Poverty is not natural or inevitable, but an injustice fueled by human rights violations. The current global economic crisis has shown how politics and flawed policies exacerbate poverty, inequality and deprivation.

The economic and financial crisis will have a severe impact not only on development, but also on the realization of human rights. The consequences are potentially long term and devastating. Labor rights and the rights to food, housing, health and education already are being seriously threatened. CESR works on key cross-cutting issues that affect the realization of economic and social rights.

CESR also works towards the achievement of specific Millennium Development Goals in the run-up to their 2015 deadline.The adoption of the MDGs in 2000 was a landmark achievement for the international community. The eight goals tackle poverty, education, gender equality, child and maternal mortality, HIV and other diseases, environmental sustainability and encourage a global partnership for development. Efforts to reach them are falling short, however.