Promoting the implementation of the optional protocol to the ICESCR

Digitel workers who were on strike to defend their regular jobs vs contractualization urge President Noynoy Aquino of the Philippines to sign the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR).

The Protocol/OP-ICESCR enters into force on 5 May. There are various international, regional and national events and activities being planned to mark this great achievement for economic, social and cultural rights. The NGO Coalition for the OP-ICESCR knows everyone cannot attend these events, so they thought it would be a nice idea to collect messages from around the world expressing what the Protocol means to people. They can compile, translate and show these messages at the events the NGO Coalition for the OP-ICESCR attends and post them on their campaign website: http://op-icescr.escr-net.org/.

On July 26th, 2011 the Plurinational Legislative Assembly of Bolivia gave approval for ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Bolivia will be formally bound by the treaty once it deposits its instrument of ratification with the United Nations Secretariat.

The Toolkit for Action for the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provides practical guidance to NGOs and other civil society groups, as well as States on their work around the Optional Protocol. The Toolkit aims to facilitate international and national advocacy work for the ratification and the entry into force of the Protocol and the national implementation of economic, social and cultural rights.

Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to ensure justice for victims of economic, social and cultural rights violations

On October 22, 2009, the Philippine NGO-PO Network for ESC Rights publishes a statement on the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

NGOs welcome historic step forward for the protection of all human rights.

The draft Optional protocol to the ICESCR was finalised in April 2008, and approved by the new Human Rights Council (which has replaced the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission) in June 2008. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10th, 2008.

It was opened for signature on 24 September 2009, at a ceremony held in New York.

The Malian ESC Rights Platform, that initiated the first alternative report on economic, social and cultural rights in Mali and West Africa, invites the Malian government to seize this opportunity and be one of the first States to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol.