Economic, social and cultural rights

All human rights, whether civil and political—or economic, social and cultural—are interlinked. For example, individuals who cannot read or write often have a harder time in realizing their full potentials than those who can to find work or to take part in political activity. Malnutrition and hunger are less likely to occur where individuals can effectively exercise their right to vote and influence Government priorities.

The UDHR, ratified in 1948, makes no distinction between these rights. A distinction later appeared in the context of cold war tensions between the East and West. This led to the negotiation and adoption of two separate covenants—one on civil and political rights, and another on economic, social and cultural rights.

In recent decades since the Vienna Declaration on Human Rights in 1993, there has been a return to the original architecture of the UDHR, reaffirming the indivisibility of all human rights. At the same time, there has been renewed attention to the importance of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and addressing and preventing conflicts crisis worldwide, including the COVID-19 pandemic.