The global economic upheaval deeply impacted the world's poorest, the United Nations human rights chief said Monday, noting that recent estimates show at least 30,000 children did not complete their first year of life as a result.
The crisis "exacerbated existing violations of human rights," said Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, dpa reported.
She was speaking in Geneva at the opening of the latest session of the Human Rights Council.
Citing World Bank economist Shanta Devarajan, Pillay said that "in Africa, the crises have thrown an estimated 7 to 10 million into poverty (and) 30,000 to 50,000 children may have not reached their first birthday as a result of the recession."
Looking ahead, Pillay said the council and her office would focus on gender and racial discrimination issues, economic inequalities, and human rights in the contexts of migration and armed conflict.