A/HRC/29/31 analysis by the human rights community, the Sub-Commission entrusted Asjbørn Eide with the task of producing a report on the relationship between the enjoyment of human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, and income distribution, at both national and international levels. In endorsing the proposal, the Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1994/20, called the fair distribution of the benefits of development one of the central purposes of the process of development. 43. In a report to the Sub-Commission in July 1994, Mr. Eide focused on the impact of different patterns of income distribution on the enjoyment of human rights and the remedial action to be taken in cases of intolerable levels of income inequality. He did not examine the question of how the enjoyment of human rights affected the structure of income distribution and avoided discussing the causes of inequality because they had already been the subject of an enormous body of literature of an ideological and dogmatic nature. He argued that gaps in income between rich and poor at the national level should be given attention to the same extent as gaps in income between nations (see E/CN.4/Sub.2/1994/21, paras. 12, 14, 18 and 21). 44. Mr. Eide attached considerable importance to the policies of international financial institutions and was critical of IMF for adopting the position that it should not concern itself with income distribution. As noted earlier, the position of IMF today differs significantly. Mr. Eide criticized the role played by international financial institutions in reducing the power of the State, which he considered to have an essential role to play in ensuring equity in income distribution. In reflecting on the obligations of States in relation to efforts to reduce income inequality, Mr. Eide called for, inter alia, policies to ensure access to land and other productive assets; the provision of public services and other benefits as well as equality of opportunity for all; guarantees of non-discrimination in employment; the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and the provision of a functioning system of taxation (ibid., paras. 82–83). 45. Subsequent to Mr. Eide’s report, the Sub-Commission decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the relationship between the enjoyment of human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, and income distribution. José Bengoa was appointed as Special Rapporteur and produced several reports between 1995 and 1998. He reached the following general conclusions (see E/CN.4/Sub.2/1998/8, paras. 4–9): (a) The growth in the world economy since 1987 has been accompanied by a marked negative distribution of income at both the international and national levels; (b) When income distribution begins to be concentrated in the hands of the few, relative poverty increases, as does extreme poverty, both in the developed and developing world; (c) Bad income distribution, when accompanied by economic growth, causes explosive social situations; (d) Income distribution is very closely linked to the full enjoyment and realization of human rights and persistently bad distribution of income is also the cause of persistent violations of human rights; intolerable degrees of income inequality constitute a violation of the norms of national and international coexistence and therefore of the rights of persons; (e) Income distribution should become an economic and social indicator used by international financial institutions and other international organizations. 46. Mr. Bengoa also recommended the creation of a social forum to facilitate the participation of States, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and corporations in discussing how to take economic, social and cultural rights into account in 15