The novel coronavirus pandemic has slowed the world's progress in protecting people's economic, social and cultural rights, and the situation requires ever closer cooperation among the United Nations, countries and regions, as well as social groups, an expert said.

Wang Xingzui, executive vice-president of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, said at an online conference on Friday that protecting people's economic, social and cultural rights has long been a focus of the UN Human Rights Council, as it's key to the life and welfare of billions of people all over the world, especially those living in developing countries.

Addressing the conference, a parallel event of the ongoing 47th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Wang said it is important to promote dialogue and share experiences on the protection of economic, social and cultural rights among NGOs and other stakeholders.

Somsanouk Mixay, secretary general of the Lao Committee for Peace and Solidarity, Amjad Pervaiz from the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, other Chinese and foreign experts and representatives of international NGOs participated in the event.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which is still rampant across the world, has even threatened some basic human rights including access to food, clean water, shelter and education, Wang said.

Zhang Yunfei, council member of the United Nations Association of China, said at the online conference that the pandemic has brought far-reaching impacts to economic, social and cultural rights protection.

She stressed that fulfilling the economic, social and cultural rights of people in developing countries is vital to promoting human rights around the world as the populations in developing economies account for about 80 percent of the world's total.

According to Zhang, it's extremely important for the entire international community to reach a consensus to protect people's economic, social and cultural rights, which are of vital importance to the fulfillment of all human rights.

She said that the human rights mechanism of the United Nations should pay more attention to the promotion and protection of people's economic, social and cultural rights, especially the rights to subsistence and development. The developed economies must provide financial and technological assistance to the developing ones.