The United Nations human rights chief has
welcomed the General Assembly’s adoption of an important new instrument
to strengthen the protection of economic, social and cultural rights,
stressing that it gives a voice to victims of violations.
“The approval of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is of singular importance by
closing a historic gap,” stated UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Navi Pillay.
The Protocol, adopted during the Assembly’s 10 December meeting
commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on
Human Rights, will enable victims to complain about violations of the
rights enshrined in the Covenant at the international level for the
first time.
Ms. Pillay stressed that the Protocol provides a voice to victims of
human rights violations. It also “makes them better equipped to enlist
the international community’s help to address their plight.”
The High Commissioner noted that the Universal Declaration chose not to
rank rights. “On the contrary, it recognized the equal status of
political and civil rights with economic, social and cultural rights,
and underlined that all rights are inextricably linked,” she said.
“Violations of a set of rights reverberate on other rights and enfeeble
them all.”
The Optional Protocol will now be opened for signature during 2009 and enter into force once it has been ratified by ten States.
