Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in International Law Book

Preface v

Foreword vii

List of Abbreviations xv

List of Cases xix

List of Legislation xxvii

Part I Reinforcing Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1

1 The International Legal Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 3

I Introduction 3

II Human Rights Obligations under International Law 6

A Background 6

B Towards Some Definition 9

C Human Rights Obligations and Responsibilities 17

D Globalisation and ESC Rights 18

E Obligation of Conduct and Result in International Law 22

III Tripartite Typology of Obligations 23

A Obligation to Respect 23

B Obligation to Protect 24

C Obligation to Fulfil 25

D Obligation to Recognise? 26

IV The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 26

A ICESCR-Adoption and Ratification 26

B Overview of the ICESCR 27

C Treaty-Monitoring Body: CESCR and the Examination of State Reports 28

D A Complaints Procedure Under the ICESCR and the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR 30

E Substantive Rights 38

F Non-Derogability of ESC Rights 39

G Extra-Territorial Application 42

V Conclusion 47

2 State Obligations under the ICESCR 49

I Introduction 49

II Article 2(1) 50

A Obligation to 'Take Steps ... by All Appropriate Means' 52

B Obligation of Progressive Realisation 58

C Obligation to Utilise 'Maximum Available Resources' 61

D Minimum Core obligations 65

E Obligations Regarding International Assistance and Co-operation 69

F The Application of International Co-operation and Assistance 77

III Articles 2(2) and 3: Obligation to 'guarantee' Non-Discrimination and Promote Equality 84

A Prohibition of Discrimination 85

B Equality between Men and Women 88

C Eradication of De Jure and De Facto Discrimination 90

D Temporary Special Measures 93

E Discrimination by Non-State Actors 96

IV Article 2(3): Non-Nationals in Developing Countries 97

V Articles 4 and 5: Limitations on ESC Rights and Safeguards Against Abuse 100

VI Conclusion 102

3 Non-State Actors and the ICESCR 105

I Introduction 105

II Definition of Non-State Actor 108

III State Obligation to Protect against Human Rights Violations by Non-State Actors 109

A State Obligation to Protect 109

B Protection against Discrimination 115

C Global Actors/Institutions 117

D Remedies against Violations by Non-State Actors 119

IV Direct Human Rights Responsibilities of Non-State Actors with Respect to ESC Rights 121

A Responsibilities of NSAs in International Human Rights Instruments 122

B The IMF, World Bank and Human Rights 128

C The WTO and Human Rights 136

D Corporations and Human Rights 142

V Conclusion 144

4 The Domestic Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 149

I Introduction 149

II The ICESCR on the National Plane 151

III Examples of the Application of the ICESCR on the National Plane 156

A United Kingdom 156

B South Africa 164

C Uganda 173

D Italy 181

E India 185

IV Towards an Effective Domestic Application of the ICESCR: The Role of Independent National Human Rights Institutions 190

V Conclusion 201

5 State Reservations to the ICESCR 203

I Introduction 203

II Permissible Reservations to the ICESCR and the Effect of an Invalid Reservation 208

A Permissible Reservations Under the ICESCR: The 'Object and Purpose' Test 208

B Effect of an Invalid Reservation 211

III Questionable Reservations Made to the ICESCR 218

A Kuwait's Reservations 219

B Pakistan Reservations 226

C Turkey Reservations 232

IV Reservation by other States: Examples from Africa and Europe 236

A Reservations by African States 236

B Reservations by European States 238

V Conclusion 241

6 Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 245

I Introduction 245

II Background and Context 247

III Human Rights of Women to Equality and Non-Discrimination: African Experiences 249

A The ACHPR and the Rights of Women in Africa 250

B Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa 252

C The State of Women's Rights in Africa in Practice 257

IV Prejudicial Cultural Practices and Customs as an Obstacle to the Realisation of Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa 258

A African Culture in General 258

B Right to Inheritance 263

C Right to Equality and Polygamous Marriages 268

D Right to Equality and Divorce 275

V Conclusion: the Duty to Uproot Cultural Obstacles to Enhance Women's Enjoyment of ESC Rights 277

Part II Substantive Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Selected Examples 281

7 Right to Work and Rights in Work: Articles 6 and 7 283

I Introduction 284

II Non-Discrimination and Equal Protection of Employment 285

A Non-nationals 288

B Equal Remuneration of Men and Women 294

III Freedom from Slavery, Forced and Compulsory Labour 297

A General Overview 297

B Protection against Exploitative Child Labour 300

IV Conclusion 310

8 The Right to Health: Article 12 313

I Introduction 313

II The International Protection of the Right to Health 316

III Scope and Content of the Right to Health 324

A The Right to Healthcare 325

B Underlying Determinants of Health 327

IV State Obligations Regarding the Right to Health 331

A Availability 331

B Accessibility 331

C Acceptability and Quality 334

V Levels of Obligations 335

A Obligation to Respect the Right to Health 336

B Obligation to Protect the Right to Health 339

C Obligation to Fulfil the Right to Health 340

VI Minimum Core Obligations of the Right to Health 341

VII Justiciability of the Right to Health 343

A General Overview 343

B Progressive Realisation and Resource Availability 348

C Immediate Obligations 348

D Available, Accessible, Acceptable and of Good Quality 349

E Reproductive Rights and Freedom from Non-consensual Sterilisation 351

VIII Conclusion 353

9 The Right to Education: Articles 13 and 14 355

I Introduction 356

II International Protection of the Right to Education 359

III Scope and Content of the Right to Education 376

A Scope and Content 376

B Levels of Education 377

IV Human Rights Obligations in the Context of Education 386

A Making Education Available, Accessible, Acceptable and Adaptable 386

B Levels of State Obligations: Respect, Protect and Fulfil 388

V Conclusion 398

10 Conclusion: Towards a World Court of Human Rights 401

Appendices 407

Appendix A International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 407

Appendix B Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 415

Appendix C States Parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 422

Appendix D A List of the General Comments of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 427

Appendix E Limburg Principles on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Maastricht, 2-6 June 1986 430

Appendix F Maastricht Guidelines on Violations of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Maastricht, 22-26 January 1997 441

Appendix G Montreal Principles on Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 448

Appendix H Declarations and Reservations to the ICESCR and Objections 462

Appendix I Guidelines on Treaty-Specific Documents to be Submitted by States Parties under Articles 16 and 17 of The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 494

Appendix J List of Least Developed Countries 505

Selected Bibliography 507

Index 521