Advocacy
Since its establishment in 1986, Rights and Humanity has taken every opportunity to advocate the vital importance of economic social and cultural rights at governmental and inter-governmental meetings and conferences and through our education and training.We have written several chapters for published books and many articles on the theory of economic, social and cultural rights, the steps necessary to achieve their realisation, and the practical implications of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted by states around the world.
Inter-Governmental Conference, Italy, 1988
One of Rights and Humanity’s most important early papers in this regard was presented by our President at an inter-governmental conference entitled “Human Rights and Religious Freedoms in Europe for Peace and in the Spirit of Helsinki”, to further the Helsinki Accords - organised in Venice, Italy - by the Veneto Regional Government in February, 1988.
The Helsinki Accords had been adopted under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to reduce tension in the region, further economic cooperation and better the human rights and humanitarian circumstances of the populations of Eastern Europe. We considered it particularly important to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights were given adequate prominence in “Basket III” of the Accords, which dealt with the human dimension of cooperation.
Establishing the First University Course on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
In 1992, Rights and Humanity developed and taught the first ever university course on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This was established at Essex University, in the UK, as part of the Masters degree course in human rights.
Advocating Inclusion of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Mandates of National Human Rights Commissions
Rights and Humanity has long advocated that economic, social and cultural rights should be included in the mandates and practice of National Human Rights Commissions. For instance, in 1997, at a Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored conference entitled “Commonwealth Human Rights Institutions: Promoting Good Practice” our President cited the experience of the South African Human Rights Commission, established as an independent monitoring body under the South African Constitution adopted in 1996 and called on other National Commissions to take up the issue of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.