The Effects of Foreign Debt and Other Related International Financial Obligations of States on the Full Enjoyment of All Human Rights, Particularly Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

A/HRC/RES/40/8No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2019.

What other versions does this mandate have?

9 versions · 2009–2019

2019A/HRC/RES/40/8The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rightsLatestCompare with previous version
2018A/HRC/RES/37/11The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of states on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version
2016A/HRC/RES/31/11The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version
2015A/HRC/RES/28/8The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version
2013A/HRC/RES/23/11The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

9 topics

Debt Relief Economic Policy Economic Reform Economic, Social and Cultural Rights External Debt Human Rights International Cooperation Principles Sustainable Development

What does this mandate say?

18 operative paragraphs

Welcomes the work and contributions of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights;

Takes note with appreciation of the guiding principles on human rights impact assessments of economic reforms, as presented in the most recent report of the Independent Expert, and drafted in consultation with States and other relevant stakeholders;

Encourages Governments, relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, funds and programmes and other intergovernmental organizations to consider taking into account the guiding principles in the formulation and implementation of their economic reform policies and measures, and encourages national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to give due consideration to the guiding principles in their work;

Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to disseminate the guiding principles on human rights impact assessments of economic reforms;

Recalls that every State has the primary responsibility to promote the economic, social and cultural development of its people, and to that end has the right and responsibility to choose its means and goals of development and should not be subject to external specific prescriptions for economic policy;

Recognizes that debt relief can play a key role in liberating resources that should be directed towards activities consistent with attaining sustainable growth and development, including poverty reduction and the achievement of development goals, including those set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and therefore that debt relief measures, where appropriate, should be pursued vigorously and expeditiously, ensuring that they do not replace alternative sources of financing and that they are accompanied by an increase in official development assistance;

Reiterates the call on industrialized countries to implement the enhanced programme of debt relief without further delay and to agree to cancel all the official bilateral debt of those countries covered by the programme in return for their making demonstrable commitments to poverty reduction;

Stresses that the economic programmes arising from foreign debt relief and cancellation must not reproduce past structural adjustment policies that have not worked, such as dogmatic demands for privatization and reduced public services;

Urges States, international financial institutions and the private sector to take urgent measures to alleviate the debt problem of those developing countries particularly affected by HIV/AIDS so that more financial resources may be released and used for health care, research and treatment of the population in the affected countries;

Reiterates its view that, in order to find a durable solution to the debt problem and for the consideration of any new debt resolution mechanism, there is a need for a broad political dialogue between creditor and debtor countries and the multilateral financial institutions, within the United Nations system, based on the principle of shared interests and responsibilities;

Also reiterates its request to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay more attention to the problem of the debt burden of developing countries, in particular of least developed countries, and especially the social impact of the measures arising from foreign debt;

Takes note of the work of the Advisory Committee on the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights, and looks forward to the submission of the final report thereon to the Human Rights Council at its forty-first session;

Encourages the Independent Expert to continue to cooperate, in accordance with his mandate, with the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, special rapporteurs, independent experts and members of the expert working groups of the Human Rights Council and its Advisory Committee on issues relating to economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development in his work;

Requests the Independent Expert to report regularly to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programmes of work;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Independent Expert with all necessary assistance, in particular all the staff and resources required to carry out his functions;

Urges Governments, international organizations, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to cooperate fully with the Independent Expert in the discharge of the mandate;

Requests the Independent Expert to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Human Rights Council at its forty-third session;

Decides to continue its consideration of this matter under the same agenda item in accordance with its programme of work.

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