View source for International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

{{short description|Covenant adopted in 1966 by United Nations General Assembly resolution}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox Treaty
| name                = International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
| long_name           =
| image               = ICESCR members.svg
| image_width         = 400px
| caption             = Parties and signatories to the ICESCR:{{legend|#008000|signed and ratified}}{{legend|#00ff00|signed but not ratified}}{{legend|#e0e0e0|neither signed nor ratified}}
| type                = [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution]]
| date_drafted        = 1954
| date_signed         = 16 December 1966<ref name=refworld>{{cite web |title=International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights|url=http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b36c0.html|work=www.refworld.org}}</ref>
| location_signed     = [[United Nations Headquarters]], [[New York City]]
| date_sealed         =
| date_effective      = 3 January 1976<ref name=refworld/>
| condition_effective =
| date_expiration     =
| signatories         = 71
| parties             = 172
| depositor           = [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]]
| languages           = French, English, Russian, Chinese and Spanish (authentic texts pursuant to Article 31 of the Covenant),<ref name=res2200_en>{{cite web|title=General Assembly Resolution 2200 (XXI)|url=https://docs.un.org/en/A/RES/2200(XXI)|access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref> as well as Arabic (official text adopted by the UN General Assembly)<ref name=res2200_ar>{{cite web|title=General Assembly Resolution 2200 (XXI) in Arabic|url=https://docs.un.org/ar/A/RES/2200(XXI)|access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref>
| website             =
| wikisource1          = International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
}}
[[File:Economic and Social Council Resolution 2007-25.pdf|thumb|200px|ECOSOC Resolution 2007/25: Support to [[United Nations list of non-self-governing territories|non-self-governing territories]] by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations (26 July 2007)]]
The '''International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights''' ('''ICESCR''') is a multilateral [[treaty]] adopted by the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (GA) on 16 December 1966 through GA. Resolution 2200A (XXI), and came into force on 3 January 1976.<ref name=refworld/> It commits its parties to work toward the granting of [[economic, social, and cultural rights]] (ESCR) to all individuals including those living in [[United Nations list of non-self-governing territories|Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories]]. The rights include [[labour rights]], the [[right to health]], the [[right to education]], and the [[right to an adequate standard of living]]. As of February 2024, the Covenant has 172 parties.<ref name="reservations">{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4&clang=_en|title=UN Treaty Collection: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights|date=3 January 1976|publisher=UN}}</ref> A further four countries, including the United States, have signed but not ratified the Covenant.
The ICESCR (and its [[Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights|Optional Protocol]]) is part of the [[International Bill of Human Rights]], along with the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] (UDHR) and the [[International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]] (ICCPR), including the latter's [[First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights|first]] and [[Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights|second]] Optional Protocols.<ref name=ohchr-fs2>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/2/fs2.htm |title=Fact Sheet No.2 (Rev.1), The International Bill of Human Rights |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR |date=June 1996 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080313093428/http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/2/fs2.htm |archive-date = 13 March 2008}}</ref>
The Covenant is monitored by the UN [[Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee on economic, social and cultural rights|url=http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CESCR/Pages/CESCRIndex.aspx|work=www.ohchr.org}}</ref>
==Genesis==
The ICESCR has its roots in the same process that led to the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]].<ref>{{cite web|title=International bill of human rights|url=http://www.lawteacher.net/human-rights/essays/international-bill-of-human-rights.php|work=lawteacher.net|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140819165643/http://www.lawteacher.net/human-rights/essays/international-bill-of-human-rights.php|archive-date=19 August 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> A "Declaration on the Essential Rights of Man" had been proposed at the [[United Nations Conference on International Organization|1945 San Francisco Conference]] which led to the founding of the United Nations, and the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]] was given the task of drafting it.<ref name=ohchr-fs2/> Early on in the process, the document was split into a declaration setting forth general principles of human rights, and a convention or covenant containing binding commitments. The former evolved into the UDHR and was adopted on 10 December 1948.<ref name=ohchr-fs2/>
Drafting continued on the convention, but there remained significant differences between UN members on the relative importance of [[negative right|negative]] civil and political versus [[positive right|positive]] economic, social and cultural rights.<ref>{{cite book |title= The International Law of Human Rights|last=Sieghart |first=Paul |year=1983 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=25 }}</ref> These eventually caused the convention to be split into two separate covenants, "one to contain civil and political rights and the other to contain economic, social and cultural rights."<ref name=unga-r543>United Nations General Assembly Resolution 543, 5 February 1952.</ref> The two covenants were to contain as many similar provisions as possible and be opened for signature simultaneously.<ref name=unga-r543/> Each would also contain an article on the right of all peoples to [[self-determination]].<ref>United Nations General Assembly Resolution 545, 5 February 1952.</ref>
The first document became the [[International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]], and the second the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The drafts were presented to the [[UN General Assembly]] for discussion in 1954 and adopted in 1966.<ref>United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2200, 16 December 1966.</ref>
==Summary==
The Covenant follows the structure of the UDHR and the ICCPR, with a preamble and thirty-one articles, divided into five parts.<ref>The following section summarises the text of the Covenant.</ref>
'''Part 1''' (Article 1) recognises the right of all peoples to [[self-determination]], including the right to "freely determine their political status",<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 1.1</ref> pursue their economic, social and cultural goals, and manage and dispose of their own resources. It recognises a [[negative right]] of a people not to be deprived of its means of subsistence,<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 1.2</ref> and imposes an obligation on those parties still responsible for non-self governing and trust territories (colonies) to encourage and respect their self-determination.<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 1.3</ref>
'''Part 2''' (Articles 2–5) establishes the principle of "progressive realisation" (see below.) It also requires the rights be recognised "without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 2.2</ref> The rights can only be limited by law, in a manner compatible with the nature of the rights, and only for the purpose of "promoting the general welfare in a democratic society".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 4</ref>
'''Part 3''' (Articles 6–15) lists the rights themselves. These include rights to
* work, under "just and favourable conditions",<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 7</ref> with the right to form and join [[trade union]]s (Articles 6, 7, and 8);
* [[social security]], including [[social insurance]] (Article 9);
* family life, including paid [[parental leave]] and the protection of children (Article 10);
* [[right to an adequate standard of living|an adequate standard of living]], including adequate [[right to food|food]], clothing and [[right to housing|housing]], and the "continuous improvement of living conditions" (Article 11);
* health, specifically "the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health" (Article 12);
* [[right to education|education]], including [[free education|free]] universal primary education, generally available secondary education and equally accessible higher education. This should be directed to "the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity",<ref name=ICESCR-art13.1>''ICESCR'', Article 13.1</ref> and enable all persons to participate effectively in society (Articles 13 and 14);
* participation in cultural life (Article 15).
As negative and positive rights are rights that oblige either action (positive rights) or inaction (negative rights), many of these aforementioned rights include specific actions which must be undertaken to realise them, as they are [[positive right|positive]] economic, social and cultural rights that go beyond relatively inaction-based civil and political [[negative rights]].
'''Part 4''' (Articles 16–25) governs reporting and monitoring of the Covenant and the steps taken by the parties to implement it. It also allows the monitoring body – originally the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council]] – now the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – see below – to make general recommendations to the [[UN General Assembly]] on appropriate measures to realise the rights (Article 21)
'''Part 5''' (Articles 26–31) governs ratification, entry into force, and amendment of the Covenant.
==Core provisions==
===Principle of progressive realisation===
'''Article 2''' of the Covenant imposes a duty on all parties to
<blockquote>take steps... to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Covenant by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative measures.<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 2.1</ref></blockquote>
This is known as the principle of "progressive realisation". It acknowledges that some of the rights (for example, the right to health) may be difficult in practice to achieve in a short period of time, and that states may be subject to resource constraints, but requires them to act as best they can within their means.
The principle differs from that of the ICCPR, which obliges parties to "respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction" the rights in that Convention.<ref>{{cite web|title=ICCPR |url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm |pages=Article 2.1 |publisher=UN |access-date=13 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705115024/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm |archive-date=5 July 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> However, it does not render the Covenant meaningless. The requirement to "take steps" imposes a continuing obligation to work towards the realisation of the rights.<ref>Paragraph 9, {{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(symbol)/CESCR+General+comment+3.En?OpenDocument |title=CESCR General Comment 3 |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR |date=14 December 1990 }}</ref> It also rules out deliberately regressive measures which impede that goal. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights also interprets the principle as imposing minimum core obligations to provide, at the least, minimum essential levels of each of the rights.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 3'', paragraph 10.</ref> If resources are highly constrained, this should include the use of targeted programmes aimed at the vulnerable.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 3'', paragraph 12.</ref>
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights regards legislation as an indispensable means for realizing the rights which is unlikely to be limited by resource constraints. The enacting of anti-discrimination provisions and the establishment of enforceable rights with judicial remedies within national legal systems are considered to be appropriate means. Some provisions, such as anti-discrimination laws, are already required under other human rights instruments, such as the ICCPR.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 3'', paragraphs 3–6.</ref>
===Labour rights===
{{main|Labour rights}}
'''Article&nbsp;6''' of the Covenant recognizes the [[right to work]] as defined by the opportunity of everyone to gain a means of sustenance by means of freely chosen or accepted work.<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 6.1.</ref> Parties are required to take "appropriate steps" to safeguard this right, including technical and vocational training and economic policies aimed at steady economic development, and ultimately [[full employment]]. The right implies parties must guarantee equal access to employment and protect workers from being unfairly deprived of employment. They must prevent [[workplace discrimination|discrimination in the workplace]] and ensure access for the disadvantaged.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/898586b1dc7b4043c1256a450044f331/493bee38093458c0c12571140029367c/$FILE/G0640313.pdf |title=CESCR General Comment 18: The Right to Work |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Council |date=6 February 2006|pages=paragraph 31}}</ref> The fact that work must be freely chosen or accepted means parties must prohibit [[Unfree labour|forced]] or [[child labour]].<ref>''CESCR General Comment 18'', paragraph 23.</ref>
The work referred to in Article&nbsp;6 must be ''[[decent work]]''.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 18'', paragraph 7.</ref> This is effectively defined by '''Article&nbsp;7''' of the Covenant, which recognises the right of everyone to "just and favourable" working conditions. These are in turn defined as fair wages with [[equal pay for equal work]], sufficient to provide a decent living for workers and their dependants; [[Occupational safety and health|safe working conditions]]; equal opportunity in the workplace; and sufficient rest and leisure, including limited [[working hours]] and regular, [[paid holidays]].
'''Article&nbsp;8''' recognises the right of workers to form or join trade unions and protects the [[right to strike]]. However, it allows these rights to be restricted for members of the armed forces, police, or government administrators. Several parties have placed reservations on this clause, allowing it to be interpreted in a manner consistent with their constitutions (e.g.,&nbsp;[[Constitution of the People's Republic of China|China]], [[Constitution of Mexico|Mexico]]), or extending the restriction of union rights to groups such as [[firefighter]]s (e.g.,&nbsp;[[Constitution of Japan|Japan]]).<ref name=reservations/>
===Right to social security===
{{main|Social security}}
'''Article 9''' of the Covenant recognises "the right of everyone to [[social security]], including [[social insurance]]".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 9.</ref> It requires parties to provide some form of social insurance scheme to protect people against the risks of sickness, disability, maternity, employment injury, unemployment or old age; to provide for survivors, orphans, and those who cannot afford health care; and to ensure that families are adequately supported. Benefits from such a scheme must be adequate, accessible to all, and provided without discrimination.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,CESCR,,,47b17b5b39c,0.html|title=CESCR Draft General Comment 19: The right to social security|access-date=13 July 2008|publisher=UN Economic and Social Council|date=4 February 2008|at=paragraphs 1 – 4|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520002906/http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,CESCR,,,47b17b5b39c,0.html|archive-date=20 May 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Covenant does not restrict the form of the scheme, and both contributory and non-contributory schemes are permissible (as are community-based and mutual schemes).<ref>''CESCR Draft General Comment 19'', paragraph 5.</ref>
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has noted persistent problems with the implementation of this right, with very low levels of access.<ref>''CESCR Draft General Comment 19'', paragraph 7.</ref>
Several parties, including France and Monaco, have reservations allowing them to set residence requirements in order to qualify for social benefits. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights permits such restrictions, provided they are proportionate and reasonable.<ref>''CESCR Draft General Comment 19'', paragraph 37.</ref>
===Right to family life===
{{main|Children's rights|Fathers' rights|Mothers' rights|Reproductive rights}}
'''Article 10''' of the Covenant recognises the family as "the natural and fundamental group unit of society", and requires parties to accord it "the widest possible protection and assistance".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 10.1.</ref> Parties must ensure that their citizens are free to establish families and that marriages are freely contracted and not [[forced marriage|forced]].<ref name=ohchr-fs16>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/2/fs16.htm#6 |title=Fact Sheet No.16 (Rev.1), The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR |date=July 1991 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080501050654/http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/2/fs16.htm#6 |archive-date = 1 May 2008}}</ref> Parties must also provide [[parental leave|paid leave]] or adequate social security to mothers before and after childbirth, an obligation which overlaps with that of Article 9. Finally, parties must take "special measures" to protect children from economic or social exploitation, including setting a minimum age of employment and barring children from dangerous and harmful occupations.<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 10.3.</ref>
===Right to an adequate standard of living===
{{main|Right to food|Right to water|Right to housing|Right to clothing}}
'''Article 11''' recognises the [[right to an adequate standard of living]]. This includes, but is not limited to, the right to adequate food, clothing, housing, and "the continuous improvement of living conditions".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 11.1.</ref> It also creates an obligation on parties to work together to eliminate [[world hunger]].
The '''right to adequate food''', also referred to as the [[right to food]], is interpreted as requiring "the availability of food in a quantity and quality sufficient to satisfy the dietary needs of individuals, free from adverse substances, and acceptable within a given culture".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/3d02758c707031d58025677f003b73b9?Opendocument |title=CESCR General Comment 12: The right to adequate food |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Council |date=12 May 1999|pages=paragraph 8 }}</ref> This must be accessible to all, implying an obligation to provide special programmes for the vulnerable.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 12'', paragraph 13.</ref> This must also ensure an equitable distribution of world [[food supply|food supplies]] in relation to need, taking into account the problems of food-importing and food-exporting countries.<ref>ICESCR, Article 11, 2 (b)</ref> The right to adequate food also implies a [[right to water]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=search&amp;docid=4538838d11&amp;skip=0&amp;advsearch=y&amp;process=y&amp;allwords=comment%2015&amp;exactphrase=&amp;atleastone=&amp;without=&amp;title=&amp;monthfrom=01&amp;yearfrom=2003&amp;monthto=01&amp;yearto=2003&amp;coa=&amp;language=&amp;citation=|title=CESCR General Comment 15: The right to water |access-date=13 July 2008 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Council |date=20 January 2003|pages=paragraph 3}}</ref>
The '''right to adequate housing''', also referred to as the [[right to housing]], is "the right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity."<ref name=ohchr-gc4-p7>{{cite web |url=https://www.escr-net.org/resources/general-comment-4 |title=CESCR General Comment 4: The right to adequate housing |access-date=12 Apr 2020 |publisher=UN OHCHR |date=13 December 1991 |at=paragraph 7. |archive-date=12 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412172047/https://www.escr-net.org/resources/general-comment-4 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It requires "adequate privacy, adequate space, adequate security, adequate lighting and ventilation, adequate basic infrastructure and adequate location with regard to work and basic facilities – all at a reasonable cost."<ref name=ohchr-gc4-p7/> Parties must ensure security of tenure and that access is free of discrimination, and progressively work to eliminate homelessness. Forced evictions, defined as "the permanent or temporary removal against their will of individuals, families and/or communities from the homes and/or land which they occupy, without the provision of, and access to, appropriate forms of legal or other protection," are a prima facie violation of the Covenant.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/959f71e476284596802564c3005d8d50?Opendocument |title=CESCR General Comment 7: The right to adequate housing: forced evictions |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR |date=20 May 1997 }}</ref>
The '''right to adequate clothing''', also referred to as the [[right to clothing]], has not been authoritatively defined and has received little in the way of academic commentary or international discussion. What is considered "adequate" has only been discussed in specific contexts, such as refugees, the disabled, the elderly, or workers.<ref>Stephen James, [http://law.anu.edu.au/anzsil/Conferences/2008/Stephen%20James.pdf ''"A Forgotten Right? The Right to Clothing in International Law"''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412083133/http://law.anu.edu.au/anzsil/Conferences/2008/Stephen%20James.pdf |date=12 April 2011 }}</ref>
===Right to health===
{{main|Right to health}}
'''Article 12''' of the Covenant recognises the right of everyone to "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 12.1</ref> "Health" is understood not just as a right to be healthy, but as a right to control one's own health and body (including reproduction), and be free from interference such as [[torture]] or medical experimentation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/40d009901358b0e2c1256915005090be?Opendocument |title=CESCR General Comment 14: The right to the highest attainable standard of health |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Council |date=11 August 2000|pages=paragraph 9}}</ref> States must protect this right by ensuring that everyone within their jurisdiction has access to the underlying determinants of health, such as clean water, sanitation, food, nutrition and housing, and through a comprehensive system of healthcare, which is available to everyone without discrimination, and economically accessible to all.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 14'', paragraphs 11–12.</ref>
'''Article 12.2''' requires parties to take specific steps to improve the health of their citizens, including reducing infant mortality and improving child health, improving environmental and workplace health, preventing, controlling and treating epidemic diseases, and creating conditions to ensure equal and timely access to medical services for all. These are considered to be "illustrative, non-exhaustive examples", rather than a complete statement of parties' obligations.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 14'', paragraph 7.</ref>
The right to health is interpreted as requiring parties to respect women's [[reproductive rights]], by not limiting access to [[contraception]] or "censoring, withholding or intentionally misrepresenting" information about sexual health.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 14'', paragraph 34.</ref> They must also ensure that women are protected from harmful traditional practices such as [[female genital mutilation]].<ref>''CESCR General Comment 14'', paragraph 35.</ref>
The right to health is an inclusive right extending not only to timely and appropriate health care, but also to the underlying determinants of health, such as access to safe and potable water and adequate sanitation, an adequate supply of safe food, nutrition and housing, healthy occupational and environmental conditions.<ref>[http://www.humanrights.is/the-human-rights-project/humanrightscasesandmaterials/humanrightsconceptsideasandfora/humanrightsinrlationtoothertopics/humanrightsandtheenvironment/ Human Rights and the Environment] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306185240/http://www.humanrights.is/the-human-rights-project/humanrightscasesandmaterials/humanrightsconceptsideasandfora/humanrightsinrlationtoothertopics/humanrightsandtheenvironment/ |date=6 March 2014 }}</ref>
===Right to free education===
{{main|Right to education}}
'''Article 13''' of the Covenant recognises the right of everyone to [[free education]] (free for the [[primary education|primary]] level only, and "the progressive introduction of free education" for the [[secondary education|secondary]] and [[higher education|higher levels]]). This is to be directed towards "the full development of the human personality and the sense of its [[dignity]]",<ref name=ICESCR-art13.1/> and enable all persons to participate effectively in society. Education is seen both as a human right and as "an indispensable means of realizing other human rights", and so this is one of the longest and most important articles of the Covenant.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/ae1a0b126d068e868025683c003c8b3b?Opendocument |title=CESCR General Comment 13: The right to education |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Council |date=8 December 1999|pages=paragraph 1}}</ref>
'''Article 13.2''' lists a number of specific steps parties are required to pursue to realise the right of education. These include the provision of [[Right to education|free, universal and compulsory]] primary education, "generally available and accessible" secondary education in various forms (including technical and vocational training), and equally accessible higher education. All of these must be available to all without discrimination. Parties must also develop a school system (though it may be public, private, or mixed), encourage or provide scholarships for disadvantaged groups. Parties are required to make education free at all levels, either immediately or progressively; "[p]rimary education shall be compulsory and available free to all"; secondary education "shall be made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education"; and "[h]igher education shall be made [[universal access to education|equally accessible to all]], on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education".
'''Articles 13.3 and 13.4''' require parties to respect the educational freedom of parents by allowing them to choose and establish private educational institutions for their children, also referred to as [[freedom of education]]. They also recognise the right of parents to "ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 13.3</ref> This is interpreted as requiring public schools to respect the freedom of religion and conscience of their students, and as forbidding instruction in a particular religion or belief system unless non-discriminatory exemptions and alternatives are available.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 13'', paragraph 28.</ref>
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights interpret the Covenant as also requiring states to respect the [[academic freedom]] of staff and students, as this is vital for the educational process.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 13'', paragraph 38.</ref> It also considers [[corporal punishment]] in schools to be inconsistent with the Covenant's underlying principle of the dignity of the individual.<ref>''CESCR General Comment 13'', paragraph 41.</ref>
'''Article 14''' of the Covenant requires those parties which have not yet established a system of free [[compulsory education|compulsory]] primary education to rapidly adopt a detailed plan of action for its introduction "within a reasonable number of years".<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 14.</ref>
===Right to participation in cultural life===
{{main|Right to science and culture}}
{{main|Right to development}}
{{main|Right to public participation}}
'''Article 15''' of the Covenant recognises the right of everyone to participate in cultural life, enjoy the benefits of scientific progress, and to benefit from the protection of the moral and material rights to any scientific discovery or artistic work they have created. The latter clause is sometimes seen as requiring the protection of intellectual property, but the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights interprets it as primarily protecting the [[Moral rights (copyright law)|moral rights]] of authors and "proclaim[ing] the intrinsically personal character of every creation of the human mind and the ensuing durable link between creators and their creations".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/898586b1dc7b4043c1256a450044f331/03902145edbbe797c125711500584ea8/$FILE/G0640060.pdf |title=CESCR General Comment 17: The right of everyone to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Council |date=12 January 2006|at= paragraph 12.}}</ref> It thus requires parties to respect the right of authors to be recognised as the creator of a work. The material rights are interpreted as being part of the right to an adequate standard of living, and "need not extend over the entire lifespan of an author."<ref>''CESCR General Comment 17'', paragraph 16.</ref>
Parties must also work to promote the conservation, development and diffusion of science and culture, "respect the freedom indispensable for scientific research and creative activity",<ref>''ICESCR'', Article 15.3</ref> and encourage international contacts and cooperation in these fields.
==Reservations==
A number of parties have made [[reservation (law)|reservations]] and interpretative declarations to their application of the Covenant.
'''Algeria''' interprets parts of Article 13, protecting the liberty of parents to freely choose or establish suitable educational institutions, so as not to "impair its right freely to organize its educational system."<ref name=reservations/>
'''Bangladesh''' interprets the self-determination clause in Article 1 as applying in the historical context of [[colonialism]]. It also reserves the right to interpret the labour rights in Articles 7 and 8 and the non-discrimination clauses of Articles 2 and 3 within the context of its constitution and domestic law.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Belgium''' interprets non-discrimination as to national origin as "not necessarily implying an obligation on States automatically to guarantee to foreigners the same rights as to their nationals. The term should be understood to refer to the elimination of any arbitrary behaviour but not of differences in treatment based on objective and reasonable considerations, in conformity with the principles prevailing in democratic societies."<ref name=reservations/>
'''China''' restricts labour rights in Article 8 in a manner consistent with its constitution and domestic law.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Egypt''' accepts the Covenant only to the extent it does not conflict with Islamic [[Sharia]] law. Sharia is "a primary source of legislation" under Article 2 of both the suspended [[s:Constitution of Egypt|1973 Constitution]] and the [[s:2011 Provisional Constitution of Egypt|2011 Provisional Constitutional Declaration]].<ref name=reservations/>
'''France''' views the Covenant as subservient to the [[UN Charter]]. It also reserves the right to govern the access of aliens to employment, social security, and other benefits.<ref name=reservations/>
'''India''' interprets the right of self-determination as applying "only to the peoples under foreign domination"<ref name=reservations/> and not to apply to peoples within sovereign nation-states. It also interprets the limitation of rights clause and the rights of equal opportunity in the workplace within the context of its constitution.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Indonesia''' interprets the self-determination clause (Article 1) within the context of other international law and as not applying to peoples within a sovereign nation-state.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Ireland''' reserves the right to promote the [[Irish language]].<ref name=reservations/>
'''Japan''' reserved the right not to be bound to progressively introduce free secondary and higher education, the right to strike for [[civil service|public servant]] and the remuneration on public holidays.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Kuwait''' interprets the non-discrimination clauses of Articles 2 and 3 within its constitution and laws, and reserves the right to social security to apply only to Kuwaitis. It also reserves the right to forbid strikes.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Mexico''' restricts the labour rights of Article 8 within the context of its constitution and laws.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Monaco''' interprets the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of national origin as "not necessarily implying an automatic obligation on the part of States to guarantee foreigners the same rights as their nationals",<ref name=reservations/> and reserves the right to set residence requirements on the rights to work, health, education, and social security.
'''Myanmar''' has a general reservation to interpret "the right of self-determination" to not interfere with the established government or authorize any action to undermine the government. Additionally, the term does not apply to Section 10 of the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, 2008. Section 10 reads: "no part of the territory constituted in the union such as regions, states, union territories, and self-administered areas shall ever secede from the Union."<ref>{{cite web |title=The Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, 2008 |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Myanmar_2008.pdf?lang=en |website=Constitute Project |access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="Status of Treaties: ICESCR">{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4&clang=_en#EndDec|title=Declarations and Reservations|website=UNTC|publisher=United Nations|access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref>
'''New Zealand''' reserved the right not to apply Article 8 (the right to form and join trade unions) insofar as existing measures (which at the time included compulsory unionism and encouraged arbitration of disputes) were incompatible with it.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Norway''' reserves the right to strike so as to allow for compulsory arbitration of some labour disputes.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Pakistan''' has a general reservation to interpret the Covenant within the framework of its constitution.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Thailand''' interprets the right to self-determination within the framework of other international law.<ref name=reservations/>
'''Trinidad and Tobago''' reserves the right to restrict the right to strike of those engaged in essential occupations.
'''Turkey''' will implement the Covenant subject to the UN Charter. It also reserves the right to interpret and implement the right of parents to choose and establish educational institutions in a manner compatible with its constitution.<ref name=reservations/>
'''United Kingdom''' views the Covenant as subservient to the UN Charter. It made several reservations regarding its overseas territories.<ref name=reservations/>
'''United States''' – [[Amnesty International]] writes that "The United States signed the Covenant in 1979 under the Carter administration but is not fully bound by it until it is ratified. For political reasons, the Carter administration did not push for the necessary review of the Covenant by the Senate, which must give its 'advice and consent' before the US can ratify a treaty. The Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations took the view that economic, social, and cultural rights were not really rights but merely desirable social goals and therefore should not be the object of binding treaties. The Clinton Administration did not deny the nature of these rights but did not find it politically expedient to engage in a battle with Congress over the Covenant. The George W. Bush administration followed in line with the view of the previous Bush administration."<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/escr/files/escr_qa.pdf |title=Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Questions and Answers |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=Amnesty International |page=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626045117/http://www.amnestyusa.org/escr/files/escr_qa.pdf |archive-date=26 June 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Obama Administration stated "The Administration does not seek action at this time" on the Covenant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-258545357/last-ratification-economic-covenant.html |title=Article: At last? Ratification of the Economic Covenant as a... &#124; AccessMyLibrary – Promoting library advocacy |publisher=AccessMyLibrary |access-date=2013-02-05}}</ref> [[The Heritage Foundation]], a conservative [[think tank]], argues that signing it would oblige the introduction of policies that it opposes such as [[universal health care]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heritage.org/node/21059/print-display |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215120010/http://www.heritage.org/node/21059/print-display |url-status=unfit |archive-date=15 February 2017 |title=Human Rights Treaty Poses Dangers For America |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=Heritage Foundation |date=29 July 1993 |last=Cowin |first=Andrew J. }}</ref>
==Optional Protocol==
[[File:ICESCR-OP members.svg|thumb|400px|{{legend|#008000|states parties}}
{{legend|#00ff00|states that signed, but have not ratified}}
{{legend|#e0e0e0|states that have not signed}}]]
The '''[[Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]]''' is a side-agreement to the Covenant which allows its parties to recognise the competence of the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights to consider complaints from individuals.<ref>{{cite web |title=Closing a historic gap in human rights |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/D39BD9ED5406650FC125751C0039FE08?opendocument |publisher=United Nations |date=10 December 2008 |access-date=13 December 2008}}</ref>
The Optional Protocol was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title="Economic, social and cultural rights: legal entitlements rather than charity" say UN Human Rights Experts |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/C5486C42747EC60BC125751B005B08B3?opendocument |publisher=United Nations |date=10 December 2008 |access-date=13 December 2008}}</ref> It was opened for signature on 24 September 2009,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32207&Cr=cultural+rights&Cr1= |title=UN urges States to adhere to new instrument to protect human rights |publisher=United Nations |date=24 September 2009 |access-date=27 September 2009}}</ref> and as of July 2023 has been signed by 46 parties and ratified by 27.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3-a&chapter=4&lang=en |title=Parties to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |publisher=United Nations Treaty Collection |access-date=9 February 2013 |archive-date=18 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718111116/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3-a&chapter=4&lang=en |url-status=dead }}</ref> Having passed the threshold of required ratifications, it has entered into force on 5 May 2013.<ref>[http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12968&LangID=E DisplayNews]. Ohchr.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>
==Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights==
{{main|Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights}}
The '''Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights''' is a body of human rights experts tasked with monitoring the implementation of the Covenant. It consists of 18 independent human rights experts, elected for four-year terms, with half the members elected every two years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/E/ECOSOC/resolutions/E-RES-1985-17.doc |title=ECOSOC Resolution 1985/17 |access-date=2 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR |date=28 May 1985 }}</ref>
Unlike other human rights monitoring bodies, the committee was not established by the treaty it oversees. Rather, it was established by the Economic and Social Council following the failure of two previous monitoring bodies.<ref name=ohchr-fs16/>
All states parties are required to submit regular reports to the Committee outlining the legislative, judicial, policy and other measures they have taken to implement the rights affirmed in the Covenant. The first report is due within two years of ratifying the Covenant; thereafter reports are due every five years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/index.htm |title=Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |access-date=3 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR }}</ref> The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of "concluding observations".
The Committee typically meets every May and November in [[Geneva]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/sessions.htm |title=Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – Sessions |access-date=3 June 2008 |publisher=UN OHCHR |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611184428/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/sessions.htm |archive-date=11 June 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
== Parties to the covenant ==
The following are parties to the covenant:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4&clang=_en | title=International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights | publisher=United Nations | work=United Nations Treaty Collection | access-date=2 January 2017}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! State !! Date signed !! Date ratified, acceded or succeeded !! Notes
|-
| [[Afghanistan]] ||  || 24 January 1983 ||
|-
| [[Albania]] ||  ||  4 October 1991 ||
|-
| [[Algeria]] || 10 December 1968 || 12 September 1989 ||
|-
| [[Angola]] ||  || 10 January 1992 ||
|-
|[[Antigua and Barbuda]]
|
|3 July 2019
|
|-
| [[Argentina]] || 19 February 1968 ||  8 August 1986 ||
|-
| [[Armenia]] ||  || 13 September 1993 ||
|-
| [[Australia]] || 18 December 1972 || 10 December 1975 ||
|-
| [[Austria]] || 10 December 1973 || 10 September 1978 ||
|-
| [[Azerbaijan]] ||  || 13 August 1992 ||
|-
| [[Bahamas]] ||  4 December 2008 || 23 December 2008 ||
|-
| [[Bahrain]] ||  || 27 September 2007 ||
|-
| [[Bangladesh]] ||  ||  5 October 1998 ||
|-
| [[Barbados]] ||  ||  5 January 1973 ||
|-
| [[Belarus]] || 19 March 1968 || 12 November 1973 || Signed and ratified as the [[Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic]].
|-
| [[Belgium]] || 10 December 1968 || 21 April 1983 ||
|-
| [[Belize]] ||  6 September 2000 || 9 March 2015 ||
|-
| [[Benin]] ||  || 12 March 1992 ||
|-
| [[Plurinational State of Bolivia]] ||  || 12 August 1982 ||
|-
| [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] ||  ||  1 September 1993 || The former [[Yugoslavia]] had signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967 and ratified it on 2 June 1971.
|-
| [[Brazil]] ||  || 24 January 1992 ||
|-
| [[Bulgaria]] ||  8 October 1968 || 21 September 1970 ||
|-
| [[Burkina Faso]] ||  ||  4 January 1999 ||
|-
| [[Burundi]] ||  ||  9 May 1990 ||
|-
| [[Cambodia]] || 17 October 1980 || 26 May 1992 || [[Democratic Kampuchea]] had signed the Covenant on 17 October 1980
|-
| [[Cameroon]] ||  || 27 June 1984 ||
|-
| [[Canada]]|| || 19 May 1976 ||
|-
| [[Cape Verde]] ||  ||  6 August 1993 ||
|-
| [[Central African Republic]] ||  ||  8 May 1981 ||
|-
| [[Chad]] ||  ||  9 June 1995 ||
|-
| [[Chile]] || 16 September 1969 || 10 February 1972 ||
|-
| China || 27 October 1997 || 27 March 2001 || The [[Republic of China]] had signed on 5 October 1967
|-
| [[Colombia]] || 21 December 1966 || 29 October 1969 ||
|-
| [[Comoros]] || 25 September 2008 ||  ||
|-
| [[Republic of the Congo|Congo]] ||  ||  5 October 1983 ||
|-
| [[Costa Rica]] || 19 December 1966 || 29 November 1968 ||
|-
| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||  || 26 March 1992 ||
|-
| [[Croatia]] ||  || 12 October 1992 || The former [[Yugoslavia]] had signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967 and ratified it on 2 June 1971.
|-
| [[Cuba]] || 28 February 2008 ||  ||
|-
| [[Cyprus]] ||  9 January 1967 ||  2 April 1969 ||
|-
| [[Czech Republic]] ||  || 22 February 1993 || [[Czechoslovakia]] had signed the Covenant on 7 October 1968 and ratified it on 23 December 1975.
|-
| [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea]] ||  || 14 September 1981 ||
|-
| [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] ||  ||  1 November 1976 ||
|-
| [[Denmark]] || 20 March 1968 ||  6 January 1972 ||
|-
| [[Djibouti]] ||  ||  5 November 2002 ||
|-
| [[Dominica]] ||  || 17 June 1993 ||
|-
| [[Dominican Republic]] ||  ||  4 January 1978 ||
|-
| [[Ecuador]] || 29 September 1967 ||  6 March 1969 ||
|-
| [[Egypt]] ||  4 August 1967 || 14 January 1982 ||
|-
| [[El Salvador]] || 21 September 1967 || 30 November 1979 ||
|-
| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||  || 25 September 1987 ||
|-
| [[Eritrea]] ||  || 17 April 2001 ||
|-
| [[Estonia]] ||  || 21 October 1991 ||
|-
| [[Ethiopia]] ||  || 11 June 1993 ||
|-
| [[Finland]] || 11 October 1967 || 19 August 1975 ||
|-
| [[Fiji]] ||  || 16 August 2018 ||
|-
| [[France]] ||  ||  4 November 1980 ||
|-
| [[Gabon]] ||  || 21 January 1983 ||
|-
| [[Gambia]] ||  || 29 December 1978 ||
|-
| [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] ||  ||  3 May 1994 ||
|-
| Germany ||  9 October 1968 || 17 December 1973 || The [[German Democratic Republic]] had signed and ratified the convention with reservations on 27 March 1973 and 8 November 1973
|-
| [[Ghana]] ||  7 September 2000 ||  7 September 2000 ||
|-
| [[Greece]] ||  || 16 May 1985 ||
|-
| [[Grenada]] ||  ||  6 September 1991 ||
|-
| [[Guatemala]] ||  || 19 May 1988 ||
|-
| [[Guinea]] || 28 February 1967 || 24 January 1978 ||
|-
| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||  ||  2 July 1992 ||
|-
| [[Guyana]] || 22 August 1968 || 15 February 1977 ||
|-
| [[Haiti]] ||  || 8 October 2013 ||
|-
| [[Honduras]] || 19 December 1966 || 17 February 1981 ||
|-
| [[Hungary]] || 25 March 1969 || 17 January 1974 ||
|-
| [[Iceland]] || 30 December 1968 || 22 August 1979 ||
|-
| [[India]] ||  || 10 April 1979 ||
|-
| [[Indonesia]] ||  || 23 February 2006 ||
|-
| [[Iran (Islamic Republic of)]] ||  4 April 1968 || 24 June 1975 ||
|-
| [[Iraq]] || 18 February 1969 || 25 January 1971 ||
|-
| Ireland ||  1 October 1973 ||  8 December 1989 ||
|-
| [[Israel]] || 19 December 1966 ||  3 October 1991 ||
|-
| Italy || 18 January 1967 || 15 September 1978 ||
|-
| [[Jamaica]] || 19 December 1966 ||  3 October 1975 ||
|-
| Japan || 30 May 1978 || 21 June 1979 ||
|-
| [[Jordan]] || 30 June 1972 || 28 May 1975 ||
|-
| [[Kazakhstan]] ||  2 December 2003 || 24 January 2006 ||
|-
| [[Kenya]] ||  ||  1 May 1972 ||
|-
| [[Kuwait]] ||  || 21 May 1996 ||
|-
| [[Kyrgyzstan]] ||  ||  7 October 1994 ||
|-
| [[Lao People's Democratic Republic]] ||  7 December 2000 || 13 February 2007 ||
|-
| [[Latvia]] ||  || 14 April 1992 ||
|-
| [[Lebanon]] ||  ||  3 November 1972 ||
|-
| [[Lesotho]] ||  ||  9 September 1992 ||
|-
| [[Liberia]] || 18 April 1967 || 22 September 2004 ||
|-
| [[Libya]] ||  || 15 May 1970 ||
|-
| [[Liechtenstein]] ||  || 10 December 1998 ||
|-
| [[Lithuania]] ||  || 20 November 1991 ||
|-
| [[Luxembourg]] || 26 November 1974 || 18 August 1983 ||
|-
| [[Madagascar]] || 14 April 1970 || 22 September 1971 ||
|-
| [[Malawi]] ||  || 22 December 1993 ||
|-
| [[Maldives]] ||  || 19 September 2006 ||
|-
| [[Mali]] ||  || 16 July 1974 ||
|-
| [[Malta]] || 22 October 1968 || 13 September 1990 ||
|-
| [[Marshall Islands]] ||  || 12 March 2018 ||
|-
| [[Mauritania]] ||  || 17 November 2004 ||
|-
| [[Mauritius]] ||  || 12 December 1973 ||
|-
| [[Mexico]] ||  || 23 March 1981 ||
|-
| [[Monaco]] || 26 June 1997 || 28 August 1997 ||
|-
| [[Mongolia]] ||  5 June 1968 || 18 November 1974 ||
|-
| [[Montenegro]] ||  || 23 October 2006 ||
|-
| [[Morocco]] || 19 January 1977 ||  3 May 1979 ||
|-
| [[Myanmar]] || 16 July 2015 || 6 October 2017 ||
|-
| [[Namibia]] ||  || 28 November 1994 ||
|-
| [[Nepal]] ||  || 14 May 1991 ||
|-
| [[Netherlands]] || 25 June 1969 || 11 December 1978 ||
|-
| [[New Zealand]] || 12 November 1968 || 28 December 1978 ||
|-
| [[Nicaragua]] ||  || 12 March 1980 ||
|-
| [[Niger]] ||  ||  7 March 1986 ||
|-
| [[Nigeria]] ||  || 29 July 1993 ||
|-
| [[North Macedonia]] ||  || 18 January 1994 || The former [[Yugoslavia]] had signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967 and ratified it on 2 June 1971.
|-
| [[Norway]] || 20 March 1968 || 13 September 1972 ||
|-
| [[Pakistan]] ||  3 November 2004 || 17 April 2008 ||
|-
| [[Palau]] || 20 September 2011 ||  ||
|-
| [[State of Palestine]] ||  || 2 April 2014  ||
|-
| [[Panama]] || 27 July 1976 ||  8 March 1977 ||
|-
| [[Papua New Guinea]] ||  || 21 July 2008 ||
|-
| [[Paraguay]] ||  || 10 June 1992 ||
|-
| [[Peru]] || 11 August 1977 || 28 April 1978 ||
|-
| [[Philippines]] || 19 December 1966 ||  7 June 1974 ||
|-
| [[Poland]] ||  2 March 1967 || 18 March 1977 ||
|-
| [[Portugal]] ||  7 October 1976 || 31 July 1978 ||
|-
| [[Qatar]] ||  || 21 May 2018 ||
|-
| [[Republic of Korea]] ||  || 10 April 1990 ||
|-
| [[Republic of Moldova]] ||  || 26 January 1993 ||
|-
| [[Romania]] || 27 June 1968 ||  9 December 1974 ||
|-
| [[Russian Federation]] || 18 March 1968 || 16 October 1973 || Signed and ratified as the [[Soviet Union]].
|-
| [[Rwanda]] ||  || 16 April 1975 ||
|-
| [[San Marino]] ||  || 18 October 1985 ||
|-
| [[São Tomé and Príncipe]] || 31 October 1995 ||  10 January 2017
|
|-
| [[Senegal]] ||  6 July 1970 || 13 February 1978 ||
|-
| [[Serbia]] ||  || 12 March 2001 || The former [[Yugoslavia]] had signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967 and ratified it on 2 June 1971. The 2001 declaration of succession was made by the [[Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]].
|-
| [[Seychelles]] ||  ||  5 May 1992 ||
|-
| [[Sierra Leone]] ||  || 23 August 1996 ||
|-
| [[Slovakia]] ||  || 28 May 1993 || [[Czechoslovakia]] had signed the Covenant on 7 October 1968 and ratified it on 23 December 1975.
|-
| [[Slovenia]] ||  ||  6 July 1992 || The former [[Yugoslavia]] had signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967 and ratified it on 2 June 1971.
|-
| [[Solomon Islands]] ||  || 17 March 1982 ||
|-
| [[Somalia]] ||  || 24 January 1990 ||
|-
|[[South Africa]]|| 3 October 1994 || 12 January 2015  ||
|-
|[[South Sudan]]||  || 5 February 2024  ||
|-
|[[Spain]]|| 28 September 1976 || 27 April 1977 ||
|-
| [[Sri Lanka]] ||  || 11 June 1980 ||
|-
| [[St. Vincent and the Grenadines]] ||  ||  9 November 1981 ||
|-
| [[Sudan]] ||  || 18 March 1986 ||
|-
| [[Suriname]] ||  || 28 December 1976 ||
|-
| [[Swaziland]] ||  || 26 March 2004 ||
|-
| [[Sweden]] || 29 September 1967 ||  6 December 1971 ||
|-
| [[Switzerland]] ||  || 18 June 1992 ||
|-
| [[Syrian Arab Republic]] ||  || 21 April 1969 ||
|-
| [[Tajikistan]] ||  ||  4 January 1999 ||
|-
| [[Thailand]] ||  ||  5 September 1999 ||
|-
| [[Timor-Leste]] ||  || 16 April 2003 ||
|-
| [[Togo]] ||  || 24 May 1984 ||
|-
| [[Trinidad and Tobago]] ||  ||  8 December 1978 ||
|-
| [[Tunisia]] || 30 April 1968 || 18 March 1969 ||
|-
| [[Turkey]] || 15 August 2000 || 23 September 2003 ||
|-
| [[Turkmenistan]] ||  ||  1 May 1997 ||
|-
| [[Uganda]] ||  || 21 January 1987 ||
|-
| [[Ukraine]] || 20 March 1968 || 12 November 1973 || Signed and ratified as the [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic]].
|-
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland || 16 September 1968 || 20 May 1976 ||
|-
| [[United Republic of Tanzania]] ||  || 11 June 1976 ||
|-
| United States of America ||  5 October 1977 ||  ||
|-
| [[Uruguay]] || 21 February 1967 ||  1 April 1970 ||
|-
| [[Uzbekistan]] ||  || 28 September 1995 ||
|-
| [[Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)]] || 24 June 1969 || 10 May 1978 ||
|-
| [[Viet Nam]] ||  || 24 September 1982 ||
|-
| [[Yemen]] ||  ||  9 February 1987 || Effected as [[Yemen Arab Republic]]
|-
| [[Zambia]] ||  || 10 April 1984 ||
|-
| [[Zimbabwe]] ||  || 13 May 1991 ||
|}
==States not members of the Covenant==
===Signed but not ratified ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! State<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indicators.ohchr.org|title=- OHCHR Dashboard|website=indicators.ohchr.org|language=en|access-date=2017-11-30}}</ref>
! Signed
|-
| Comoros
| {{Dts|2008|September|25|format=dmy}}
|-
| Cuba
| {{Dts|2008|February|28|format=dmy}}
|-
| Palau
| {{Dts|2011|September|20|format=dmy}}
|-
| United States of America
| {{Dts|1977|October|05|format=dmy}}
|}
===Neither signed nor ratified===
# Andorra
# Botswana
# Bhutan
# Brunei
# Kiribati
# Malaysia
# Federated States of Micronesia
# Mozambique
# Nauru
# Oman
# Saint Kitts and Nevis
# Samoa
# Saudi Arabia
# Singapore
# St. Lucia
# Tonga
# Tuvalu
# United Arab Emirates
# Vanuatu
===Non-members of the UN===
# Cook Islands
# Niue
# [[Taiwan]]<ref group="notes">The ROC lost its United Nations seat in 1971 (replaced as the representative of China by the People's Republic of China under [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758|Resolution 2758]]). The Republic of China government signed the Covenant in 1967 but did not ratify; in 2009 Taiwan ([[Republic of China]]) finally ratified it, but the deposit was rejected by the UN.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Zeldin|first=Wendy|date=2009-04-15|title=Taiwan: Two International Human Rights Covenants Ratified |work=Global Legal Monitor|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2009-04-15/taiwan-two-international-human-rights-covenants-ratified/|access-date=2020-08-31|publisher=Library of Congress }}</ref>
# Vatican City (through the [[Holy See]])<ref group="notes">The Vatican is not a member of the United Nations though it holds observer status.</ref>
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="notes"}}
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*{{cite web|publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |access-date=23 March 2013 |url=http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx |title=International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917040858/http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4&lang=en List of parties], UNTC
*[https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CESCR/Pages/CESCRIndex.aspx Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights], the convention's monitoring body
*[http://www.escr-net.org/ International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]
*[https://journals.library.brocku.ca/index.php/SSJ/article/view/994 "Rights and Value: Construing the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as Civil Commons"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315034947/http://ojs.uwindsor.ca/ojs/leddy/index.php/SSJ/article/view/3115 |date=15 March 2014 }} by G. Baruchello & R.L. Johnstone, Studies in Social Justice, Vol 5, No 1 (2011): Special Issue: Life Value and Social Justice, 91–125
* [http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/icescr/icescr.html Procedural history note and audiovisual material] on the ''International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights'' in the [http://legal.un.org/avl/historicarchives.html Historic Archives of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law]
{{International human rights legal instruments}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Good article}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Covenant}}
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[[Category:Treaties of the Gambia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Treaties of West Germany]]
[[Category:Treaties of East Germany]]
[[Category:Treaties of Ghana]]
[[Category:Treaties of Greece]]
[[Category:Treaties of Grenada]]
[[Category:Treaties of Guatemala]]
[[Category:Treaties of Guinea]]
[[Category:Treaties of Guinea-Bissau]]
[[Category:Treaties of Guyana]]
[[Category:Treaties of Haiti]]
[[Category:Treaties of Honduras]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Hungarian People's Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of Iceland]]
[[Category:Treaties of India]]
[[Category:Treaties of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Pahlavi Iran]]
[[Category:Treaties of Ba'athist Iraq]]
[[Category:Treaties of Ireland]]
[[Category:Treaties of Israel]]
[[Category:Treaties of Italy]]
[[Category:Treaties of Jamaica]]
[[Category:Treaties of Japan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Jordan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Kenya]]
[[Category:Treaties of Kuwait]]
[[Category:Treaties of Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Laos]]
[[Category:Treaties of Latvia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Lebanon]]
[[Category:Treaties of Lesotho]]
[[Category:Treaties of Liberia]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Libyan Arab Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of Liechtenstein]]
[[Category:Treaties of Lithuania]]
[[Category:Treaties of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Treaties of Madagascar]]
[[Category:Treaties of Malawi]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Maldives]]
[[Category:Treaties of Mali]]
[[Category:Treaties of Malta]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Marshall Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties of Mauritania]]
[[Category:Treaties of Mauritius]]
[[Category:Treaties of Mexico]]
[[Category:Treaties of Monaco]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Mongolian People's Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of Montenegro]]
[[Category:Treaties of Morocco]]
[[Category:Treaties of Namibia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Nepal]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Treaties of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Treaties of Nicaragua]]
[[Category:Treaties of Niger]]
[[Category:Treaties of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Treaties of Norway]]
[[Category:Treaties of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Palestine]]
[[Category:Treaties of Panama]]
[[Category:Treaties of Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:Treaties of Paraguay]]
[[Category:Treaties of Peru]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Polish People's Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of Portugal]]
[[Category:Treaties of South Korea]]
[[Category:Treaties of Moldova]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Socialist Republic of Romania]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Treaties of Rwanda]]
[[Category:Treaties of São Tomé and Príncipe]]
[[Category:Treaties of San Marino]]
[[Category:Treaties of Senegal]]
[[Category:Treaties of Serbia and Montenegro]]
[[Category:Treaties of Seychelles]]
[[Category:Treaties of Sierra Leone]]
[[Category:Treaties of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Slovenia]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Solomon Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Somali Democratic Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of South Africa]]
[[Category:Treaties of Spain]]
[[Category:Treaties of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Treaties of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Democratic Republic of the Sudan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Suriname]]
[[Category:Treaties of Eswatini]]
[[Category:Treaties of Sweden]]
[[Category:Treaties of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Treaties of Syria]]
[[Category:Treaties of Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Thailand]]
[[Category:Treaties of North Macedonia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Timor-Leste]]
[[Category:Treaties of Togo]]
[[Category:Treaties of Trinidad and Tobago]]
[[Category:Treaties of Tunisia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Turkey]]
[[Category:Treaties of Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Uganda]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Treaties of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Treaties of Uruguay]]
[[Category:Treaties of Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Venezuela]]
[[Category:Treaties of Vietnam]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Yemen Arab Republic]]
[[Category:Treaties of Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Zambia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Art and culture treaties]]
[[Category:1966 in New York City]]
[[Category:Treaties adopted by United Nations General Assembly resolutions]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Bermuda]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Cayman Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Falkland Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Guernsey]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Isle of Man]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Jersey]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Montserrat]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Pitcairn Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Turks and Caicos Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Gibraltar]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Netherlands Antilles]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Aruba]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Faroe Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Greenland]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to Portuguese Macau]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to British Honduras]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to British Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Treaties extended to West Berlin]]