The United Nations' Human Rights Council adopted Monday a resolution on the financial crisis, calling for protection of the most vulnerable and for assurances on international aid to developing countries. The resolution received 31 votes in favour from the council's 47 members but saw European Union states, Japan, Canada, Switzerland and others abstaining.
Some Western states had opposed a special session by the council on the economic situation in principle, saying it was not the right forum for dealing with the wider issue. The vote was deferred from Friday after states were unable to reach a resolution even after hours of debate. The adopted text said there was "concern that the universal realisation and effective enjoyment of human rights are challenged due to multiple and interrelated global economic and financial crises."
The resolution mostly served as a reminder about previous declarations on human rights but also called on wealthy states to keep their pledges to international aid and help poorer nations mitigate the crisis by ensuring that development goals were met.
It asked states to "preserve social safety nets for the protection of the most vulnerable segments of their societies." In terms of the multilateral trading system, the resolution said the council recognises the benefit an "equitable" one would have for all countries, particularly developing nations. This was the council's second thematic session. The first was held last year on the food crisis. The session on the financial crisis was called for by Brazil and Egypt.