Question of the Realization in All Countries of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

A/HRC/RES/31/5No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2016.

What other versions does this mandate have?

12 versions · 2007–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/HRC/RES/58/9

2025A/HRC/RES/58/9Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rightsLatestCompare with previous version
2023A/HRC/RES/52/11Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version
2021A/HRC/RES/46/10Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version
2019A/HRC/RES/40/12Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version
2018A/HRC/RES/37/13Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rightsCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

8 topics

Data Collection Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Human Rights Human Rights Indicators Human Rights Monitoring Human Rights Policy Measurement Sustainable Development

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2016.

2016A/HRC/34/25Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

19 operative paragraphs

Calls upon all States to give full effect to economic, social and cultural rights by, inter alia, taking all appropriate measures to implement the Human Rights Council resolutions on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights, the most recent of which is resolution 28/12 of 26 March 2015;

Calls upon all States that have not yet signed and ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to consider doing so as a matter of priority, and States parties to consider reviewing their reservations thereto;

Welcomes the more recent ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and encourages all States that have not yet signed and ratified the Optional Protocol to consider doing so, and also to consider making declarations under articles 10 and 11 thereof;

Acknowledges that social protection floors may facilitate the enjoyment of human rights, including the rights to social security, the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing, education, and safe drinking water and sanitation, in accordance with the human rights obligations of States, and in this regard underlines the importance of compliance with the principles of non-discrimination, transparency, participation and accountability;

Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights, with a special focus on the methodologies used at the national level to measure the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 28/12, and of the conclusions contained therein;

Recognizes that reliable information and disaggregated data are important for the assessment of progress or regression in the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, and can help to support the development of laws, policies and programmes to help States to meet their human rights obligations;

Acknowledges the importance of assessing progress in the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, and that human rights measurement can contribute positively to the implementation by States of their obligations, including in the context of their interaction with international human rights mechanisms regarding their obligations, inter alia, with the treaty bodies and the universal periodic review;

Also acknowledges that systematic and coherent national mechanisms for assessing progress in respect of each State on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, when fully in line with international human rights law principles and standards, can make policies, programmes and budgeting processes more efficient and help to improve State reporting on their implementation of those human rights obligations;

Urges States to consider adopting or further developing procedures for information gathering and measurement, which may, if analysed in the light of international human rights law principles and standards, serve as national indicators for State decision-making processes, and are transparent, participatory and allow for accountability;

Underlines the importance of an effective remedy for violations of economic, social and cultural rights, and in this regard takes note with appreciation of measures taken to facilitate access to complaints procedures and the domestic adjudication of cases, as appropriate, for victims of alleged human rights violations;

Welcomes the steps taken at the national level to implement economic, social and cultural rights, including the enactment of appropriate legislation and adjudication by national courts;

Recognizes that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets seek to, inter alia, realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, and that they are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development, namely, the economic, the social and the environmental;

Notes with interest the work carried out by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to assist States parties in fulfilling their obligations, including through the issuance of general comments, the consideration of periodic reports and, for States parties to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the examination of individual communications;

Also notes with interest the work of other relevant treaty bodies and special procedures in the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights within their respective mandates;

Encourages enhanced cooperation and, as appropriate, increased coordination between the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and programmes, mechanisms of the Human Rights Council and other human rights treaty bodies whose activities have a bearing on economic, social and cultural rights in a manner that respects their distinctive mandates and promotes their policies, programmes and projects;

Recognizes and encourages the important contributions of regional organizations, national human rights institutions and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, business enterprises and trade unions to the question of the realization and enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, including training and information activities;

Welcomes the activities carried out by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights, mainly through technical cooperation, the work of its field offices, its relevant reports to United Nations bodies, the development of in-house expertise, including on human rights indicators, and its publications, studies, training and information activities on related issues, including through new information technologies;

Requests the Secretary-General to continue to prepare and submit to the Human Rights Council an annual report on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights under agenda item 3, with a special focus on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

Decides to remain seized of this issue and to consider taking further action in order to implement the present resolution.

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