15 October 2025.

Intervention by Christina Meinecke, Regional Representative for Europe, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (checked against delivery).

Event facilitated by the European Social Network.

A. Why should the new EU Anti-Poverty Strategy be grounded in human rights?

There are three reasons: (1) poverty is a human rights concern in itself, (2) the legal and moral obligations to treat it as a human rights issue already exist, and (3) applying a human rights-based approach will bring to the new Strategy a universal and non-discriminatory foundation, strengthen democratic accountability and legitimacy and trust.

1. Poverty is a human rights concern.

• Poverty undermines the enjoyment of fundamental rights guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the European Social Charter, and international human rights treaties (e.g. ICESCR).
• Extreme poverty can lead to specific human rights violations. For example, persons living in poverty may be forced to work in dangerous or unhealthy work conditions, live in unsafe shelters, and have limited access to health care.
• Poverty can also be a consequence of human rights violations — e.g., when individuals are evicted or denied access to productive resources. Systemic discrimination based on race, gender, disability, national origin or social status can further perpetuate exclusion.
• In 2001, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights defined poverty as:
  

  “A human condition characterised by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.”

• No other social phenomenon has such a vast impact on human rights as poverty has, and this goes far beyond material deprivation.
• Viewing poverty through a human rights lens shifts the narrative from charity or welfare to entitlements and State obligations.

2. Legal and moral obligations already exist to address poverty as a human rights issue.

Here focusing on obligations and commitments EU Member States made at the global level:

• All EU Member States have ratified key human rights treaties such as the ICESCR, CRC, and CRPD, which include commitments to adequate housing, health, education, social protection, and decent work. Eradicating poverty is thus a legal obligation.
• The EU has also ratified the CRPD. In 2025, the CRPD Committee raised concern about high levels of poverty and social exclusion of persons with disabilities, and recommended:
  • Increasing EU (social) funding for social inclusion and poverty reduction, tackling structural and intersectional discrimination.
  • Guiding Member States to strengthen rights-based, gender-responsive social protection covering disability-related costs.
  • Prioritizing accessible, affordable housing in 2028–2034 funding and the European Affordable Housing Plan.
• There is also the global commitment under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and to leave no one behind.
• Grounding the strategy in human rights ensures policy coherence with these existing commitments.

3. Applying a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) provides:

• A universal, non-discriminatory foundation ensuring that no one is left behind, including marginalized groups such as Roma, migrants, persons with disabilities, children, and older persons.
• Stronger democratic accountability through clear obligations, transparent monitoring, and accountability mechanisms.
• Greater political legitimacy, civil society support, citizen ownership, and public trust.

B. How could the new Strategy take human rights into account? How could human rights principles support its implementation?

The United Nations Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights (2012) provide excellent guidance to States on applying human rights standards in anti-poverty policies. They could inspire this new Strategy.

On 6 October 2025, the UN Regional Office for Human Rights facilitated a multi-stakeholder expert workshop, including the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Key messages included:

1. Embed human rights principles in the Strategy’s design and objectives.

• Align targets with rights set out in the EU Charter, UN treaties (ICESCR, CRC, CRPD), and Council of Europe instruments.
• Define poverty reduction through multidimensional indicators linked to rights (e.g. housing adequacy, education, health, social protection).

2. Adopt a rights-based implementation framework.

• Participation: Involve rights-holders — especially those experiencing poverty — in all stages of design, implementation, and monitoring.
• Accountability: Establish mechanisms for complaints, redress, and independent monitoring through national human rights institutions and civil society.
• Transparency: Publish disaggregated data to identify discrimination and exclusion patterns.
• Non-discrimination and equality: Apply equality mainstreaming, intersectional approaches, and address stigma faced by people living in poverty.

3. Use human rights standards as a benchmark for policy coherence.

• Strengthen the social and human rights dimension of the European Semester, drawing on UN recommendations.
• Ensure coherence with related EU policies (Child Guarantee, Roma Strategy, Affordable Housing Plan, Anti-Racism Strategy, Equality Strategies, Social Pillar Action Plan, Migration policies, etc.).
• Ensure adequate funding and ringfencing for poverty and social exclusion measures in the new MFF.

4. Strengthen governance and monitoring.

• Encourage Member States to develop national anti-poverty strategies to enhance multi-level governance and accountability.
• Integrate human rights and SDG indicators into the monitoring framework.
• Conduct human rights impact assessments of policies affecting economic and social rights.
• Support FRA, NHRIs, CSOs, and other bodies in providing expertise and oversight.

5. Support Member States with guidance and capacity-building.

• Provide technical assistance to incorporate human rights standards into national anti-poverty plans.
• Encourage peer learning and exchange of good practices on rights-based approaches.

A new EU Anti-Poverty Strategy grounded in human rights is not just ethically sound — it is legally required, operationally effective, and essential for ensuring a just and cohesive Europe. By making human rights the backbone of both its goals and implementation, the EU can move from promises to enforceable commitments, ensuring that poverty is tackled as a matter of justice, not charity.