TEXTNew York, 16 December 1966
Objectives
Economic, social and cultural rights are designed to ensure the protection
of people as full persons, based on a perspective in which people can enjoy
rights, freedoms and social justice simultaneously. In a world where, according
to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), "a fifth of the developing
world's population goes hungry every night, a quarter lacks access to even
a basic necessity like safe drinking water, and a third lives in a state
of abject poverty at such a margin of human existence that words simply
fail to describe it" (UNDP, Human Development Report 1994, Oxford
University Press, 1994, p. 2) the importance of renewed attention and commitment
to the full realization of economic, social and cultural rights is self-evident.
Despite significant progress since the establishment of the United Nations
in addressing problems of human deprivation, well over 1 billion people
live in circumstances of extreme poverty, homelessness, hunger and malnutrition,
unemployment, illiteracy and chronic ill-health. More than 1.5 billion
people lack access to clean drinking water and sanitation: some 500 million
children don't have access to even primary education; and more than 1 billion
adults cannot read and write. This massive scale of marginalization, in
spite of continued global economic growth and development, raises serious
questions, not only in relation to development, but also in relation to
basic human rights.
Of all the basic human rights standards, the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provides the most important international
legal framework for protecting basic human rights.
Key Provisions
The Covenant contains some of the most significant international legal
provisions establishing economic, social and cultural rights, including
rights relating to work in just and favourable conditions, to social protection,
to an adequate standard of living, to the highest attainable standards
of physical and mental health, to education and to enjoyment of the benefits
of cultural freedom and scientific progress. It also provides for the right
of self-determination; equal rights for men and women; the right to work;
the right to just and favourable conditions of work; the right to form
and join trade unions; the right to social security and social insurance;
protection and assistance to the family; the right to adequate standard
of living; the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and
mental health; the right to education; the right to take part in cultural
life; and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its
applications.
Compliance by States parties with their obligations under the Covenant
and the level of implementation of the rights and duties in question is
monitored by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which
submits annual reports on its activities to the Economic and Social Council.
The Committee works on the basis of many sources of information, including
reports submitted by States parties and information from United Nations
specialized agencies including the International Labour Organisation, the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World
Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. In addition,
information is submitted from the United Nations Development Programme,
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United
Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and others. It also makes
use of information from other United Nations treaty bodies, from national
non-governmental and community-based organizations working in States which
have ratified the Covenant, from international human rights and other non-governmental
organizations, and from generally available literature.
TEXT| Entry into force: 3 January 1976
Status as at 15 June 2000: Signatories: 61 Contracting Parties: 142 |