Take action to enforce economic and social human rights!
On December 10th, 2008 the UN General Assembly adopted the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP or Optional Protocol). Through this historic event, those who suffer from violations of their economic, social and cultural rights have finally been given equal status and their right to an effective remedy has been recognized. Finally, victims of torture, racial discrimination, forced eviction and denial of access to food will have the same access to international justice.
By adopting this instrument, the General Assembly has eventually redressed imbalances and tangibly strengthened the universality, indivisibility and inter-dependence of all human rights. It will also provide victims of economic, social and cultural rights violations who are not able to get an effective remedy in their domestic legal system with redress at the international level.
Please take action.
The NGO Coalition for an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR) has launched a petition in support of the Optional Protocol, asking States of the world to ensure that access to justice and the right to an effective remedy become a reality for victims of all human rights; a) urging them to become a party to the OP-ICESCR when it opens for signature on September 24, 2009; b) to ensure that it enters into force as soon as possible; and c) to take all necessary steps to fully implement the OP-ICESCR without delay. Furthermore, we call on those countries that are not yet a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to ratify or accede to this treaty immediately and to also sign to its Optional Protocol on September 24.
FIAN asks all of you as organizations and individuals committed with the enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights to please support this petition.