Economic, social and cultural rights under international human rights law

• 9.9. AUD II
• 10.9. AUD XVI
• 11.9. AUD II
• 14.9. AUD XVI
• 15.9. AUD XVI
• 16.9. AUD IX
• 17.9. AUD XVI
• 18.9. AUX XVI
• 24.9. final exam time: 10-12, venue: seminar room, Snellmaninkatu 10 (1st floor)

Objectives

This introductory course examines the nature of economic, social and cultural rights under international human rights law and how they are promoted by inter-governmental organizations. The course reflects on the mandates, policies and activities of the United Nations and its specialized agencies (e.g., the international labor organization and UNESCO) as well as those of the Council of Europe and the European Union, the international instruments adopted by them and how they monitor the manner in which these instruments are given practical effect.

The questions that are often posed when this subject-matter is considered are many, complex and important. Are economic, social and cultural rights really human rights or mere ideals? Can they be effectively realized without sound national and international policies? If they are human rights, are they really pre-requisites for the enjoyment of civil and political rights? Or is it the other way around? Or are the two inseparable and interdependent? How are the activities of the different organizations in the economic, social and cultural fields coordinated? What are the kinds of practical issues that emerge when promoting these rights? Are governments entitled to disregard these rights in times of serious economic problems like the ones we are experiencing globally. These and similar other questions will be addressed in the course of this course.

Content

The materials that will be used for the course can be downloaded from the internet web pages of the above mentioned international organizations (http://www.un.org, http://www.ilo.org, http://www.unesco, etc.) or from the web search engine www.google.com. Particular attention will be turned to the following documents:

• The Charter of the United Nations (specially articles 1, 2 and 55)
• The international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights
• The convention on the elimination of discrimination against women
• The convention on the elimination of racial discrimination
• The UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights
• The UN declaration on social progress and development
• The UN Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development
• The UN declaration on the right to development
• The UN declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples
• The UN millennium declaration
• The relevant ILO conventions – especially those dealing with the freedom of association (trade union rights), safe working conditions, social security, insurance, unemployment benefits, rest and holidays and the protection of vulnerable groups (e.g., the child, pregnant women and indigenous peoples)
• The relevant UNESCO documents relating to culture and education
• The European Social Charter (including the revised Charter)
• The European Charter for regional or minority languages
• The European Framework Convention for the protection of minorities

Completion

The students are expected to familiarize themselves with the above documents. Active class participation will be given credit for purposes of raising borderline grades. The exams will be based on true/false and essay type questions.