The previous meetings of the Social Forum

In 2007, the Human Rights Council decided to preserve the Social Forum as its subsidiary body (see resolution 6/13). The first meeting of the renewed Social Forum took place in 2008.

The Social Forum was originally an initiative (resolution 2001/24) of and attached to the former Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (Sub-Commission) which was the main subsidiary body of the former Commission on Human Rights. The initial meeting of the Social Forum was held in 2002 prior to the annual session of the Sub-Commission, and two-day meetings were held annually between 2004 and 2006 with the participation of ten members of the Sub-Commission taking into account regional representation.

The 2008 Social Forum (as renewed by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 6/13)

The fourth Social Forum (2006)

The fourth Social Forum was held in 2006 with a focus on the fight against poverty and the right to participation: the role of women.

The 2006 Social Forum was comprised of three panels:

• The feminization of poverty: causes, effects and solutions

• Women, employment, and empowerment through participation

• Discussion of the draft guiding principles "extreme poverty and human rights: the rights of the poor" prepared by the ad hoc expert group on the need to develop guiding principles on the implementation of existing human rights norms and standards in the context of the fight against extreme poverty

In response to Human Rights Council decision 2006/102 the last plenary session of the fourth Social Forum was dedicated to the discussion of "vision and recommendations for expert advice to the human rights council: the future of the social forum."

The report of the 2006 Social Forum (A/HRC/Sub.1/58/15) was submitted to the Sub-Commission at its fifty-eighth session. It contains a summary of each panel discussion, conclusions and recommendations.

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The third Social Forum (2005)

The theme of the Social Forum in 2005 was "Poverty and economic growth: challenges to human rights." The session was opened by the High Commissioner for Human Rights (for the statement click here).The discussion focused on the principle of accountability and its role and implications in the relationship between economic growth, poverty and human rights.

The 2005 Social Forum was comprised of three panels as set out in the background note prepared by the Secretariat (E/CN.4/Sub.2/SF/2005/2):

Please click the name of panelist to access his/her presentation. Please click next for Panelist biographies.

• The perspective of those living in poverty

Panel 1: Valsa, Reinhart, Ferrand, Mr. Kajege, Sra Castillo

• Growth with accountability

Panel 2: Ngo, Chauffour, Omara, Ohemeng-Boamah

• Methods and instruments of accountability

Panel 3: Archer, Chanthou, Majodina

The conclusions and recommendations of the 2005 Social Forum suggested concrete ways to make progress towards the implementation of the principle of accountability in the context of poverty reduction strategies that are focused on meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The report of the 2005 Social Forum was submitted to the Sub-Commission at its fifty-seventh session. It contains a summary of each panel discussion, conclusions and recommendations.

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The second Social Forum (2004)

The second Social Forum was held in 2004 with a focus on the relationship between rural poverty and the rights of peasants and other rural communities.
The 2004 Social Forum was comprised of four panels:

• Poverty and human rights: empowerment of people living in poverty

• Rural poverty and extreme poverty: special groups

• The role of human rights in the development of operational strategies to address poverty

• Recommendations on elements for incorporating human rights into poverty reduction strategies

The report of the 2004 Social Forum (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/26) was submitted to the Sub-Commission at its fifty-sixth session. It contains a summary of each panel discussion, conclusions and recommendations.

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The first Social Forum (2002)

The first Social Forum, held in 2002, was comprised of three panels:

• Globalization and Human Rights

• Right to adequate food and poverty reduction: the realities of hunger and poverty reduction strategies: experiences, views and visions

• Right to adequate food and poverty reduction: rural poverty reduction strategies and the right to food: what have we learned?

The report of the 2002 Social Forum (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/18) contains a summary of each panel discussion, conclusions and recommendations.