UN poverty expert to visit Ecuador

GENEVA (24 August 2023) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, will conduct an official visit to Ecuador from 28 August to 8 September to examine poverty in the country.

“Coming in the midst of presidential and legislative elections, my visit offers an opportunity to provide Ecuador’s next government with an independent assessment of poverty and recommendations on what can be done to eradicate it,” De Schutter said.

During his two-week visit, the UN expert will travel to Quito, Valle del Chota, Puyo and Chimborazo, meeting with individuals and communities living in poverty, national and local government officials, human rights defenders and representatives from civil society.

He will pay particular attention to the situation of groups disproportionately affected by poverty including women, children, people with disabilities and older persons, as well as indigenous groups and ethnic minorities.

The expert will present his preliminary observations and recommendations at a press conference on Friday 8 September at 15:00 (local time) at the Swissôtel Quito. Access will be strictly limited to journalists. To register, please contact Mario Naranjo Noboa, Communications and Outreach Officer, (mario.naranjo@un.org).

The Special Rapporteur will present his final report on the visit to the Human Rights Council in June 2024.

ENDS

Mr. Olivier De Schutter (Belgium) has been the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights since May 2020. He was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council and is part of the Special Procedures, the general name of the Council's independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights Country Page: Ecuador