The current financial crisis will have serious impacts on the realization of ESC rights, especially in the poorer developing countries. As unemployment rises, household incomes drop and food prices rise, families will be forced to reduce consumption of food or take their children out of school. Government spending on education and health may contract and the poorest will not be able to afford to go to school or seek health care. Women will bear the brunt.
CESR's Board member, Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, recently responded to the UN General Assembly's Interactive Panel on the Global Financial Crisis.