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

A/HRC/RES/37/13No 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 2018.

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?

5 topics

Disaster Prevention Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Equality Human Rights Sustainable Development

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2019.

2019A/HRC/40/29Question of the realization of economic, social and cultural rights in all countries the role of economic, social and cultural rights in empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality : report of the Secretary-General

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

What does this mandate say?

23 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 34/4 of 23 March 2017;

Also 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 most 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;

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 role of economic, social and cultural rights in building sustainable and resilient societies for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/4, and of the conclusions contained therein;

Emphasizes that, in General Assembly resolution 70/1, States committed to taking bold and transformative steps that were urgently needed to shift the world on to a sustainable and resilient path, pledged that no one would be left behind and that they would endeavour to reach the furthest behind first, recognized that the dignity of the human person was fundamental, envisaged a world of universal respect for equality and non-discrimination and included the concepts of resilience and sustainability in the Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda;

Recognizes that working towards sustainable and resilient societies requires States to mitigate the risks of natural and human-made hazards and disasters, such as those arising from the impact of, inter alia, climate change and unsustainable development planning and activities, while acknowledging the links between sustainability and resilience and the enjoyment of all human rights;

Also recognizes that freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information, and the right of citizens to take part in the conduct of public affairs are essential for disaster preparedness and protection from environmental harm, and that it is important to engage and consult with a broad range of stakeholders at all levels concerning effective action on all aspects of disaster risk reduction;

Urges States to raise awareness about applicable national and international law in order to strengthen the resilience and protection of people at risk from natural and human-made hazards and disasters;

Also urges States to enhance international cooperation in order to complement and strengthen their national disaster risk reduction action and capacity;

Further urges States to take action to build resilience and work towards sustainable societies, including, as appropriate, by enacting and implementing laws on all relevant aspects of disaster risk mitigation and by setting up information, education, prevention, mitigation, participation, investigation, prosecution and recovery mechanisms and procedures in case of natural and human-made hazards and disasters, in accordance with their international obligations and commitments;

Urges States to adopt or further develop procedures for information-gathering and measurement that 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;

Notes with appreciation the contributions of international human rights mechanisms, including the international human rights treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council and its subsidiary bodies, the special procedures and the universal periodic review in promoting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in accordance with States’ human rights obligations, encourages States to give due consideration to information, observations and recommendations from human rights mechanisms when implementing and monitoring progress of the 2030 Agenda, and to promote the cooperation of all stakeholders towards the full integration of human rights into the said processes;

Underlines the importance of an effective remedy for violations of economic, social and cultural rights, and in this regard notes with appreciation the 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, and in this regard underlines the need to consider justiciability when determining the best way to give domestic legal effect to the rights in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

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, social and environmental, calls upon States to implement the 2030 Agenda consistent with the principles of equality and non-discrimination, and in this regard encourages States to consider appropriate measures to promote de facto equality;

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 acting consistently with the principles of non-discrimination, transparency, participation and accountability;

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

Also notes with appreciation 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 role of economic, social and cultural rights in empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality;

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

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Who created this mandate?

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What does this mandate say?

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