“Many governments in good faith are trying to alleviate, eradicate poverty by using mechanisms, public programs, cash transfer systems that seek to protect people from extreme destitution, but without recognizing that these people have rights that they may claim against public authorities. Although these schemes may be well intended, they will be less effective if not grounded in human rights.”
(Prof Olivier De Schutter, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, during opening address)
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Poverty undermines economic and social rights such as the right to health, adequate housing, food and safe water, and the right to education, which are fundamental and indispensable rights for human dignity. A person who lives in poverty faces a range of interdependent deprivations, including inadequate food, precarious housing, unsafe working conditions, limited or no access to education and health care, lack of political power and unequal access to justice and public life. Furthermore, the multiple deprivations linked to poverty are often mutually reinforcing and associated with stigma, insecurity and other human rights-related issues such as discrimination and social exclusion. The concept of poverty is not new, but it is increasingly viewed in political and legal terms and as bringing into play human rights obligations for a broad range of actors, most especially governments.
By inviting various perspectives from Asian and European civil society, government, international organisations and national human rights institutions representatives, the Expert Workshop on ‘A Rights-Based Approached to Poverty Reduction: Experiences and Lessons from Asia and Europe’ brought together shared experiences of the challenges underlying the relationship between human rights and poverty reduction and provided a platform to discuss and debate the progress and existing impediments to operationalising human rights-centric approaches to poverty reduction programmes and policies in the two regions. The workshop, which took place on 9 September 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, was attended by 38 experts from 20 ASEM member countries.
The workshop was addressed by a number of speakers who reflected on the importance of strengthening human rights integration in poverty reduction policies and actions. The event was honoured to have the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and extreme poverty, Olivier DE SCHUTTER deliver the keynote address; with closing reflections from the Thai representative to ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), Emeritus Professor Dr Amara PONGSAPICH, among the experts. The workshop was also privileged to have Mrs Krongkanit RAKCHAROEN, Director-General of the Department of European Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and Mrs Chulamanee CHARTSUWAN, ASEF Governor for Thailand to address the expert attendees.
In the workshop’s three thematic sessions, experts from various sectors and organizations presented their viewpoints and perspectives, which included:
Session 1: Integration of Human Rights in Poverty Reduction Strategy and Measurement
- Ramesh SINGH, Independent Practitioner and Advisor
- Jakob DIRKSEN, Research and Policy Officer, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) (video presentation)
- Nataliya BORODCHUCK, Social Policy Specialist, UNICEF Thailand
Session 2: Poverty Reduction and Those in the Most Vulnerable Situations
- Aye Aye WIN, President, International Committee for October 17
- Paul DALTON, Chief Advisor on Human Rights, Neighbouring Countries and Asia, the Danish Institute of Human Rights
Session 3: Social Protection: A Human Right and Sustainable Development Goal
- Andrea ROSSI, Regional Advisor Social Policy and Economic Analysis, UNICEF, East Asia and Pacific Regional Office
- Channe LINDSTØM-OĞUZHAN, Social Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
The thematic areas were laid out in the Workshop’s Background paper, written by Lead Rapporteur, Dr Hans-Otto SANO, Emeritus, Senior Researcher, the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The other workshop rapporteurs were Dr Manuel BRANCO, Professor, Department of Economics at the School of Social Sciences at the University of Évora and Dr Maria Kristina G. ALINSUNURIN, Associate Professor, Institute for Governance and Rural Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños.
The upcoming Workshop recommendations and findings will be promoted through e-Publication and Outreach activities and shared with ASEM Partners and other relevant stakeholders.
The outcomes will also be incorporated into the upcoming Training on Human Rights and Multidimensional Poverty Measurement, Analysis, and Reduction on 21-23 October 2024 in Oxford, UK.
View the full photo album here.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP AND CO-ORGANISERS
The Workshop is part of the Informal Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Human Rights Seminar series (ASEMHRS), which aims to promote better mutual understanding and co-operation on human rights issues in Asia and Europe. The Seminar series is co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, the Department of the Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
ASEF’s contribution is with the financial support of the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The co-organsisers of the Expert Workshop are grateful for the support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Thailand.
The Workshop is organised as part of the 22nd edition of the ASEMHRS, which focuses on human rights and poverty reduction.
For information on the past ASEMHRS activities, please follow this link.
