A/HRC/15/41 I. Introduction 1. The independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, submits this report in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 12/9. It presents the expert’s views on how to improve the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights (hereafter the draft guiding principles). 2. In 2006, the Human Rights Council examined the draft guiding principles prepared by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (the SubCommission). At the request of the Council, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) led consultations on the draft guiding principles between 2006 and 2009.1 The views of States, United Nations agencies and intergovernmental organizations, United Nations treaty bodies and special procedures, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders were compiled and analysed in a report presented to the Council in 2009.2 3. In October 2009, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 12/19 inviting the independent expert "to pursue further work on the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights" and "to submit a progress report presenting her recommendations on how to improve the draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights to the Council no later than its fifteenth session". 4. Following resolution 12/19, the independent expert reviewed contributions from all stakeholders3 that submitted comments on the Sub-Commission draft, including the conclusions of the seminar organized by OHCHR in January 2009. She consulted with, amongst others, the Administrator and the Poverty Group of the United Nations Development Programme. She also participated in two meetings with NGOs promoted by ATD-Quart Monde, and a meeting with human rights and development practitioners at Brandeis University. 5. Finally, the independent expert convened an expert meeting on 20-21 May 2010 in collaboration with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung to discuss how to improve the principles. The meeting was attended by experts working on both human rights and development issues worldwide. 6. The independent expert’s report first details the rationale behind her proposals for improving the guiding principles and the basic conceptual definitions that should frame these proposals. Section IV addresses the main challenges experienced by persons living in extreme poverty that must be taken into account when preparing the principles. Finally, section V presents an annotated outline of the independent expert’s proposal on how to improve the draft guiding principles. 7. The independent expert gave high priority to consulting various stakeholders and welcomes the support of all those taking part in the various consultative processes, including State representatives. 1 2 3 A/HRC/2/2 and Human Rights Council resolution 7/27. A/HRC/11/32. Ibid., annex 1 and technical review, annex 1. 3