A/HRC/13/51 obligations and international assistance remained a continuous challenge to ensuring optimal policy coherence in international assistance and cooperation in combating poverty. There was a need for a new multilateral trading regime that would allow the poor to enjoy fully the realization of their human rights. D. Interactive debate with relevant special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council 76. The Social Forum devoted a segment of its session to an interactive debate with the two thematic procedures mandate holders of the Council attending the Forum, namely the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, Maria Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona, and the independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, Cephas Lumina, as well as the member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Maria Virginia Bras Gomes. The representatives of China and Guyana and Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII, ATD Quart Monde, CETIM, CIVICUS, the International Federation of University Women and the International Federation of Social Workers made interventions during the interactive debate. 77. The independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty stated that the crisis could be seen as an opportunity to restructure the global financial system, as well as to review social policies and reform national taxation and social protection programmes. She stressed that the revised frameworks must comply with human rights, especially the right to social security, while recognizing that the scope of action could be limited in developing countries, as they were the most dramatically affected by the current crisis. 78. Highlighting that social protection could be an effective tool for preventing more people from sliding into poverty as well as help economic growth and recovery, the independent expert advocated the establishment of broad social protection systems grounded in a legal framework respecting human rights. She also emphasized the principles of equality and non-discrimination, the prioritization of vulnerable and marginalized people, and mainstreaming gender equality in social security systems. On international cooperation and assistance, she emphasized that the crisis should not be used as an excuse for the non-fulfilment of ODA commitments; on the contrary, it was an opportunity to improve aid effectiveness, increase transparency and reduce transaction costs associated with ODA. 79. The independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of human rights reiterated the negative effects of the economic crisis, especially on heavily indebted poor countries, and the need for a new solution to resolve debt problems, based on transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and shared responsibility. He concurred with the views of many participants, that the crisis was not just a challenge to global efforts to combat poverty, but also an opportunity to rethink the global economic system. He emphasized that macroeconomic policies that limit poor countries’ fiscal space to respond to crises were counterproductive. 80. Ms. Bras Gomes made reference to the core obligations and progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights, and emphasized that there was a need for benchmarks and timelines to evaluate progressive realization, as well as reporting on how States would meet these human rights obligations. She defined social security as a comprehensive system that includes many programmes, such as social assistance, social insurance and access to social services. Political will was important in implementing social 16 GE.09-17229