Economic and Social Rights

About Our Work_

Economic and social rights (ESR) are poorly understood and rarely enforced in many states. This despite the fact that a large number of states are party to international treaties, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

As a result, these rights need to be consolidated and given full effect through a variety of advocacy strategies including litigation. INTERIGHTS has identified the right to health and the right to education as key areas where the organisation can successfully pursue strategic litigation to better protect ESR at both the regional and international level. Over the past year, INTERIGHTS has worked on cases involving such diverse issues as the linguistic rights in education, school segregation, sexual and reproductive health education and conditions in mental health care facilities.

Latest INTERIGHTS News_

Catan & Ors v Moldova & Russia

On 25 January 2012, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights conducted a hearing in the case of Catan & Ors v Moldova & Russia, concerning violations of the rights to education, private life and freedom from discrimination of children, parents and teachers in the territory of Transdniestria.

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Call for Applications: Litigation Surgery on the Right to Education in Africa

INTERIGHTS is pleased to announce a call for applications to African-based lawyers and NGOs who would like to participate in a forthcoming litigation surgery on the right to education.

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Greek Government condemned again for continuing to fail Roma on housing

For the second time in five years, the European Committee of Social Rights has condemned Greece for continued serious and widespread discrimination against Roma in respect of housing rights.

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Litigation_

Catan & Ors v Moldova & Russia

On 25 January 2012, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights conducted a hearing in the case of Catan & Ors v Moldova & Russia, concerning violations of the rights to education, private life and freedom from discrimination of children, parents and teachers in the territory of Transdniestria.

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Croatia censured for segregating Roma children in the classroom

On 16 March 2010 the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Croatian authorities discriminated against 15 Roma school children on account of their ethnicity. Interights submitted a third party intervention in the case. The children concerned had been placed in separate classes on account of their lack of Croatian language proficiency.

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Capacity Building and Standard Setting_

New Right to Health Resource

Iain Byrne, Senior Lawyer for the Economic and Social Rights programme, has written a chapter for a new publication, Realizing The Right To Health, the third volume of the Swiss Human Rights Book edited by Andrew Clapham and Mary Robinson and published in June 2009. For further information on the publication click on the link below.

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Complaints system for economic, social and cultural rights is a step nearer

April 2008 saw the culmination of years of work by economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) activists to secure a complaints mechanism for the International Covenant on ESCR when the Working Group set up by the previous UN Human Rights Commission agreed a draft Optional Protocol (OP) for submission to the Human Rights Council and ultimate approval by the General Assembly.

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