Follow-up to Special Session on the Financial Crisis: Address by Ms. Navanethem Pillay UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

17 September 2009


Mr. President,
Distinguished Members of the Human Rights Council,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Last February, when the Human Rights Council held its special session on the Impact of the Global Economic and Financial Crises on the Universal Realization and Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights, the global economy was on the verge of collapse, as the crisis swept from country to country. Today, there is growing hope that this emergency has bottomed out at least in the leading world markets. However, for countless poor the effects of recession will be long lasting. According to current projections, more than half of all developing countries could experience an increase in extreme poverty this year.
Consequently, the international community must continue to monitor and address medium and long term effects of the crisis on the most vulnerable.

A human rights perspective allows us to focus our attention on those who are likely to be the most affected by the crisis. The negative impact is disproportionately being felt by the marginalized sectors of the population in many countries where the enjoyment of human rights - including - the right to work, housing, food, health, education and social security is severely curtailed or undermined altogether.

To facilitate this process, my Office has helped to frame the United Nations response to the crisis. Nine Joint Crisis Initiatives were endorsed by the United Nations Chief Executives Board last April. Those initiatives are expected to serve as a strategic framework for bolstering the UN system’s operational response in support of national development strategies addressing vulnerabilities caused or exacerbated by the global financial crisis. OHCHR participates in several of those joint crisis initiatives. Through our active involvement and expertise, my Office aims to ensure that each of these initiatives take human rights into account.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to reiterate that the crisis has presented and is continuing to present serious challenges to human rights. And it is only a human rights perspective that will be able to identify the critical vulnerabilities that are due to multiple forms of discrimination, marginalization and inequality, and that have been exacerbated by the crisis. Government responses to economic hardship that do not seek to address such asymmetries of power and status by leveling the playing field are both shortsighted and unjust.

As recommended by the Human Rights Council, I participated in last June’s General Assembly High Level Conference in New York, on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development, reporting on the deliberations of the Human Rights Council’s special session, so as to mainstream a human rights perspective in the analysis of the global economic and financial crises. I particularly pointed out that human rights principles bring a stronger notion of mutual responsibility into modalities for development cooperation.

In addition, the UN Independent Expert on Extreme Poverty, Ms. Magdalena Sepulveda, and the UN Independent Expert on Foreign Debt, Mr. Cephas Lumina submitted contributions to the General Assembly Conference, as did the Special Rapporteur on Right to Food, Mr. Olivier De Schutter. Ms. Sepulveda stressed that neglecting social protection pushed millions towards poverty during the crisis and urged States to finally set up long-lasting social protection systems. Mr. Lumina called on States to address the indebtedness of low and middle-income countries and support the establishment of an international debt dispute resolution mechanism.

Let me conclude by saying that while States bear the primary responsibility for their own development strategies, all States have a responsibility to create a fair and favorable international environment for development. All development partners thus need to respect and promote fundamental human rights, equity and social inclusion. They must integrate human rights principles and safeguards systematically in their policies and programmes aimed at curbing the negative impact of economic and financial crises.

The ongoing reflection on the causes of the economic crisis should be seen as an opportunity to rectify some of the shortcomings of the international economic architecture that had triggered the downturn to begin with. Above all, it should help to close those gaps in human rights implementation that undermine the dignity and welfare of too many people around the world. It is my hope that an improved economic system will safeguard our hard-won gains in development, human rights and security.

Thank you.