Human Rights Council 50th Session
Item 3 - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights JST by the Friends of the Special Rapporteur's mandate delivered by France
President,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a group of States.
Special Rapporteur,
We renew our full support for your mandate. As the international community continues to grapple with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of millions of people could be pushed into extreme poverty this year as a result of the combined effects of the health crisis, the climate crisis, and of the war in Ukraine and its impact on global food and energy markets.
Once again, women, children, and older persons, as well as persons in vulnerable situations, are likely to pay the highest price. States must strengthen their commitments and cooperation if we are to achieve the goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.
A response based solely on economic development is not enough, because situations of extreme poverty can hinder the realization of all human rights, civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural.
Non-take-up of rights, the theme of your report, is in this sense a particularly insidious and devastating phenomenon for the cohesion of our societies. It concerns all countries, whatever their level of development.
It is therefore essential to put in place policies to promote access to rights, to fight all forms of discrimination against persons living in poverty, and to guarantee their consultation and participation in decision-making processes that concern them. Only a human rights-based approach to fighting inequality can break the vicious circle of marginalization and build truly inclusive, just and resilient societies.
I thank you.