The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Mr. Olivier De Schutter, today paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Justice of Rwanda, Rt. Hon. Domitilla Mukantaganzwa, as part of preparations for his upcoming official visit to Rwanda.
Mr. De Schutter is scheduled to conduct a country mission from May 19 to 30, 2025, at the invitation of the Government of Rwanda. His visit will assess Rwanda’s efforts to combat poverty and protect the human rights of people living in poverty.
During the visit, the Special Rapporteur will meet with a wide range of stakeholders including government officials, civil society actors, academics, judicial bodies, and individuals affected by poverty. The aim is to gather insights on poverty levels, social protection systems, and access to basic rights such as education, health, food, housing, and employment.
As part of the preparation, Mr. De Schutter has called on civil society organizations, activists, academics, and others to submit information and analysis on poverty-related issues in Rwanda. Key focus areas include social inequality, informal work, land rights, climate change impacts on vulnerable groups, and fiscal policies addressing poverty.
At the end of the visit, the Special Rapporteur will present his preliminary findings. A final report will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and will contribute to Rwanda’s review under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and other international human rights processes.
Mr. De Schutter, a professor of law at UCLouvain and Sciences Po Paris, has served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights since May 2020. He previously served as Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food from 2008 to 2014.
