A/HRC/15/41 II. Rationale for the development of guiding principles on human rights and extreme poverty 8. It is an urgent matter to put the realization of all human rights at the centre of efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Long-lasting advances in the eradication of extreme poverty will only be achieved once measures recognize persons living in extreme poverty as subjects with rights and as potential agents for change. The recent global food, fuel and financial crises and their disproportionate impact on persons living in extreme poverty further demonstrate the need for guiding principles on human rights and extreme poverty. 9. The independent expert agrees with all those participating in the rounds of consultations that the guiding principles should provide practical guidance on how to operationalize the obligations of States to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of persons living in extreme poverty, an often neglected and, to a certain extent, invisible segment of the general population. The guiding principles should foster effective implementation and compliance with existing human rights norms and principles. They should also help address the gap between human rights standards and the actual situation of persons in extreme poverty, bearing in mind their diversity worldwide. 10. The principles should guide all actors involved in designing, implementing and monitoring international, national and local policies to eradicate extreme poverty. They should add visibility and political momentum to the fight against extreme poverty, and address the difficulties States and the international community face in reaching those living in extreme poverty. They should also be an advocacy tool for all stakeholders working on poverty issues at the domestic and international level. 11. At their core the guiding principles must prioritize the importance of reaching out and protecting persons living in extreme poverty, as the most disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups in societies. The independent expert emphasizes the centrality of empowering persons living in extreme poverty through a human rights approach to alleviating poverty. 12. The guiding principles should provide common ground to assist and harmonize action, improving partnerships on the ground and building the foundations for efficient multi-stakeholder dialogues. They should bridge the often disparate debates and activities of actors working in development and in human rights, offering them a common point of departure for joint action. 13. The guiding principles should not be perceived as a humanitarian or charitable statement; they are based on internationally agreed human rights principles and standards as they apply to persons living in extreme poverty. They clarify the implications of human rights obligations for State policy decisions at national level and how human rights obligations apply to international policy decisions, in particular in regard to international assistance and cooperation. III. Conceptual framework 14. Poverty is universally recognized as a multidimensional phenomenon, extending beyond a lack of income to a lack of the basic capabilities to live in dignity. The current draft guiding principles use the definition of poverty established by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 2001, which affirms that poverty is “a human condition characterized by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, 4