International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(New York, 16 December 1966)

OBJECTIVES 

  Economic, social and cultural rights are designed to ensure the protection of individuals 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.


ENTRY INTO FORCE  

The Covenant entered into force on 3 January 1976.  


HOW TO BECOME A PARTY  

        The Covenant is open for signature, indefinitely, ratification and accession by any State Member of the United Nations or member of any of its specialized agencies, by any State Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, and by any other State which has been invited to become a Party by the General Assembly of the United Nations.  


OPTIONAL AND/OR MANDATORY DECLARATIONS

     The Convention is silent on optional or mandatory declarations.


RESERVATIONS 

      The Covenant is silent on reservations.


WITHDRAWAL/DENUNCIATION

      The Covenant is silent on withdrawal.   


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