Statement of Jeanne M. Woods and Hope Lewis to the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty

Abstract:     
This Statement was submitted to the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty, Dr. Arjun Sengupta in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster on the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005. The authors are international legal scholars and human rights advocates Jeanne M. Woods, Henry F. Bonura Professor of Law (Loyola School of Law (New Orleans) and Hope Lewis, Professor of Law (Northeastern University School of Law). The Statement, submitted during the Independent Expert's fact-finding visit, expresses concern about the extensive and alarming human rights implications of United States federal, state and local government policy and activities before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. The Statement argues that the inadequate response of government officials at all levels reflects the impact of "globalization in miniature" on the poor and other vulnerable and subordinated groups. The panoply of human rights implicated in the aftermath of the disaster includes classic civil and political rights, as well as so-called "second generation" rights (e.g. the rights to food, housing and education, the right to health, the right to work for a decent wage, and the right to enjoy the unique cultural legacy of the region.)

Working Paper Series