A/HRC/11/9 page 8 (b) “Non-contributory schemes such as universal schemes (which provide the relevant benefit in principle to everyone who experiences a particular risk or contingency) or targeted social assistance schemes (where benefits are received by those in a situation of need)”; (c) “Other forms of social security are also acceptable, including (a) privately run schemes, and (b) self-help or other measures, such as community-based or mutual schemes.7 IV. THE HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK FOR CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMMES 21. Cash transfer programmes have many reported benefits. The primary objective of many CTPs appears to be to empower individuals or households to cope with the impacts of poverty. They should, therefore, be intended primarily to contribute to the realization of the beneficiaries’ right to an adequate standard of living. As a component of social-assistance policies, CTPs should also contribute to the realization of the right to social security. 22. In order to contribute to the realization of human rights, CTPs should be designed and implemented in ways that ensure that they comply with core obligations of the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to social security. CTPs must also comply with human rights principles, such as equality and non-discrimination, accountability, transparency, access to information and participation. 23. The right to an adequate standard of living is established in article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 27 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. With respect to State parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, obligations include, for example, the obligation to devote the maximum available resources for the progressive realization of the right, the prohibition of taking deliberately retrogressive measures, and the duty to ensure the minimum essential standard of living. Furthermore, the right to an adequate standard of living must be exercised without discrimination of any kind and ensuring the equal rights of men and women (arts. 2 and 3).8 7 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 19 on the right to social security (art. 9). 8 The obligation of progressive realization of all economic, social and cultural rights and to devote “the maximum of its available resources” does not require a State to devote all the resources at its disposal nor, obviously, does it require it to devote resources that it does not have in order to fulfil these rights. Nevertheless, the allocation of resources is not left to the complete discretion of States. They have a duty to move as expeditiously and effectively as possible and must accord a degree of priority to human rights in the allocation of resources, collect disaggregated data, devise and adopt a plan of action, and monitor the realization of these rights among other obligations. There is also a strong presumption that retrogressive measures are not permitted. If such measures are introduced, States have to show that they have been introduced after consideration of all alternatives and are fully justifiable by reference to all the rights