Activities

2024

The Independent Expert on foreign debt, other international financial obligations and human rights welcomes the World Bank Group's recognition that access to energy is a human right
25 July 2024

Open Letter from the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt – Remittances
23 July 2024

Open Letter from the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt - Timely Payment of Membership Dues
23 July 2024

2023

Letter from the Independent Expert to President of the UN General Assembly
17 July 2023

Letter from the Independent Expert to the New York State Legislature
21 April 2023

2021-22

10 March 2022: Human Rights Council 49th: The Independent Expert joined the “Panel discussion on ensuring equitable, affordable, timely and universal access for all countries to vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic”. (Statement) (Video).

Letter from the Independent Expert to the International Monetary Fund
24 November 2021
and response received (dated 4 February 2022)

2 December 2021: African Economic Conference 2021, Cabo Verde. Participation in side event organized by UNDP “Financing Human Rights and Development: Impact of External Debt and Illicit Financial Flows”. (Presentation).

2020

30 August 2020: Financing for Development in the era of COVID-19 and beyond (video)

20 August 2020: Note on options to consider for a human rights based debt relief during COVID-19 for developing countries

30 April 2020: A farewell message from the former mandate holder

2019

19 November 2019: Event: International Financial Institutions and Human Rights

7 March 2019: Together with six other mandate holders, the Independent Expert sent a letter to UNCITRAL’s Working Group III on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) calling for systemic changes to the ISDS system. The letter addresses concerns for reform and the need to place human rights at the centre of the discussion.

2018

9 August 2018: The Independent Expert participated in a short seminar in Sao Paulo at Pontifícia Universidade Católica (auditorium 100-A). The event was organised by CBDHPE, Conectas, FES, and PUC-SP. Participants can register here.

3 August 2018: The Independent Expert sent a letter to the World Bank about its 2019 draft World Development Report 2019. In the letter, he urged the Bank to recommend labour policies that are aligned with the right to work and related human rights.

3 August 2018: The Independent Expert and six other special procedure mandates, issued a press release urging Brazil to reconsider its austerity programme and to put the human rights of its population at the centre of its economic policies.

18 May 2018: A group of experts sent a joint communication to the Brazilian Government. The letter raised concerns about information and allegations about the negative impacts on several human rights of budget cuts, structural adjustment and austerity measures implemented since 2014. This joint letter was made public 30 July, 2018.

25 May 2018: The Independent Expert submitted an amicus curiae to the OECD National Contact Points of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

2017

3 March 2017: The Independent Expert participated in a side event on labour rights in the context of structural adjustment and austerity policy

2016

5 October 2016: UN experts call for the creation of a global tax monitoring body

10 August 2016: UN experts call for regulating advertising directed at children

14 July 2016: 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa, 13-16 July 2015. Statement Round Table 2 - Statement Round Table 3

9 March 2016: Economic Inequality, Financial Crises and Human Rights side event, Palais des Nations: Flyer

2015

26 October 2015: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) - Comments of Special Procedure mandate holders on the Draft Environmental and Social Framework of the AIIB: Letter / Submission

26 January 2015: The United Nations Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, made a submission to the ad-hoc committee established by General Assembly resolution 69/247 tasked with elaborating through a process of intergovernmental negotiations, a multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes. Submission by the Independent Expert.

2014

5 September 2014: The United Nations Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, sent a letter to the Chairman of the Group of G77 and China, expressing his views on an initiative in the General Assembly to establish an international legal regulatory framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes. In his letter the Independent Expert recalled that the issues of foreign debt, debt relief, debt restructuring, and excessive demands by so-called "vulture funds" have for many years been on the agenda of the Independent Expert and as well subject of resolutions of the Human Rights Council, including its most recent resolutions 20/10 and 23/11. Read the complete submission.

2013

20-21 June 2013: Expert Consultation on the negative impact of non-repatriation of illicit funds on human rights, Geneva