UN poverty expert to visit Colombia

GENEVA (22 August 2024) – The Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, will conduct an official visit to Colombia from 26 August to 4 September to examine the government’s efforts to eradicate poverty in the country.

During his visit, the expert will travel to Bogotá, including Soacha and Ciudad Bolivar, Cali and Buenaventura, gathering first-hand information from individuals and communities living in poverty and meeting with national and local government officials, international organisations, human rights defenders and civil society representatives.

He will pay particular attention to the situation of groups disproportionately affected by poverty including women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, informal workers, young, victims of armed conflict, peasants, and ethnic groups, examining the adequacy of government policies and social protection systems to protect them from poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

The Special Rapporteur will present his preliminary observations and recommendations at a press conference on Wednesday 4 September at 11:00am (local time) at OHCHR headquarters in Colombia: Calle 113 #7ª-45 Torre B, Bogotá. Access will be strictly limited to journalists. To register, please contact Diana Losada: diana.losadacastano@un.org / +57 3212841580.

De Schutter will present his final report on the visit to the Human Rights Council in June 2025.