US Activists and Advocates Respond to UN Special Rapporteur’s Call for Input

The UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston, received 35  submissions to date in response to his call for input pending his visit to the United States from December 4 – 15, 2017.   The submissions are posted on the UN website here.  From large and small organizations, from individuals, think tanks and law school clinics, the topics span a wide range of issues:  the right to affordable water and sanitation, the treatment of the elderly, the plight of Puerto Rico after the hurricanes, the right to counsel in civil cases, voting rights and the marginalization of low wage workers.  Specific regions and localities addressed include rural New Mexico, Alabama and California as well as urban centers like Philadelphia and Baltimore. 

The Special Rapporteur has set up a twitter account from which he will be reporting on developments regarding his upcoming US visit, among other things.  While he has not yet identified the specific locations that he will visit in the U.S., he has indicated that he will hold a press conference in Washington, D.C. at the close of his visit on December 15, to summarize his findings at the conclusion of the visit.  Stay tuned!