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Location: Home - Human Rights Program | 2006-12-16 | ||
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural RightsAdopted by General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI) of December 16, 1966 Entry into force January 3, 1976, in accordance with article
27 Preamble THE STATES PARTIES TO THE PRESENT COVENANT, CONSIDERING that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, RECOGNIZING that these rights derive from the inherent dignity of the human person, RECOGNIZING that, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ideal of free human beings enjoying freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his economic, social and cultural rights, as well as his civil and political rights, CONSIDERING the obligation of States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and freedoms, REALIZING that the individual, having duties to other individuals
and the community to which he AGREE upon the following articles: Article 1 (1) All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. (2) All people may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. (3) The States Parties to the present Covenant, including those having responsibility for the administration of Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories, shall promote the realization of the right to self- determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. Article 2 (1) Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take steps, individually and through international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical, to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Covenant by all appropriate means, including in particular the adoption of legislative measures. (2) The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. (3) Developing countries, with due regard to human rights and their national economy, may determine to what extent they would guarantee the economic rights recognized in the present Covenant to non-nationals. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights set forth in the present Covenant. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize that, in the enjoyment of those rights provided by the State in conformity with the present Covenant, the State may subject such rights only to such limitations as are determined by law only in so far as this may be compatible with the nature of these rights and solely for the purpose of promoting the general welfare in a democratic society. (1) Nothing in the present Covenant may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms recognized herein, or at their limitation to a greater extent than is provided for in the present Covenant. (2) No restriction upon or derogation from any of the fundamental human rights recognized or existing in any country in virtue of law, conventions, regulations or custom shall be admitted on the pretext that the present Covenant does not recognize such rights or that it recognizes them to a lesser extent. Article 6 (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts, and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right. (2) The steps to be taken by a State Party to the present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include technical and vocational guidance and training programmes, policies and techniques to achieve steady economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment under conditions safe-guarding fundamental political and economic freedoms to the individual. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of
everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work which
ensure, in particular: (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to
ensure: The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to social security, including social insurance. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize that: (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the
right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family,
including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous
improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate
steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the
essential importance of international cooperation based on free consent. (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right
of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and
mental health. (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right
of everyone to education. They agree that education shall be directed to the
full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity, and
shall strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. They
further agree that education shall enable all persons to participate
effectively in a free society, promote understanding, tolerance and friendship
among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups, and further the
activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. Each State Party to the present Covenant which, at the time of becoming a Party, has not been able to secure in its metropolitan territory or other territories under its jurisdiction compulsory primary education, free of charge, undertakes, within two years, to work out and adopt a detailed plan of action for the progressive implementation, within a reasonable number of years, to be fixed in the plan, of the principle of compulsory education free of charge for all. (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone: (a) To take part in cultural life; (b) To enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its
applications; Article 16 (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to submit
in conformity with this part of the Covenant reports on the measures which they
have adopted and the progress made in achieving the observance of the rights
recognized herein. (1) The States Parties to the present Covenant shall furnish their
reports in stages, in accordance with a programme to be established by the
Economic and Social Council within one year of the entry into force of the
present Covenant after consultation with the States Parties and the specialized
agencies concerned. Pursuant to its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Economic and Social Council may make arrangements with the specialized agencies in respect of their reporting to it on the progress made in achieving the observance of the provisions of the present Covenant falling within the scope of their activities. These reports may include particulars of decisions and recommendations on such implementation adopted by their competent organs. The Economic and Social Council may transmit to the Commission on Human Rights for study and general recommendation or, as appropriate, for information the reports concerning human rights submitted by States in accordance with articles 16 and 17, and those concerning human rights submitted by the specialized agencies in accordance with article 18. The States Parties to the present Covenant and the specialized agencies concerned may submit comments to the Economic and Social Council on any general recommendation under Article 19 or reference to such general recommendation in any report of the Commission on Human Rights or any documentation referred to therein. The Economic and Social Council may submit from time to time to the General Assembly reports with recommendations of a general nature and a summary of the information received from the States Parties to the present Covenant and the specialized agencies on the measures taken and the progress made in achieving general observance of the rights recognized in the present Covenant. The Economic and Social Council may bring to the attention of other organs of the United Nations, their subsidiary organs and specialized agencies concerned with furnishing technical assistance any matters arising out of the reports referred to in this part of the present Covenant which may assist such bodies in deciding, each within its field of competence, on the advisability of international measures likely to contribute to the effective progressive implementation of the present Covenant. The States Parties to the present Covenant agree that international action for the achievement of the rights recognized in the present Covenant includes such methods as the conclusion of conventions, the adoption of recommendations, the furnishing of technical assistance and the holding of regional meetings and technical meetings for the purpose of consultation and study organized in conjunction with the Governments concerned. Nothing in the present Convention shall be interpreted as impairing the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and of the constitutions of the specialized agencies which define the respective responsibilities of the various organs of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies in regard to the matters dealt with in the present Covenant. Nothing in the present Covenant shall be interpreted as impairing the inherent right of all peoples to enjoy and utilize fully and freely their natural wealth and resources. Article 26 (1) The present Covenant is open for signature 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
State which has been invited by the General Assembly of the United Nations to
become a party to the present Covenant. (1) The present Covenant shall enter into force three months after
the date of the deposit with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the
thirty-fifth instrument of ratification or instrument of accession. The provisions of the present Covenant shall extend to all parts of federal States without any limitations or exceptions. (1) Any State Party to the present Covenant may propose an
amendment and file it with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The
Secretary-General shall thereupon communicate any proposed amendment to the
States Parties to the present Covenant with a request that they notify him
whether they favour a conference of States Parties for the purpose of
considering and voting upon the proposals. In the event that at least one third
of the States Parties favours such a conference, the Secretary-General shall
convene the conference under the auspices of the United Nations. Any amendment
adopted by a majority of the States Parties present and voting at the
conference shall be submitted to the General Assembly of the United Nations for
approval. Irrespective of the notifications made under Article 26, paragraph
5, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall inform all States referred
to in paragraph 1 of the same article of the following particulars: (1) The present Covenant, of which the Chinese, English, French,
Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the
archives of the United Nations. |
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Date modified: 2003-11-26![]() |
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