A/HRC/12/27 page 5 disasters and to diseases. He highlights some elements of the scope, content and nature of obligations in the promotion and protection of the right of peoples and individuals to international solidarity. Pursuant to further reflection on his mandate, and the responses to the questionnaire, the independent expert will henceforth construe international cooperation as the core component of international solidarity rather than as a specific area of focus. Likewise, third-generation rights are discussed in explaining the nature of international solidarity rather than as an area of focus. 8. As envisaged in his third report, the independent expert distributed on 7 May 2009 a questionnaire to Member States, United Nations departments and bodies, specialized agencies, other international organizations and non-governmental organizations, as well as special procedures mandate holders of the Council. The responses received were analysed and taken into account in presenting his views on human rights and international solidarity in the present report, so far as they depicted certain trends, represented useful insights or highlighted salient elements. The independent expert considers it essential that he receive responses to the questionnaire from as many of the above-mentioned respondents as possible so that he would be in a position to form informed opinions on international solidarity, based upon various perspectives and practices. Therefore, the independent expert urges all recipients to respond to the questionnaire as soon as possible. 9. The independent expert is aware that the present report was written against the backdrop of a world faced by multiple crises - fuel, food, economic and financial - which in turn gave primacy to the urgent and unequivocal need for international solidarity. The argument in favour of international solidarity as a principle or, more precisely, a cardinal principle of public international law, in particular, international human rights law, is reinforced now more than ever. Global interdependence, which underpins the continuous processes of globalization, brings many advantages to humanity, but also disadvantages, as demonstrated by these crises. While the financial crisis has a major impact on all States and communities, the hardest hit are the poorer countries, and underprivileged peoples in all countries, as they are the most vulnerable and least able to deal with the challenges posed. Vulnerable groups include women, children, minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees and persons with disabilities. Another global phenomenon, climate change, like the multiple crises, is linked in both cause and consequence, to the individual and collective actions of States and other actors, and underscores the need for international and global solidarity. At its tenth special session in February 2009, the Council urged that a human rights perspective be mainstreamed into the international community’s approach to the global economic and financial crisis. States are not relieved of their human rights obligations in times of crisis. Measures of international solidarity and cooperation to protect the most vulnerable groups and individuals most adversely affected or threatened by the crises need to be put in place. One factor that is clearly visible in all crisis situations, including climate change, is the role of non-State actors; in this context, the independent expert reiterates his call for global solidarity, mandating cooperation among all stakeholders: States, international and non-governmental organizations, the private sector and all individuals.