A/HRC/17/34
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
17 March 2011
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Seventeenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Independent Expert on the question of human
rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona
Summary
In the present report, the Independent Expert sets out the parameters of a human
rights-based approach to recovery from the global economic and financial crises, with a
particular focus on the most vulnerable and marginalized groups. She urges States to see
recovery from the crises as an opportunity for change, a chance to rectify deeply
ingrained poverty and social exclusion, restore social cohesion and lay the foundations
for more equitable, sustainable societies.
The Independent Expert first identifies the human rights framework that States
must comply with when designing recovery measures. She notes that, while States have
discretion to adopt policy measures according to their own context, human rights are not
dispensable during times of economic hardship, and States must design and implement
all policies according to their human rights obligations.
The Independent Expert analyses a number of recovery measures from a human
rights perspective, highlighting their potential to threaten the enjoyment of economic,
social and cultural rights. She then recommends measures that States should consider
taking to facilitate a human rights-based recovery from the crises. These innovative
measures will assist States in moving as effectively and efficiently as possible towards
the full realization of economic, social and cultural rights. By adopting policies that have
at their heart the realization of human rights, States can ensure a swifter, more
sustainable and inclusive recovery.
GE.11-11872