias within the household may lead to the allocation of fewer resources (such as food) to women or the selling of female-owned assets as an initial coping strategy. Moreover, during periods of crisis, women disproportionately suffer the impacts of public spending cuts on essential services and incur a heavier load of unpaid work than men.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- In order to ensure that men and women benefit equally from them, social protection systems must address women's life-cycle risks and the impediments to women's access to work and productive activities, as well as the burden of care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- In designing social protection programmes, policymakers must determine whether delivering benefits directly to women could lead to intra-household disputes and increase gender-based violence. Moreover, programmes must ensure that the social services offered are accessible, available and of good quality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- For older persons, financial security and health are closely linked: expenses for health care and medicines account for as much as three quarters of the income of the poorest groups. Under these circumstances, the positive impact of social protection initiatives on older persons' standards of living can be nullified by the burden posed by health-care-related costs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- Social pensions should be planned and implemented in close coordination with other initiatives aimed at ensuring the enjoyment of the right to the highest attainable standard of health by older persons. In fact, providing pensions can be a clear opportunity to further integrate health services into social assistance. For example, in Mexico beneficiaries of cash transfers were given the chance to participate in health prevention and nutrition workshops as well as other social activities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- Non-contributory pensions are the most efficient means of ensuring the right to social security for older women and compensating them for their years of unpaid or inadequately paid work. However, to ensure equal access by women to a social pension, special measures must be implemented to overcome possible barriers to older women caused by structural discrimination, such as lack of access to adequate documentation and identification; difficulties to approach administrations or lack of gender sensitive social services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- Social pensions are also important for addressing the particular vulnerabilities of women. Contributory systems tend to exacerbate gender inequalities: in many countries coverage rates for elderly men are twice those for their female counterparts. Even in countries with broader protection in contributory systems, older women are more likely to receive a lower pension due to a lower level of contributions (see sect. II C).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 107
- Paragraph text
- Keeping in mind important lessons learned in developing and developed countries that invest in non-contributory systems of social security, the recommendations below attempt to summarize the main human rights concerns that States must address when establishing or extending social pensions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 108
- Paragraph text
- States must recognize the human right to social security in domestic law. Non-contributory and contributory pension schemes must be guided by international human rights standards for the right to social security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Extreme weather events caused by climate change can create vicious circles by increasingly forcing persons living in extreme poverty to over-exploit natural resources as a coping mechanism to ensure survival. Any attempt to reduce poverty must be accompanied by efforts to tackle and mitigate the effects of climate change at the country, community and individual levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes can shield the most vulnerable and marginalized from shocks caused by environmental degradation as a result of climate change and help them to adapt and meet their needs without undermining the capacity of the environment to provide for those needs over the long term.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- In order to fully contribute to realizing human rights, social pensions and any other relevant social policy should be designed and implemented in ways that ensure their compliance with core human rights principles and obligations. The following section examines the key human rights components for a social pension scheme that complies with human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- The lack of a strong legal and institutional framework and a long-term strategy can seriously threaten the enjoyment of human rights by the programme's beneficiaries. A well-established legal framework is essential to protect the programme against political manipulation, and guaranteeing the long-term involvement of State authorities in all stages of the programme. It also allows rights-holders to know what their entitlements are, and the criteria for inclusion in and exclusion from the programme.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Once the decision to establish a social pension is taken, States must ensure equal access to it. The principles of equality and non-discrimination require States progressively to ensure universal protection. These principles also require taking special measures to protect the most vulnerable segments of society as a matter of priority.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Universal pensions are also more gender sensitive. In targeted programmes, existing power imbalances within society distort people's ability to access benefits. The structural discrimination of women based on gender stereotypes that prevails in most societies means that they are less able to influence decision-making processes and, as a result, may be excluded from receiving targeted pensions. In universal schemes, access cannot be manipulated to the detriment of women.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, with universal pensions, men and women receive the same level of benefits irrespective of their record in the labour market, thus recognizing the contributions women make in unpaid work such as caregiving. In developing countries, universal pensions may be the only means by which most women can guarantee income in old age. Universal pensions are also crucial to older persons in countries with high HIV rates and migration as many people will call on grandparents (mainly women) to care for children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- There is an urgent need to understand the implications of increasing longevity in the world. The population aged over 60 is expected to rise from 737 million persons in 2009 to over 2 billion in 2050. Those older than 80 years represent the fastest growing segment of all societies. Moreover, older women increasingly outnumber older men as their ages increase.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 114
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure social security schemes are complemented by other social policies, in particular the provision of health care. States must ensure access to adequate health-care services and address other underlying determinants of health, such as access to safe drinking water and food.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 115
- Paragraph text
- Non-contributory pensions are the most efficient way of ensuring protection to older women and compensating them for their years of unpaid or inadequately paid work. States must address the specific challenges affecting older women seeking to benefit from existing social services. States must also take other measures to complement social security measures by ensuring women's equal access to land and resources.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 116
- Paragraph text
- States must enhance international cooperation efforts related to social security. They must devote particular attention to ensuring the sustainability and coordination of the different initiatives supported by international cooperation and their integration within a national system of social security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Households with children headed by older persons and households consisting only of older persons, in particular single women, tend to be more vulnerable to poverty. The occurrence of poverty is particularly high in countries with large migratory trends and in countries hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Single older persons tend to be poorer in both developed and developing countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 101
- Paragraph text
- The international community can play a key role in supporting the initial set-up of social pension systems, in particular in low-income countries, for example, by providing technical and/or material assistance in designing programmes and identifying and registering possible beneficiaries. A number of core common principles can also guide donors on how to best support and ensure the long-term sustainability of social security systems, including social pensions in recipient States.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 103
- Paragraph text
- Ensuring sustainability also requires strengthening the recipient State's capabilities to eventually implement the social pension programme unassisted. This includes a broad range of measures that can be supported by donor States, such as providing technical support to local and national authorities, building civil society's capacity for monitoring the social pension system and holding the Government accountable, and assisting in the implementation of effective tax systems.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 109
- Paragraph text
- States must design social pension schemes progressively to ensure access to social security for all. At the very least, they must provide protection to all older persons who, when reaching the retirement age prescribed in national legislation, have not completed a qualifying period of contributions or are not otherwise entitled to an old-age insurance-based pension and have no other source of income.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 113
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure the meaningful and effective participation of older persons in the design, implementation and monitoring of social pensions. Considering the specific needs of older persons, participation mechanisms must take into account existing power structures within communities and remove particular obstacles for their participation in collective decision-making processes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- The positive contribution of social protection to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals depends in large part on access (both economic and physical) to culturally and gender-sensitive social services of good quality. This requires that policymakers understand and take into account the various challenges faced by women and men in seeking to gain access to social services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Measures to improve participation, transparency and accountability must be culturally, physically and economically accessible to all, without discrimination of any kind. The absence of effective and meaningful participatory channels and accountability mechanisms makes social protection programmes less likely to be understood in terms of entitlements and rights and more likely to be viewed as instruments of clientelism that can be manipulated by political actors.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes should not be restricted only to monetary support. As addressed above, social pensions do not work in isolation - they must be complemented by various services. Older persons are rights-holders who require not only social security support, but a multitude of social services to ensure an adequate standard of living, including in particular access to health care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- Increasing transparency in the overall functioning of social pensions will also increase public support for investments in these policies. Any perception that pensions are not reaching their rightful beneficiaries or lack of trust in the sustainability of pension systems can be used to justify calls for limiting investment in non-contributory pensions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- Social protection systems can help realize a full range of rights. International human rights instruments generally do not use the term "social protection". Instead they establish the right of everyone to "social security, including social insurance". Beyond ensuring the right to social security, States' duty to implement social protection systems also flows from the right to an adequate standard of living and a number of related economic and social rights enshrined in several legally binding human rights treaties.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 112
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure that information on social pensions is widely available and accessible, especially to the poorest segments of society. In particular, information about eligibility criteria, levels of benefits and complaint mechanisms must be accessible to all potential beneficiaries. The legal and institutional framework regulating pension schemes must guarantee the existence of accessible accountability mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- In the sections below, the independent expert describes some of the key issues to be considered in ensuring that social protection policies properly address gender inequalities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- In order to ensure that women's rights are fully respected, social protection programmes must be accompanied by gender-sensitive social services, including sexual and reproductive health care. This requires investment in public services, without which social protection programmes will not be effective. Women and girls, for example, may be prevented from meeting conditionalities imposed by a programme if social services are far away and transportation costs are too high, or if they fear being sexually assaulted while making the trip required. Girls may not attend school if there are no separate sanitation facilities for them or if they are harassed by teachers or other students. Mothers may not bring their children to the hospital owing to discriminatory practices on the part of health-care providers (for example, requesting the consent of the husband) or communication difficulties (for example, women might be expected to demonstrate some form of literacy or might not be able to communicate in their minority language). In the same vein, women may choose not to use clinics for child delivery because of a lack of skilled birth attendants or culturally appropriate birthing methods.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Older women are not only more likely to be poorer than men, but they are also likely to be burdened with caregiving responsibilities for other family members, especially their grandchildren. In some countries, accusations of witchcraft against poor older women are common, revealing worrying discriminative patterns.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Migrants can also be at risk of losing income in their old age. While persons who have migrated to work in their adulthood may have contributed to pension systems where they worked, when they retire and return to their countries of origin they are unable to reap the benefits of their prior contributions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- The HIV/AIDS epidemic impacts on older persons in two ways. First, mostly middle-aged people die from the disease and older persons are more likely to be left without the care and support of their children. Second, they also may become the primary caregivers to their orphaned grandchildren.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 26 million of the 40 million persons living with HIV/AIDS worldwide and is subsequently the region with the highest number of households with a generation gap. In Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, 60 per cent of AIDS orphans live with their grandparents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- Even in developed countries, contributory systems are often inadequate to protect the elderly: often benefits are too low to cover costs of living. Moreover, legislation related to compulsory retirement age can make it impossible for some older persons to find additional sources of income.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Establishing or extending social security systems is more than a policy option or a means for reducing poverty; it is first and foremost a duty of States stemming directly from human rights norms and standards, in particular the right to social security and the right to an adequate standard of living.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Despite some exceptions, States' over-reliance on contributory systems has often led to situations where non-contributory schemes lack a sufficient legislative basis. In several countries, they are implemented through weak institutional and legal arrangements such as presidential decrees or simple operational manuals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- States must comply with the international human rights legal framework when designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating social protection programmes. To be sure, human rights standards do not provide answers to all the challenges faced by policymakers when designing social protection programmes. They do, however, impose legally binding obligations governing the discretion of States. Those obligations not only require States to put social protection systems in place, but also determine the manner in which they do so (obligations related to the process) and the intended results of such systems (obligations related to the outcome). Moreover, rights-based social protection measures help States to fulfil several human rights obligations, including ensuring the enjoyment of the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the right to education, the protection of the family and maternity benefits; the right to fair and equal remuneration for work; and the specific rights of vulnerable groups such as children, older persons and persons with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The elimination of all forms of discrimination, including gender-based discrimination, is an overarching human rights principle that must guide the conduct of States. Given that gender inequality is a cause and a factor that perpetuates it, effective development strategies must take into account State obligations regarding gender equality and the protection of the full range of women's rights. This is made clear in the Beijing Declaration, which affirms that the "[e]radication of poverty based on sustained economic growth, social development, environmental protection and social justice requires the involvement of women in economic and social development, equal opportunities and the full and equal participation of women and men as agents and beneficiaries of people-centred sustainable development".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Compliance with those principles is particularly important in the implementation of social protection systems. This stems from the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, which prohibits any form of discrimination in the fulfilment of all economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to social security, and ensures the equal rights of men and women. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, inter alia, obliges States parties to eliminate or amend policies and practices resulting in unequal access for women to public services such as health care and family benefits. It also highlights the unique challenges faced by working women during pregnancy and maternity and it encourages States to ensure that women have access to various social services that support them as they balance their work and family obligations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- It is widely recognized that social protection interventions do not work in isolation; they must be developed within a broader policy framework, integrating various protective initiatives and ensuring access to essential social services and a favourable economic environment. The present report provides concrete recommendations regarding the core elements of a rights-based social protection system. The adoption of a human rights approach to social protection not only responds to international obligations and commitments, but also improves the effectiveness of such strategies and aligns them with the holistic perspective required to tackle the various dimensions of poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 99
- Paragraph text
- The Millennium Development Goal review process is an opportunity to build and expand social protection systems, translating statements of commitment to the elimination of extreme poverty into reality. Raising awareness of human rights and how individuals can claim them would further contribute to poverty reduction. Human rights, such as the right to social security, an adequate standard of living and decent working conditions, and equality between women and men, are enshrined in numerous international human rights treaties, under which States are obligated to take concrete measures.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes must take into account and address all obstacles preventing women from gaining access to or participating in them. Childcare facilities, for example, appear to be effective in ensuring the participation of women in social protection programmes. Public-works programmes should allow for flexible working hours in order to accommodate domestic responsibilities. In addition, public-works activities could prioritize the promotion of gender-sensitive community assets (for example, facilitation of access to water, sanitation and firewood). In addition, policymakers could assess the feasibility of moving beyond employment-intensive social infrastructure projects to include some activities that might attract women while lessening their burden of unpaid work, such as child or elderly care. In any case, public work programmes must always ensure there are equal wages for men and women.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- The interdependence and the mutually reinforcing nature of human rights demand that States approach social protection holistically. They require that States establish a network of policies and programmes that collectively support the realization of all rights and the highest possible level of development. For example, if States are concerned exclusively with achieving Millennium Development Goal 2, they might opt for policies that will increase the overall number of children in school, but fail to ensure equal access to education. Conversely, if a State recognizes that the objective is not simply to achieve Goal 2, but also to provide for the right of everyone, without discrimination of any kind, to a high-quality education - which, in the longer term, will do more to help overcome poverty - policymakers will need to examine how social protection could better assist in meeting Millennium Development Goal targets in a manner that addresses issues of social inequality and vulnerability.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- Similarly, while social protection interventions such as cash transfers free up financial resources that families can use to improve their health, such gains risk becoming meaningless in the absence of measures to guarantee universal enjoyment of the right to health, such as ensuring the adequacy of health-care infrastructure. The positive interaction among social protection, human rights and the Millennium Development Goals is strongest when it forms part of a supporting network of social policies (for example, quality standards for teachers and health-care professionals, infrastructure development and public awareness campaigns related to health and education).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- Social protection is not a policy panacea and must be regarded as one element in a broad development strategy aimed at overcoming poverty and ensuring the enjoyment of human rights, including equality between men and women. It should be developed in coordination with other policies addressing the various factors causing or perpetuating gender inequality. In most countries, women's vulnerability to poverty would not change with social protection alone. Measures such as ensuring for women access to land, productive resources and credit; fair inheritance rights; full legal capacity; access to justice; and the removal of mobility restrictions are critical to effective development strategies. Moreover, the protection of women and girls from acts of violence against them, and the prevention and punishment of such acts, are essential for improving their standard of living. In this regard, national legislation must be in line with international human rights standards, in particular the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- There are essentially two types of non-contributory pensions: (a) universal schemes that ensure that every individual above a given age is entitled to receive pensions; and (b) targeted schemes that are intended to select beneficiaries on the basis of their income or poverty level and their age. To this end, several instruments could be used, such as means testing, proxy means testing, community targeting and/or geographical targeting. There are many experiences of both types of pensions around the world, but evidence described below reveals significant advantages of universal schemes in reducing poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 102
- Paragraph text
- The effective management of social pensions requires a long-term view for the sustainability of these initiatives. Donor States must ensure a long-term perspective and predictability in providing assistance. Coordination within the international donor community is also crucial. When providing assistance for different social protection schemes, donors must ensure that their initiatives are well coordinated. A short-sighted, fragmented approach with little coordination can contribute to a proliferation of projects, which in time could hinder the establishment of a social security system sustainable in the long term with broad coverage.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Ensuring that everyone has a channel to complain can be a critical element to ensuring that power imbalances - often prevalent at local levels - are not perpetuated. For complaints mechanisms to play a meaningful role, they need to meet certain technical standards, such as: guaranteeing anonymity; allowing for individual and collective complaints; as well as being sufficiently resourced and culturally appropriate. Additionally, there must be independent and effective judicial and quasi-judicial (e.g. ombudsperson) mechanisms in place to monitor the general formulation and implementation of social policies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- In many societies, younger generations are prioritized and social protection schemes might also reflect this focus unless specific attention is given to older persons' concerns when defining collective priorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Youth
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Several studies indicate a strong positive correlation between a family's vulnerability to economic shocks and a child's early entry into the labour market and reduced school attendance. A family that experiences a severe shock, for example, may have to remove a child from school in order to send him or her to work. Evidence from Latin America suggests that greater family access to risk management instruments, such as unemployment benefits or disability benefits, directly reduces the prevalence of child labour.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- Participation should be understood in a broad sense. It should include not only beneficiaries, but also civil society organizations that can play a role in advocating for the rights of older persons. Indeed, participatory processes are important to mobilize public understanding of and support for the establishment of social pensions schemes grounded on the recognition of the universal right to social security. In particular, public participation in budget exercises can ensure that public resources are devoted to expanding social security, in particular to the most vulnerable.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Social protection programmes must devote particular attention to intra household dynamics and the inequalities and processes that create them. For example, qualifying conditions for benefits should move beyond the household and address how resources are distributed within it. The use of household targeting methods can put women at a disadvantage by ignoring the fact that women, in particular older women and girls, often receive fewer resources than men and boys, regardless of household income.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The importance of social protection measures in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2010, para. 97
- Paragraph text
- The fact that social protection initiatives worldwide are contributing to the achievement of all Millennium Development Goals is well known and widely accepted. Social protection, in particular social assistance, has the potential to improve the living conditions of those living in extreme poverty and to facilitate their enjoyment of various human rights, in particular the right to an adequate standard of living and to social security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- The rapid ageing of the world population, particularly within developing countries, requires that there be an urgent assessment of the existing policies aimed at protecting older persons. Extreme poverty amongst older persons is a reality in every region of the world today: lack of access to work and income, increased need for health care and dependency within the household are some of the factors that expose older persons to poverty. Unless action is taken, the situation will deteriorate.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Social protection and old age poverty 2010, para. 110
- Paragraph text
- States must prioritize the protection of the most disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups in social security systems. Universal social pensions are in line with human rights standards as they reduce opportunities for the unfair exclusion of potential beneficiaries. When poverty-targeted pension schemes are adopted, States must ensure they are fair, effective and transparent, include safeguards against discrimination and constitute a clear step on the road to universal coverage.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, certain forms of preferential treatment, in the form of affirmative actions for the benefit of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, are not considered discriminatory because they are designed "to diminish or eliminate conditions and attitudes which cause or perpetuate substantive or de facto discrimination", encouraging an equal enjoyment of rights. Therefore, affirmative actions in favour of persons living in poverty directed towards addressing social and economic imbalances are not only permitted, but are compulsory for States under human rights law. There is discrimination only if a difference in treatment has no legitimate aim or if there is not a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed and the aim to be realized.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- A discriminatory intent is not a necessary element of discrimination. Therefore, any measure with the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the equal enjoyment of human rights constitutes a violation of States' human rights obligations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- States have long recognized that poverty is a complex human condition characterized by sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other economic, civil, cultural, political and social rights. Poverty is not an autonomous choice, but rather a multifaceted situation from which it may be difficult, if not impossible, to escape without assistance. Persons living in poverty are not to blame for their situation; accordingly, States must not punish or penalize them for it. Rather, States must adopt wide-reaching measures and policies designed to eliminate the conditions that cause, exacerbate or perpetuate poverty, and ensure the realization of all economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights of those living in poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Penalization policies reflect a serious misunderstanding of the realities of the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable and ignorance of the pervasive discrimination and mutually reinforcing disadvantages that they suffer.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Penalization measures respond to discriminatory stereotypes that assume that persons living in poverty are lazy, irresponsible, indifferent to their children's health and education, dishonest, undeserving and even criminal. Persons living in poverty are often portrayed as authors of their own misfortune, who can remedy their situation by simply "trying harder". These prejudices and stereotypes are often reinforced by biased and sensationalist media reports that particularly target those living in poverty who are victims of multiple forms of discrimination, such as single mothers, ethnic minorities, indigenous people and migrants. Such attitudes are so deeply entrenched that they inform public policies and prevent policymakers from addressing the systemic factors that prevent persons living in poverty from overcoming their situation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 82h
- Paragraph text
- [In this context, the Special Rapporteur wishes to present the following recommendations:] The design and implementation of social benefit systems must comply with human rights norms, including the rights of persons living in poverty to privacy and family life and to take part in the decisions that affect them. Surveillance policies, conditionalities and other requirements must be reviewed to ensure that they do not violate human rights obligations by imposing a disproportionate burden on those living in poverty. When collecting and processing information pertaining to beneficiaries, States shall ensure that they observe internationally accepted standards of privacy and confidentiality, and shall not disseminate such information to other authorities or use it for other purposes without the consent of the beneficiary;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Across developing and developed countries, release on bail pending trial is subject to increasingly stringent and onerous conditions which require individuals to, for example, demonstrate their connections with the community, have a fixed address or permanent employment, report regularly to police or make a cash deposit or post a bond as guarantee. These requirements are impossible for the poorest and most marginalized to meet in the vast majority of cases and, as a result, they are more likely to remain in detention pending a trial. This dramatically increases the likelihood that they will ultimately be convicted: not only does it put them in a vulnerable position whereby they will be more inclined to accept unfair "plea deals" or to make admissions of guilt in order to secure a swifter release, it contributes to the deterioration of the detainees' appearance and demeanour, impedes their ability to liaise with lawyers or obtain character witnesses and causes them to lose their employment or social housing, thereby creating a disincentive for the court to give a suspended or community service sentence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- The economic and social costs of detention and incarceration can be devastating for persons living in poverty. Detention not only means a temporary loss of income, but also often leads to the loss of employment, particularly where individuals are employed in the informal sector. The imposition of a criminal record creates an additional obstacle to finding employment. Detention and incarceration, even for minor non-violent offences, will often result in the temporary or permanent withdrawal of social benefits or the denial of access to social housing, for both the detainee and his or her family.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Often, States invoke grounds of public safety, health or security in an attempt to justify the restriction of human rights through penalization measures. However, human rights law establishes strict requirements for the imposition of limitations on individual rights. Any restriction on the enjoyment of human rights by those living in poverty must comply with several safeguards, including requirements that they be legally established, non discriminatory and proportionate, and have a legitimate aim. The burden falls upon States to prove that a limitation imposed upon the enjoyment of rights by those living in poverty is in conformity with international human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- The ways in which States have sought to respond to the global economic and financial crises have differed markedly across the globe, although some trends in crisis responses were clear. When the crisis first emerged, a large number of States introduced counter-cyclical measures (such as fiscal stimulus packages and social protection interventions) as a means of responding effectively and mitigating some of the most severe effects on the enjoyment of human rights by those living in poverty. While counter-cyclical measures proved to be crucial to protect the poorest, however, the fear is now that a number of States are discontinuing their counter-cyclical policies, retreating from fiscal stimulus plans and adopting fiscal austerity measures that reduce public expenditure, including social protection interventions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Reductions in public expenditure are likely to take the form of decreased spending on social services, which has the potential to significantly undermine the effective and efficient functioning of basic health and education services and social protection systems. These services are crucial for providing minimum essential levels of enjoyment of human rights and to protect the rights of the poorest and most vulnerable members of society. While the human rights framework does not exclude the possibility of States adopting austerity measures, it is clear that, in many instances, these reductions in expenditure could have grave consequences for the enjoyment of human rights, particularly for those living in poverty who continue to suffer from the cumulative effects of the crises.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Human rights do not dictate what policy measures States should take. States have the discretion to select and take policy measures according to their specific economic, social and political circumstances. The choice of policy measures must, however, comply with the State's human rights obligations. Human rights are not a policy option, dispensable during times of economic hardship. While a human rights response does not purport to stipulate a particular economic system or financial measures, it nevertheless provides a clear legal framework for the design and implementation of all policies, including economic and fiscal policy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- The occurrence of economic crises does not exempt States from complying with their human rights commitments, nor does it entitle them to prioritize other issues over the realization of human rights. Rather, it is during crises and their aftermath that the necessity of State conformity with human rights obligations comes into sharp relief. It is precisely when increasing numbers of people are being pushed into extreme poverty and the livelihood of vulnerable groups is being threatened that the protection provided by human rights is most vital. In this regard, it is imperative that social spending and service delivery is adequate to support vulnerable populations and help them overcome the devastating impact of the crises on their enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- The recurrent crises have taken an extremely harsh toll on the access of those living in poverty to food and nutrition, and limited food subsidies may be a blow that many are unable to bear. Policies that limit or eliminate food subsidies would seriously threaten the ability of States to ensure minimum levels of enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for the most vulnerable. These policies may also undermine other efforts to address the effects of the crises through, for example, investments in social protection systems. Higher food costs can have an adverse impact on social protection systems as a result of real losses in the value of cash transfers or income received through social protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- While commodity prices continue to escalate and another food crisis is imminent, from a human rights perspective it is imperative that food subsidy schemes remain intact or be replaced with alternatives policies that ensure food security for those living in poverty. Universal access to food subsidy programmes is the most effective means of reaching the poorest sections of society, but where resources are scarce, targeting may be necessary. If States decide to implement targeted schemes, they should do so within a long-term strategy of progressively ensuring universal protection and in compliance with a human rights framework.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Any form of discrimination, such as that based on sex, race, ethnicity or religion, against workers must be prohibited. Workers' remuneration must be fair, allowing for a decent living for workers and their family. Equal remuneration for work of equal value must also be ensured without discrimination of any kind; in particular, women must enjoy equal pay with men. Special protection for women during pregnancy, and for persons with disabilities, must also be put in place. To ensure the implementation of these obligations, States must regulate labour markets and establish mechanisms to strengthen the accountability of private actors. A greater number of avenues for dialogue between employers and workers, and the opportunity for workers to participate in the design and implementation of employment policies, will further assist States in meeting their human rights obligations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Considering that the majority of people living in poverty earn their livelihoods in the informal sector, under difficult conditions and receive low and irregular wages, policies should prioritize improving their working conditions and extending formal social protection to them. To this end, policymakers should consider encouraging the formalization of informal firms, and specifically of employment relations. These measures have the potential to reduce labour market inequality and to extend the coverage of labour institutions to groups that were previously excluded. States should ensure, however, that such measures are taken without increasing poverty and vulnerability.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- The obligations of non-discrimination and equality oblige States to ensure that employment creation policies benefit all sectors of society equally. Policies that increase the employability (for example, through demand-driven skills development and vocational training) of groups that face specific barriers in their access to employment, such as women, persons with disabilities, young people and indigenous populations, will assist States in fulfilling their human rights obligations. To remove obstacles to employment for women, States should ensure the availability of care services (from the State, the community and the market), the redistribution of paid and unpaid work from a gender perspective and the elimination of all forms of gender discrimination. States are not only obliged to undertake effective legislation to this end, but also to take measures to modify social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- In several countries, the crises have demonstrated a clear need to maximize means of harnessing resources specifically for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights. States should identify additional sources of fiscal space to increase resources for social and economic recovery. From an array of options, States should particularly consider widening the tax base, improving the efficiency of tax collection and reprioritizing expenditures. These types of reforms could help States to achieve a more progressive, equitable and sustainable taxation regime while complying with a human rights framework.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- A human rights approach stipulates that legal and policy measures to strengthen the accountability and transparency of financial systems should be taken. In order for States to meet their duty to protect, the banking sector should be regulated to obligate banking institutions to serve the interests of society by, for example, ensuring access to credit without discrimination, especially those struggling under increased economic burdens. States should ensure adequate means of redress for those adversely affected by the actions taken by financial sector institutions, and adopt regulations that discourage harmful practices by providing for accountability mechanisms that penalize risky behaviours and prosecute perpetrators.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- This section outlines some examples of the consequences of penalization measures for the enjoyment of a number of human rights, in order to demonstrate how such measures have numerous complex and interlinked ramifications for persons living in poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- When they are moved away from urban centres, persons living in poverty become geographically remote from jobs, markets, education and health centres. This is turn restricts their access to city centres, public services and economic resources, and increases their opportunity and transportation costs, creating further barriers to gaining employment. Being distant from city centres also implies exclusion from the facilities and cultural life of urban areas, which further contributes to the feeling of isolation and exclusion that persons living in poverty experience.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- The Independent Expert urges G20 countries to give serious thought to the proposal by France to introduce a financial transaction tax, and welcomes the recent decision to commission an inquiry into the feasibility of implementing such a tax. A global consensus on a financial transaction tax would represent an historic decision to prioritize the most disadvantaged and marginalized and be a valuable means of assisting developing countries to meet obligations to ensure the full realization of all economic, social and cultural rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- The above-mentioned groups have suffered and continue to suffer the cumulative effects of previous crises and are in an increasingly weak and vulnerable situation. They have exhausted their coping mechanisms, such as eating fewer meals, cutting health expenditures, taking their children out of school and increasing working hours in the informal sector, and are left with very limited capacity for resilience. Their situation is further compounded by the current spike in food prices, which is forcing those living in poverty to buy even less expensive and less nutritious food.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Children
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- As a consequence of the discrimination and stigma that they suffer, persons living in poverty often develop fear of and even hostility towards public authorities, and have little confidence in the institutions that should assist them. Too often, they are treated with disrespect or condescension by policymakers, civil servants, social workers, law enforcement officials, teachers and health-care providers, who may fail to recognize and support the efforts that persons living in poverty are making to improve their lives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Discrimination is prohibited on a number of enumerated grounds, including economic and social status as implied in the phrase "other status", which is included as a ground of discrimination in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Penalization measures target individuals because their income, appearance, speech, address or needs identify them as poor. Thus, such measures clearly constitute discrimination on the basis of economic and social status.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Non-discrimination and equality are core elements of the international human rights normative framework. These principles require that those in equal circumstances be treated equally in law and practice. Under human rights law, not every distinction or difference in treatment will amount to discrimination. A distinction is compatible with the principle of equality when it has an objective and reasonable justification; it must pursue a legitimate aim, and there must be a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed and the aim sought. Thus, differential treatment (distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference) of persons living in poverty must comply with the criteria mentioned above in order to be justified under human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- Another condition that is increasingly being adopted by States is the requirement that those who receive unemployment, single parent or disability benefits participate in employment or training programmes. While transferring skills and knowledge required for reintegration into the workforce may be an important objective, often these programmes are implemented in the absence of enabling conditions, such as the provision of childcare facilities, or without consideration of structural barriers such as the realities of the current labour market, characterized by high unemployment and rapidly modernizing industries. Programmes place a heavy emphasis on "graduation" from benefits to employment, without giving due consideration to the actual needs of the beneficiaries and often without providing them with the assistance they need to obtain sustainable, productive and decent work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Children who live or work on the street are particularly vulnerable to penalization measures. Street children lead lives defined by abuse, violence and fear, but because they are stigmatized as criminal or illegitimate they have little recourse to help or redress. Children on the street are exploited, trafficked, forced to perform hazardous work and recruited by armed forces and armed groups, and do not seek the assistance of authorities for fear of further penalization or abuse. In many cases children living in poverty are not registered at birth and as such cannot access basic services including primary education. With nowhere else to turn, they must undertake activities such as street vending, begging or panhandling in order to survive. When these actions are made illegal, they are further forced into dangerous and abusive situations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Surveillance policies often treat beneficiaries like criminals and make them feel guilty, anxious and ashamed. While some mechanisms of control are necessary, they must comply with the requirements of reasonableness and proportionality. For example, evidence shows that the range of control and surveillance mechanisms employed by States in administering social benefits is clearly disproportionate to the prevalence of social benefit fraud. The overpayment of social benefits is often caused by administrative errors on the part of the State, rather than fraud by the beneficiary. Where beneficiaries are responsible for overpayment, it is far more likely to be due to error than to fraud, and when fraud does occur, is it usually opportunistic, low-level fraud with respect to small, subsistence amounts of money. However, policymakers represent social benefit fraud to be a pervasive problem, channelling considerable resources to combat it. Political rhetoric disproportionately focuses on social benefit fraud over taxation fraud, the cost of which is a far greater burden on the State, and use instances of benefit fraud to influence the public discourse on poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- To overcome the impact of economic deprivation and social exclusion, members of such groups require specific initiatives aimed at addressing their vulnerabilities and risks. Those living in poverty are the least equipped to benefit from the measures taken by States to respond to the crises. States must take measures that explicitly address those living in poverty, otherwise recovery measures will not reach them and inequality will become further entrenched. States should not presume that the recovery will simply "trickle down" to the most vulnerable. To ensure an inclusive rights-based recovery, States and the international community must address the specific needs of the poorest and most disadvantaged as a matter of great urgency. Failure to do this will imply lasting harm to those living in poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Penalization measures are often motivated by prejudices and negative stereotypes that ignore the realities of disadvantage and exclusion and fail to recognize the daily struggle of persons living in poverty to overcome the multiple obstacles they face. Poverty is not a lifestyle choice. Homeless persons would prefer safe, affordable, adequate housing to public parks and bus stations. Those struggling to survive on social benefits would rather have secure, regular, well-paying, productive employment than be subject to discrimination and live in constant fear that their entitlements will be taken away. One does not choose to live in poverty, and therefore should not be punished for that situation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Increasingly, States are implementing laws, regulations and practices limiting the behaviour, actions and movements of people in public space, which greatly impede the lives and livelihoods of those living in poverty. These measures vary considerably across and within States, with the common denominator being the penalization of actions and behaviours which are considered "undesirable" or a "nuisance" in public spaces. States justify these measures by classifying the prohibited behaviours as dangerous, conflicting with the demands of public safety or order, disturbing the normal activities for which public spaces are intended, or contrary to the images and preconceptions that authorities want to associate with such places.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- The challenge of recovering from successive crises presents a unique opportunity for States to formulate a transformative vision for the future aimed at the full realization of human rights. In putting human rights at the centre of their response to the crises, States ensure a recovery premised upon equality, inclusiveness and a genuine sense of social cohesion. The human rights framework orients the discussion about recovery away from deficit reduction and towards the reduction of deprivation and the eradication of obstacles to the realization of rights. Human rights do not set standards for growth or economic productivity; rather, they set standards for the quality of living that individuals are able to achieve and the calibre of services that they receive.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- In this respect, women are particularly vulnerable to penalization measures. Due to structural discrimination, women have less representation in structures of power and therefore are disproportionately disadvantaged in their dealings with State authorities and less able to claim their rights. Often penalization measures have a much more onerous impact on women than men, given that women are overrepresented among the poor, have less access to education, employment and economic resources, and assume the principal burden of care and domestic work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- While several external factors affect the availability of domestic resources, such as the provision of official development assistance (ODA) and the role of international trade, compliance with this principle also depends on how the State generates and mobilizes resources to fund compliance with human rights obligations. For example, if a State generates too little revenue or allocates a high proportion of its budget to defence, its ability to provide sufficient levels of public services will be compromised.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Particular attention should be paid to economic justifications for penalization measures. Economic reasons are not only outside the range of limitations permissible under human rights law, they also contradict the reality that the implementation of penalization measures is extremely costly. Penalization measures necessitate greater numbers of law enforcement and public service staff; increase the number of individuals in the penal and criminal justice systems; and require considerable outlays on administrative monitoring procedures, such as means testing and benefit surveillance.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Being excluded from social benefit assistance has an especially harsh effect on women, who make up the majority of social benefit beneficiaries, and who generally hold primary responsibility for the care of children and maintenance of the household. If women are denied access to social benefits, it will generally have implications for the whole family. Furthermore, there is an increased likelihood that women will remain in or return to abusive relationships, or be forced to live in other vulnerable situations, if they are unable to access social benefits.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Considering that detention, incarceration and institutionalization have such extensive and long-lasting negative effects on persons living in poverty, States must only have recourse to deprivation of liberty insofar as it is necessary to meet a pressing societal need, and in a manner proportionate to that need. The poorest and most vulnerable individuals in detention must have equal access to free, fair and efficient court procedures, and must enjoy the same rights to humane conditions and respectful treatment as more affluent segments of society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 82c (iii)
- Paragraph text
- [In this context, the Special Rapporteur wishes to present the following recommendations:] States shall take special measures to protect those living in poverty from the violation of their rights by third parties. To this end, States shall: Ensure that private suppliers of public services, and other non-public entities, do not discriminate against those living in poverty. States shall adopt legislative measures to prevent and punish violations of the rights of persons living in poverty by private entities;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 82i (ii)
- Paragraph text
- [In this context, the Special Rapporteur wishes to present the following recommendations:] States must only have recourse to detention and incarceration when it is necessary to meet a pressing societal need, and in a manner proportionate to that need. States must ensure that arrest or detention does not disproportionately affect those living in poverty. To this end, States shall: Ensure that to the greatest possible extent, bail processes take into account the economic and societal circumstances of persons living in poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- States should only adopt legal and policy measures that are compatible with the sustainability and prosperity of communities in both rural and urban areas. Climate change and environmental degradation will continue to endanger the lives and livelihoods of the poorest and most disadvantaged, many of whom rely on natural resources as a basic means of survival. Activities undertaken by rural populations, such as agriculture, aquaculture, fishery and forestry, are severely exposed to climate change.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- States need to focus efforts on a recovery that can prepare for and mitigate the effect of future climatic crises, through, for example, social protection programmes that provide economic security to individuals most likely to be affected by crises. States should also make human rights impact assessments and risk analyses prior to initiating climate change mitigation or adaptation projects in order to avoid adverse effects on the enjoyment of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- With increasing frequency, States are also penalizing the performance of certain behaviours and actions which are associated with living on the street such as sleeping, sitting, lying, littering, lodging, camping or storing belongings in public spaces; public drunkenness; public urination; or jaywalking. Often these regulations are vaguely worded, allowing law enforcement agencies extensive discretion and enforcement authority, which threatens to violate legal and constitutional safeguards. By making these activities or behaviours illegal, States increase the exposure of persons living in poverty to abuse, harassment, violence, corruption and extortion by both private individuals and law enforcement officials.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- While these regulations are not explicitly addressed towards persons living in poverty, they affect them disproportionately. Owing to their lack of or limited access to housing, persons living in poverty rely more heavily on public spaces for their daily activities. Thus, individuals who have no choice but to live on the street find that daily life-sustaining activities can put them in danger of criminal sanctions. Although these types of measures are ostensibly neutral, studies show that authorities target those living in poverty, particularly homeless persons. This disproportionate application clearly violates the obligation to ensure equality and non-discrimination in the implementation of all laws and policies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- As a means of making cities more "secure" and attractive to investors, developers and more affluent segments of societies, States are increasingly using zoning laws to preference land use which excludes the poorest and most vulnerable, such as gated communities, luxury or high-cost housing, and large sports infrastructure. Authorities are carrying out demolitions of entire neighbourhoods and removing residents for the purpose of "rehabilitating", "renewing" and "preserving" the "historical and cultural heritage" of the city, or to make room for development and infrastructure projects. As a result, these areas become too costly for persons living in poverty to return to, and they are relegated to housing in cheaper, less accessible, badly serviced and geographically remote neighbourhoods. In many cases, persons living in poverty are forcibly evicted without notice, are subject to violence and have their belongings damaged or destroyed. Persons living in poverty are rarely able to access redress and remedies after having been evicted, and are deprived of compensation, restitution and resettlement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- In several countries, the negative impact of these regulations is further exacerbated by laws which make illegal actions to assist those living in the street. In several States, specific legislation limits the actions of civil society organizations or bans the provision of assistance in certain circumstances. For example, in some municipalities, it is illegal to share food with groups of people in downtown parks without a permit, creating a barrier for charities and other organizations that provide food to homeless persons. The criminalization of advocates, activists and civil society organizations violates several human rights such as the freedom of association, expression and assembly, and undermines social cohesion.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Persons living in poverty are also disproportionately subjected to police powers to impose anti-social behaviour and move-on orders, and public safety laws allowing police to "stop and search" individuals. These measures are often wide-reaching and subject to considerable discretion on the part of police officers, who make subjective judgements that do not need to meet a high burden of proof. Overwhelmingly, these regulations are targeted at the marginalized and most vulnerable and the areas and communities in which they live. Of persons living in poverty, those subject to multiple forms of discrimination are even more frequently targeted. These measures respond to and reinforce discriminatory attitudes about the likelihood of persons living in poverty partaking in criminal activity, and perpetuate the stigmatization of poverty. For example, in one country, rules for the use of the capital city metro allow police to remove people who are disturbing other passengers by, inter alia, wearing "filthy clothing".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Onerous conditions are often attached to the receipt of social benefits in order to gain political support and assure the public that only the "deserving" poor are receiving support. For example, some conditional cash transfer programmes in low- and middle-income countries pay cash to heads of households (generally women) in exchange for their commitment to do something in return, such as enrolling children in school and ensuring their attendance, or participating in health programmes. Although these conditions do encourage investment in human capital, they also impose additional burdens on women, whose needs are often ignored in designing the programme. The lack of a serious gender approach may perpetuate gender stereotypes about traditional household roles and responsibilities, and trigger domestic violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- To ensure that beneficiaries comply with conditions and requirements, States often subject them to intensive examinations and intrusive investigations. Social benefit administrators are empowered to interrogate beneficiaries about a wide range of personal issues and to search their homes for evidence of fraudulent activity. Beneficiaries are required to report regularly and disclose excessive amounts of information whenever it is demanded of them. In some countries, they must even submit to mandatory screening for drug use. They must also give their consent to authorities to scrutinize every aspect of their lives and to question their friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Beneficiaries are encouraged to watch each other and report abuses to programme administrators through anonymous channels. These intrusive measures undermine beneficiaries' personal independence, seriously interfere in their right to privacy and family life, make them vulnerable to abuse and harassment, and weaken community solidarity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Violence
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- States often draw on the enumerated permissible limitations to justify the adoption of penalization measures. However, in practice, penalization measures are motivated by a combination of factors. Some measures aim to remove any image of poverty, such as the removal of homeless persons and beggars from urban centres, in order to beautify the city and attract investment and development. Other measures are justified as necessary to reach the "deserving poor", or to satisfy critics of "lenient" social policies and therefore gain political support for an initiative. From a human rights perspective, these justifications require cautious analysis to assess whether or not the penalization measure pursues a legitimate aim under human rights law and is proportionate to that aim. States must not impose more restrictive measures than are required for the achievement of the purpose of the limitation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- Absurdly, regulations that penalize behaviours associated with poverty and homelessness often impose fines that persons living in poverty are unable to pay. The illogical outcome of failure to pay a fine is often the imposition of a further fine, or even a prison sentence. In one country, for example, thousands were imprisoned in a single year because of non-payment of court-ordered fines. The imposition of prison sentences for non-payment of fines on those unable to pay not only represents a considerable waste of State financial and administrative resources, but contributes significantly to perpetuating the social exclusion and economic hardship of persons living in poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Social benefit fraud and non-compliance are strongly condemned by the public and rigorously pursued by authorities. Where fraud is established, it can result in the reduction of the individual's benefit to cover repayment of the defrauded amount, and the commencement of criminal proceedings against the individual. When a beneficiary is convicted of fraud he or she may face a lifetime ban from the social benefit system. If beneficiaries have outstanding warrants they may have their social benefit cut off until the warrant is resolved or they are granted an exemption. These measures are extremely harsh and will have grave consequences for people already struggling with poverty and exclusion, perpetrating the disadvantage which induces them to rely on social benefits to begin with.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- The advanced interconnectedness of the world's economies and markets means that the ramifications of the crises have been far more extensive than any previous comparable economic downturn. Throughout both developing and developed countries, 205 million people are unemployed the highest number of unemployed in history. As a result of the crises, at least 55,000 more children are likely to die each year from 2009 to 2015. The prevalence of children dropping out of school has increased, as boys have been propelled into the workforce and girls given an increased burden of household tasks. By 2009, at least 100 million more people were hungry and undernourished because of the crises, a situation that continues to deteriorate owing to escalating food prices.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- States must devote the maximum available resources to ensure the progressive realization of all economic, social and cultural rights as expeditiously and effectively as possible. In its general comment No. 3, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights stated that this is so even during times of severe resources constraints, whether caused by a process of adjustment, economic recession, or by other factors. This obligation imposes limitations on a State's freedom to allocate available resources. The resources "available" are not only the resources within a State, but also those available from the international community through "international assistance and cooperation". States that do not possess the necessary resources are obliged to "actively seek assistance" to ensure, at the very least, minimum essential levels of enjoyment of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- In the context of recovery from successive crises, this principle obliges States to ensure that any programmes or policies that are integral to delivering essential services (for example, primary education, basic health care and social assistance programmes) are protected, to the greatest extent possible, from reduced expenditure. The duty of the State to prioritize the rights of the poorest and most vulnerable people does not imply that the State may adopt a very narrow approach. States continue to have responsibilities to move as expeditiously and effectively as possible towards the widest possible enjoyment of rights by all, which means maintaining services beyond a basic level.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 82a
- Paragraph text
- [In this context, the Special Rapporteur wishes to present the following recommendations:] States shall take all necessary measures to eliminate all direct and indirect discrimination against persons living in poverty. States must refrain from adopting any law, regulation or practice denying or limiting the access of persons living in poverty to the enjoyment of all their rights, including economic, social and cultural rights. States must review national legislation in order to assess the existence of any discriminatory impact on those living in poverty and shall repeal or amend legislation that has the purpose or effect of impairing the equal enjoyment of rights by those living in poverty;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- There is a strong presumption that deliberately retrogressive measures that affect the level of enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights are in violation of human rights standards. Examples of retrogressive measures might include the adoption of policy or legislation with a direct or collateral negative effect on the enjoyment of rights by individuals, or unjustified reductions in expenditures devoted to implementing public services that are critical for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, such as those which guarantee basic health care, ensure access to primary education, or make available assistance for food and shelter.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Given the clearly disproportionate and devastating effect of the global economic and financial crises on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including children, persons with disabilities, older persons, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and migrants, States must be particularly careful to ensure that recovery measures do not exclude them or exacerbate their situation. Considering that gender inequality is a cause of and a factor that perpetuates poverty, effective recovery policies must take into account State obligations regarding gender equality and the protection of women's full range of rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- At the core of the human rights framework is an overarching requirement that all States take into consideration the principles of participation, transparency and accountability in the design, implementation and evaluation of State policies. Human rights are important not only in the outcome of State policies but also in the process by which they are formulated and implemented. These principles are integral both to ensuring effectiveness in the adopted policy and responding to the obligations of States with regard to the rights to take part in public life, to seek and receive information and to have access to effective remedies in cases of violation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- To ensure an equitable and sustainable recovery from successive crises, States should redouble their efforts to meet long-standing human rights commitments to provide international assistance and cooperation. Acknowledging that many developing countries have a limited financial and institutional ability to respond to the impact of the crises and cannot afford increased public deficits, developed States should not use the crises to justify cuts in development assistance. Increased international aid could help reduce fiscal pressure for many low-income countries. States should therefore take concrete steps to reach the target of 0.7 per cent of GNP in ODA. To ensure that ODA is effective, it should be given under conditions that respect national ownership and be predictable, transparent and harmonized with national priorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- In many cases, the cost of employing reactive penalization measures greatly outweighs the costs that would be incurred in addressing the root causes of poverty and exclusion. If resources dedicated to policing, surveillance and detention were instead invested in addressing the causes of poverty and improving access to public services, including social housing, States could drastically improve the lives of persons living in poverty and ensure that the maximum available resources are dedicated to increasing the levels of enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Expenditure and entitlements must benefit all social groups equally, and exclusions from public funds based on, for example, citizenship or employment status, may violate the requirement for non-discrimination. These principles also require States to identify vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society and to protect them as a matter of priority. States have an obligation to take special and positive measures to diminish or eliminate conditions that cause or help to perpetrate discrimination.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- When limited resources require the adoption of targeted measures to reach the poorest and most disadvantaged members and groups in society, caution is required from a human rights perspective. In principle, human rights standards are not compromised by the use of targeted schemes as a form of prioritization of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. However, States must ensure that targeting mechanisms comply with human rights standards and are utilized only within a longer-term strategy of progressively ensuring universal protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- Human rights standards relating to working conditions require States to ensure just and favourable conditions of work, including safe and healthy working conditions, reasonably limited working hours and paid annual leave. The right to form and join trade union organizations and engage in collective bargaining must be ensured. Workers must have access to a social security system that provides for the broadest possible coverage (such as health care, sickness compensation, old age pensions and compensation for employment-related injuries).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Job-creation initiatives and improvements in working conditions should be complemented by investments in social protection systems, particularly non-contributory benefits and public services, in order to provide comprehensive support for those most affected by the crises while also promoting long-term recovery. The State must ensure that recovery measures do not discriminate against any segment of society, including those who are unable to work or who face greater barriers in their access to employment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- There are several measures that States should take to ensure a gender approach in the design and implementation of recovery measures. For example, States should conduct a comprehensive and disaggregated gender analysis that assesses the vulnerabilities of both genders as potential beneficiaries of social policies, and design responses accordingly. In designing measures, policymakers should consider the impact of the crises on women's domestic (unpaid) and care work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Recovery measures should prioritize investments in education and skill development for women and girls, provide investment in sectors where women make up a considerable proportion of the labour force (such as in export manufacturing) and undertake gender budgeting to ensure that women benefit equally from public investments. Policymakers must design, implement, monitor and evaluate initiatives through a gender lens, so that policies are able to address asymmetries of power and structural inequalities, and enhance the realization of women's rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- When street vendors are harassed or bribed or their wares are destroyed, deep structural inequalities and power imbalances, communication and information barriers and a lack of access to legal representation make it nearly impossible for them to complain to police. In countries where street vending is illegal, individuals are too afraid to report mistreatment or harm to police for fear of being criminalized themselves. This is particularly acute with respect to street vendors who are members of vulnerable groups which face widespread discrimination and have historically had negative relationships with police and authorities, such as women, migrants and ethnic minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- A human rights approach to poverty eradication dictates an active, free, informed and meaningful participation of persons living in poverty at all stages of the design, implementation and monitoring of policies affecting them. Genuine participation should not only be understood as an affirmation of the right of every individual and group to take part in the conduct of public affairs, but also as an instrumental part of the solution to poverty and social exclusion. The empowerment of persons living in poverty through participation is also a means to promote social inclusion and to ensure that public policies are designed to meet the particular needs of the poorest segments of society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- There is a clear trend, across developed and developing countries, towards the privatization and outsourcing of some activities traditionally undertaken by the State. While privatization has the potential to decrease costs, increase efficiency, and therefore improve the provision of services, it may also create significant obstacles to access to public services by the poorest and most vulnerable. When States hand over the administration of welfare systems, health systems, housing facilities and detention centres to private entities which are seeking an economic profit and may not be appropriately supervised and controlled by the State, they put at risk the ability of individuals to access necessary services, and create incentives that might have detrimental effects for persons living in poverty. Without mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency, private entities may prioritize profit over people and are not responsible for their failures.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- States have an unambiguous responsibility to take steps towards the full achievement of economic, social and cultural rights by using the maximum amount of resources available. In the aftermath of the global economic and financial crises, it has become clear that, in many States, efforts to increase resources for recovery through the whole spectrum of available options have been insufficient, thus impeding States' compliance with human rights. Low levels of domestic taxation revenue, in particular, could be a major obstacle to a State's ability to meet obligations to realize economic, social and cultural rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- While raising tax revenue can be an essential part of an effective policy response to the effects of the crises, States should, however, be cognizant of their obligations to implement policies in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination and equality. In this context, the introduction of or an increase in regressive sales taxes or value added taxes may have a disproportionate impact on those who are already experiencing financial difficulties. Regressive taxes may represent an unequal added burden for those living in poverty or experiencing economic hardship, as they constitute a larger percentage of income. The real income of women living in poverty is particularly affected by the introduction of regressive taxes, especially when the introduction of taxes is carried out in conjunction with reductions to expenditure on public services. States must be vigilant in balancing the need to increase taxation revenue with their responsibilities to protect the most vulnerable and prevent further inequality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- In recent years, food subsidies have become a common means of ameliorating the devastating effects of food scarcity and rising commodity prices on those living in poverty. The reduction of taxation on or subsidization of staple foods is aimed at providing immediate relief to those experiencing the most pressing forms of food insecurity. By providing access to a basic form of food security, food subsidies can limit the prevalence of hunger, increase consumption and improve nutrition in recipient households. Food subsidies also contribute to ensuring price stabilization and thus create greater food access for all. To this extent, they are one way in which States can ensure that they meet their obligations regarding the right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Since the global economic and financial crises in the financial markets arose in 2007, they have had a devastating impact on poverty rates and presented a serious threat to the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Their disastrous impact has been amplified by a number of pre-existing social and economic realities: the world had been plagued in preceding years by consecutive fuel and food crises, unemployment was already unacceptably high, a majority of workers were employed in the informal sector, and only 20 per cent of the world's working-age population and their families had effective access to social protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Families
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- While the impact of the crises has differed markedly in each country, all States must take into account their international human rights obligations when designing policy responses. Before implementing any policy measure, States must assess its social impact, including from a gender perspective, and should only adopt policies that are compatible with their international human rights obligations. Cuts in funding to social services that have the greatest impact on the lives of those living in poverty should be a measure of last resort, and should be taken only after serious consideration of all alternative policy options, including how funding to other areas not directly linked with the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights might be otherwise reduced.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- The crises have demonstrated that long-term investments in comprehensive social protection systems are necessary to cushion the impact of crises, reduce poverty and inequality and contribute to economic growth. A comprehensive rights-based social protection system must therefore be the foundation of any transformative recovery from the global economic and financial crises. Strengthening social protection systems now will ensure greater resilience against future crises, while supporting the most vulnerable will help to prevent the transmission of the effects of the crises to future generations. In order to avoid causing permanent and long-lasting detriment to those living in poverty, States should preserve their investments in social protection and take steps to increase investments where possible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights noted that, in adopting retrogressive measures, States must demonstrate that they have been introduced after the most careful consideration of all alternatives and that they are duly justified by reference to the totality of the rights provided for in the Covenant, in the context of the full use of the maximum available resources.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- States should ensure that staff in key Government departments are trained and have the analytical skills to assess the human rights implications of their decisions. States should also put in place coordination mechanisms to ensure communication and information-sharing between Government departments on human rights-related issues.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- Today, States have the opportunity to address the problems in the architecture of the global financial and monetary systems that have been exposed by the crises. The weaknesses of a deregulated free market have been brought into sharp relief in recent years, and States should utilize this moment to meet the challenge of restructuring the global financial system so that it is more equitable and protects against economic shocks with the potential to devastate the lives of the most vulnerable.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- The human rights framework obliges States to take measures to ensure that individuals under their jurisdiction are protected from infringements of their rights by third parties, and to take all available legal or policy measures to prevent third parties from violating economic, social and cultural rights. Accordingly, States should take immediate steps to regulate the actions of banking and financial sector entities under their control, in order to prevent them from violating or infringing upon human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Increasing inequalities and food insecurity, the declining availability of natural resources and unpredictable changes to climate patterns are likely to increase the potential for social unrest throughout the world. Any recovery plan must anticipate these challenges and assume that there will be many more crises to recover from. What is needed, therefore, is human rights-based change that directly addresses the long-term structural barriers to equality and sets the foundations for a sustainable, socially inclusive society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Reducing poverty and promoting social inclusion require not only comprehensive national strategies but also international collective action to ensure equitable international regulatory measures and international assistance and cooperation. Particularly pressing is the need to address widespread food insecurity and rising food prices. Strategies that support rural development, promote sustainable food production and reduce volatility in commodity markets must be a priority for States at both the national and international levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- By creating legal entitlements or social protection guarantees , States ensure that beneficiaries are empowered and become rights-holders. This also ensures the continuity of the programme, protecting it against political manipulation and preventing programmes from being captured by the private sector or local elites. The legal and institutional framework regulating social protection should clearly define the role and responsibilities of all stakeholders and must guarantee the existence of accessible complaint mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- While the creation of jobs is an integral part of any economic recovery, it is vital that States direct their efforts at generating opportunities for sustainable, productive and decent work in which individuals can exercise and realize their human rights. Employment policies must respect the human rights framework. This has broad implications: from protecting workers' rights to adopting policies to ensure equal access to employment by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- The onset of the global economic and financial crises therefore exacerbated deprivations and resulted in inequality and poverty becoming not only more widespread, but more deeply entrenched. According to World Bank estimates, as a result of the crises, an additional 50 million people fell into income poverty (less than $1.25 a day) during 2009 and an estimated 64 million more were living in income poverty by the end of 2010. Around 71 million additional people will remain in extreme poverty until 2020 than otherwise would have.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- These are alarming numbers. What these figures do not show, however, is that those who are enduring the gravest effects of the crises are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society, including women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and migrants. Because of ingrained discrimination and structural disadvantage, vulnerable groups have restricted access to services and social protection, which help to cushion the effects of crises, and they are thus exposed to increased risk during times of economic shock.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 99
- Paragraph text
- In their negotiations and agreements with international financial institutions, States' obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights should be taken into account to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights are not undermined. In the context of responding to the crises, States must take care not to agree to loan conditions that might compromise their ability to meet their obligations regarding the realization of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- A human rights-based recovery from the successive crises must be one in which all segments of society play a significant role. The human rights principles of participation, transparency and accountability require States to create and maintain mechanisms by which individuals can meaningfully and effectively contribute to, provide feedback on and claim redress from policy measures that affect their enjoyment of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- Reductions in the public wage bill will severely impede the delivery of social services. If remuneration to the providers of basic education and health care is reduced, this could have a potentially drastic impact on individuals' ability to easily and effectively have access such services. Limited or decreased staff numbers may hamper the ability of social services to respond to public demand, and the removal of allowances or incentive schemes might have an adverse impact on the efficiency of employees.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- Increasing participation in policymaking allows States to assess more adequately the root causes of deprivation in any given community, the structural challenges to poverty alleviation, the local cultural, ethnic or societal obstacles to successful poverty reduction, and the best means of reaching the most vulnerable. It therefore increases the likelihood that policies will be effective in reaching the poorest members and segments of society and will improve their degree of enjoyment of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Human rights based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a focus on those living in poverty 2011, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- States should look for innovative means of generating financial resources to assist developing countries in taking a human rights response to crises. In this context, States should seriously consider introducing a financial transaction tax. Such a tax would appropriately represent the financial sector's contribution to recovering the costs of the global economic and financial crises and provide a new and necessary resource to be allocated to poverty alleviation and development initiatives, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- In every country, developed or developing, historical social divisions and power structures ensure that the poorest and most excluded are at a constant disadvantage in their relations with State authorities. Asymmetries of power mean that persons living in poverty are unable to claim rights or protest their violation. They may face obstacles in communicating with authorities owing to illiteracy, lack of information or language barriers, a situation which is particularly acute for migrants, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. As a result, they are less likely to know and understand their rights and entitlements or to report infringements and abuses.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- The segregation of the poor from public spaces is further exacerbated by large-scale State and privatized infrastructure projects, particularly those connected with mega-events such as the Olympic Games or football World Cups. During such events, authorities often remove persons living in poverty from urban areas and relocate them in outlying suburbs, often by force, without ensuring alternative housing or access to remedies and compensation, in flagrant violation of their right to adequate housing. For example, in Seoul, preparations for the 2002 football World Cup included the banning of homeless persons from specified places in the city, and during the Olympic Games in 1988 homeless persons were detained in facilities outside the city. Action was also taken to remove or criminalize homeless persons during the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympic Games. The practical effect of such initiatives is to completely displace the poorest and most marginalized and to replace them with infrastructure for which they have no need and which they cannot access, such as hotels, sporting venues and office buildings.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- It is becoming increasingly common for States to impose strict requirements and conditions on access to public services and social benefits. To justify these measures, States point to the need to make efficient use of public resources, improve the accuracy of targeting, avoid dependency, eliminate disincentives to work and deter abuse of the system. While these may be valid concerns, the impact of these measures is often completely disproportionate to the aim they seek to achieve. By imposing excessive requirements and conditions on access to services and benefits, and severe sanctions for non-compliance, States punish, humiliate and undermine the autonomy of persons living in poverty, exacerbating the challenges they face in overcoming their situation. Moreover, beneficiaries are kept in a state of uncertainty about their future and are unable to plan for the long term.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- These measures not only undermine beneficiaries' autonomy and prevent them from making their own choices, they also threaten their enjoyment of a number of human rights, including the right to participate in the decisions that directly affect them and to be free from arbitrary or unlawful State interference in their privacy, family, home or correspondence. Considering that non-compliance with excessive conditions and requirements results in exclusion from social benefits, those entitled to benefits live in constant anxiety and fear that their benefits will be withdrawn and, with them, their primary means of survival. The cumulative impact of living in such circumstances threatens the beneficiaries' right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- In many countries, those entitled to social benefits are required to prove their entitlement by providing excessive amounts of documentation and disclosing irrelevant personal information. This is often a stressful and demeaning process for beneficiaries. Persons living in poverty face several obstacles and costs in gaining access to official documents. Documents may be expensive, and accessing them difficult for individuals who do not have a fixed address or lack proof of identity. This is particularly common in developing countries, where some of the most vulnerable and excluded people, particularly women and ethnic minorities, are not registered at birth. Obtaining documents also requires additional interactions with public officials who often lack sufficient understanding of the specific needs and circumstances of persons living in poverty. Anecdotal evidence shows that social benefit administrators are often inconsiderate or unsympathetic towards beneficiaries, who in addition to bureaucratic hurdles must overcome gaps in education, literacy and communication when seeking to comply with often complex and opaque requirements.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph