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United Nations General Assembly A/HRC/20/25/Add.1 Distr.: General 24 May 2012 Original: English Human Rights Council Twentieth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona Addendum Mission to Timor-Leste* ** Summary At the invitation of the Government, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, undertook a mission to Timor-Leste from 13 to 18 November 2011. The Special Rapporteur collected first-hand information on the human rights situation of people living in extreme poverty and on policies relating to poverty alleviation, development and social protection, and the allocation of resources by the Government of Timor-Leste to these areas. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the difficult task faced by Timor-Leste in tackling the challenge of State-building and development only 10 years after independence. However, despite rapid economic growth in recent years, the situation of the poorest segments of society remains grave and there are significant and growing inequalities in terms of income, opportunities and access to services. The Special Rapporteur emphasizes that the country’s human rights obligations to progressively realize the economic, social and cultural rights of all its population, without discrimination, apply even during times of development and post-crisis rebuilding. * ** GE.12-13637 The summary is being circulated in all official languages. The report, which is annexed to the summary, is being circulated in the language of submission only. Late submission.

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Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights,Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona - Addendum - Mission to Timor-Leste

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Country

Timor-Leste

Rights Involved

Right to adequate housing
Right to education
Right to food
Right to health
Right to social security
Right to work
Rights of persons with disabilities
Rights of the child
Rights of women and girls

Issue

Accountability
Non-discrimination
Participation
Progressive realization
Resource allocation
Resource expenditure
Resource generation
Transparency

Special Procedure

Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

Date: May 24, 2012

Summary: The Special Rapporteur undertook a mission to Timor-Leste from 13 to 18 November 2011, and emphasized that the country’s human rights obligations apply even during times of development and post-crisis rebuilding. In the context of a State’s obligation to devote the maximum available resources to the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights, the Special Rapporteur is concerned about the prioritization of public expenditures in Timor-Leste. She notes that even as the State budget has increased in recent years, there has been a gradual decline in the percentage allocated to social services, including health and education services, as well as to agriculture. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to reassess the allocation of its resources, to ensure that social services are sufficiently financed to facilitate the progressive realization of ESCR. The Special Rapporteur also calls on the Government of Timor-Leste to assess whether its corporate taxation rates, among the lowest in the world, should be revised in order to expand the resources available to address poverty and reduce inequality.

Primary Documents

A:HRC:20:25:Add.1.pdf
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