Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Mikel Mancisidor, a member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, introduces the Committee’s guidance on science and economic, social and cultural rights.

The Inter-American Commission (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (I/A Court) are responding to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on human rights.

What would constitute a first step in a human-rights based approach to the global allocation of pandemic vaccines? One possibility would be to encourage states parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to acknowledge their indirect obligations of participation and diligence.

"Home is not where you were born; home is the place where all your desires for escape, cease." Naguib Mahafoud

This paper explores the importance of governments, key stakeholders and donors in the WASH sectors working collaboratively towards improving and increasing access to safe water in the informal settlements towards mitigating the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

COVID-19 has exacerbated challenges faced by disabled people who live in institutions. Their rights have been disproportionately impacted and in some cases their very survival is at risk. This coronavirus affirms once more that the human rights-based approach to disability is, literally, lifesaving.

The word crisis derives from krinomai, an ancient Greek word with meanings such as separating and sorting, but also distinguishing and deciding. A crisis creates a moment of truth and a possible wormhole to the future, to another future. Today, however, we are only acquainted with the negative connotation of this word. And that is unfortunate since a crisis can be so much more than a disaster.

‘The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency—but it is far more. It is an economic crisis. A social crisis. And a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis.’ António Guterres, Secretary General United Nations

The COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken to combat it are having a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities. To protect their rights during this pandemic and post-crisis, their needs must be taken into account in global response and recovery efforts.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is both a consequence and cause of deepening social inequalities. An effective human rights-based response requires us to firmly prioritise the realisation of economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights and to envisage global solidarity mechanisms that will render this possible.