A/HRC/12/WG.2/TF/2 page 12 Assistance Committee, including on the issue of aid effectiveness; and (e) the establishment in 2009 of the Nordic Trust Fund, which would provide institutional frameworks and resources to explore how human rights can improve development outcomes in activities of the Bank. The Bank suggested that the task force continue to identify practical benefits and operational relevance of the criteria, focus on demonstrating the added value of the right to development in achieving poverty reduction, explore in concrete and empirical terms, the link between debt relief and human rights, and consider links between its work and that of the independent expert on the effects of foreign debt. 45. The World Bank presented the historical background of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. The former was launched in 1996 by the International Business Association, the concessional arm of the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), calling for voluntary provision of debt relief by all creditors, whether multilateral, commercial or bilateral. It aims at providing a fresh start for countries with foreign debt that places too great a burden on export earnings and fiscal revenues. The revenues freed up would be used to meet the expenditure needs of the countries, including in areas where human rights would be maintained and enhanced. The heavily indebted poor countries initiative was enhanced in 1999 to provide deeper and more rapid debt relief to a wider group of countries following extensive discussions with civil society organizations. 46. IMF provided detailed information on the amount of debt relief provided to low-income countries and outstanding debts, while noting that the debt owed to other multilateral institutions and other participants in the multilateral debt relief initiative, was considerably higher. The Fund listed some of the challenges faced in fulfilling these two initiatives: firstly, the remaining heavily indebted poor countries at pre-completion point faced challenges that were primarily non-economic, including maintaining peace and security, improving governance and effectively delivering basic services. Those challenges could not be eased by changes to the operational framework of the initiatives. However, some countries had recently made progress, and it was expected that two more would reach completion point before the end of 2009. Secondly, a major problem in implementing the initiatives was securing the full participation of other creditors. Finally, there was the question of ensuring that the initiatives remained fully financed. Despite successful completion of the initiatives, challenges remained for post-debt-relief countries, including that of ensuring long-term debt sustainability. 47. Expanding on the broader approach to introducing human rights into poverty reduction in heavily indebted poor countries, UNESCO made a presentation on its activities in selected countries. The programme included research work in West Africa focused on case studies, applying a social-cultural approach; human rights-based budgeting and human rights minimum norms to Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers; and gendered poverty. UNESCO conducted training sessions for national budget directors to inject a human rights element and encourage a different priority budget setting process, and prepared an idealized scheme for negotiations, based on human rights obligations, and supported strengthened accountability for local communities and the most vulnerable sectors of society. UNESCO suggested that the methods utilised in this work might be relevant to the development of the criteria.