RES/10/1 Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights: follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution 4/1

Human Rights Council

Tenth Session

Resolution 10/1. Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights: follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution 4/1

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the principles relating to economic, social and cultural rights enshrined in, inter alia, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

Mindful of recent significant developments and remaining challenges in the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights at the national, regional and international levels,

Reaffirming its resolution 4/1 of 23 March 2007, and recalling the resolutions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights,

1. Calls upon all States to take all measures to implement Council resolution 4/1 with a view to improving the realization of economic, social and cultural rights;

2. Welcomes the increase in the number of States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and reminds States parties of their obligations under the Covenant;

3. Notes with interest the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by the General Assembly on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as one of the important tools to help strengthen the protection of economic, social and cultural rights worldwide;

4. Invites all States parties to participate in the ceremony of opening for signature of the Optional Protocol, to be held in New York on 24 September 2009 during the 2009 Treaty Event, and to consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the Optional Protocol with a view to its early entry into force;

5. Notes with interest the work carried out by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to assist States parties in fulfilling their obligations under the Covenant and, in such a context, notes the recent adoption by the Committee of general comment No. 19 on the right to social security and of the revised guidelines on treaty-specific documents to be submitted by States parties under articles 16 and 17 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

2

6. Also notes with interest the work of other relevant treaty bodies and special procedures in the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights within their respective mandates;

7. Expresses its appreciation for the activities of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the field of economic, social and cultural rights, in particular when facilitating cooperation within its mandate, and strengthening its thematic expertise in this area at the country and regional levels, and when paying special attention to such issues as the legal protection of economic, social and cultural rights;

8. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner, the treaty bodies, the special procedures of the Council and other relevant United Nations bodies and mechanisms, specialized agencies or programmes, within their respective mandates, to continue their efforts to promote the realization of economic, social and cultural rights worldwide, and to enhance their cooperation in this regard;

9. Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights (A/HRC/7/58 and A/HRC/10/46), submitted to the Council pursuant to its resolution 4/1;

10. Requests the High Commissioner to continue to prepare and submit to the Council an annual report on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights under agenda item 3;

11. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

41st meeting 25 March 2009

[Adopted without a vote.]

-----