Rohit Shishodia
Mr Olivier De Schutter, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, has estimated that between 150 million and 175 million more people will fall into extreme poverty, due to the epic fallout from Covid?19.

Interacting virtually with the UN’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural committee on October 20, 2020, he said, “We must rethink our development model.”

Mr. De Schutter stressed that most of those who will fall into extreme poverty will be workers in the informal sector or in precarious employment conditions -- most of them women.

Mr. De Schutter was one of five independent experts participating in virtual dialogues with delegates, which covered topics ranging from extreme poverty and internal displacement, to human rights to education, safe drinking water and adequate housing.

To emerge from the worst crisis since the 1929 Great Depression, “we cannot count, as we did in the twentieth century, on economic growth as usual,” he said. Environmental sustainability and social justice must be considered prerequisites for shaping the economic recovery that countries envision.

Experts described the interplay between conflict and climate change, and recommended ways to ensure that students can access water and sanitation in school during the pandemic.

Cecilia Jimenez‑Damary, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said the intersecting risks of climate change and armed conflict can push people into displacement.

She focused on the slow-onset effects of climate change -- sea-level rise, desertification, glacial retreat and flood -- which can have disastrous consequences.

Most affected will be people whose livelihoods depend heavily on ecosystems including indigenous peoples, farmers, herders, pastoralists and fisherfolk. Displaced persons also risk being exposed to Covid‑19, due to their limited access to health care, water, sanitation and adequate housing.

Many delegates echoed concerns that the pandemic will exacerbate displacement caused by climate and conflict, with the United Kingdom’s representative citing warnings by Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock that 1 billion people could be displaced by 2050.

Several also discussed the issue of displacement in their own countries. Myanmar’s representative described plans to address Covid‑19 outbreaks in several camps, while Mali’s representative detailed national policies for assisting displaced persons while it carries out its Covid‑19 response.

Armenia’s representative drew attention to the causes of internal displacement, and citing military aggression by Azerbaijan, asked the Special Rapporteur whether her mandate covers displaced people residing in conflict areas.

Koumbou Boly Barry, Special Rapporteur on the right to education, described the impact of Covid‑19 on educational institutions, an issue that has taken on new urgency as 570 million children lack access to basic drinking water at school, 620 million lack access to basic sanitation facilities and 900 million lack access to handwashing services.