Human Rights Council

Resolution 7/27. Human rights and extreme poverty

The Human Rights Council,

Deeply concerned that extreme poverty persists in all countries of the world,

regardless of their economic, social and cultural situation, and that its extent and

manifestations are particularly severe in developing countries,

Reaffirming in this regard the commitments made at relevant United Nations

conferences, summits, including those made at the World Summit for Social

Development, held in Copenhagen in 1995, and in the United Nations Millennium

Declaration adopted by the General Assembly on 8 September 2000 and the 2005

World Summit Outcome adopted by the Heads of State and Government at the 2005

World Summit,

Takes note of the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human

rights: the rights of the poor annexed to resolution 2006/9 adopted by the Sub-

Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on 24 August 2006,

Recalling its resolution 2/2 of 27 November 2006,

1. Affirms that the fight against extreme poverty must remain a high

priority for the international community;

2. Notes with satisfaction the report of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights on the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty

and human rights: the rights of the poor (A/HRC/7/32);

3. Welcomes the substantial contributions of States, relevant

United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, United Nations treaty

bodies, the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty,

national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations, especially those

in which people in situations of extreme poverty express their views, and other

relevant stakeholders;

4. Invites the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights:

(a) To further consult the above-mentioned relevant stakeholders and

allow them to comment also on the report of the High Commissioner, including

through the organization of a three-day seminar on the draft guiding principles, before

March 2009;

(b) To submit a report to the Council, no later than its last session of 2009,

to allow it to take a decision on the ways forward with a view to a possible adoption

of guiding principles on the rights of persons living in extreme poverty.

41st meeting 28 March 2008

Adopted without a vote.