Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) rights form the very foundations of human dignity. These are entitlements which guarantee that socio-economic opportunities are made available, accessible and affordable by the State in order for its citizens to live a life that befits a human being. Enjoying the rights to food, work, education, health and housing are necessary for people to live decently and for them to develop. However, when men and women cannot find jobs which provide just wages; when people cannot afford to buy food or are unable to access food for themselves and their families; when parents cannot send their children to school; when individuals are not able to access basic health/medical services, this means that not only is their existence inhuman, but also that their economic, social and cultural rights are violated. These conditions indicate failure on the part of the State to fulfill its human rights obligations to its citizens and entail the urgency for citizens to claim their rights to realize their dignity.
Knowing one’s human rights is a necessary condition for people to claim and assert them. Having a firm grasp and understanding of basic human rights concepts, principles and approaches provide people with a tool that will guide them towards appropriate action. Knowledge or information is a source of power which, when properly handled and used by peoples and communities, can lead to desired changes and improvements in their environments.
In a country like the Philippines where human rights violations persist due to the State’s failure to protect, respect and promote human rights, sustained human rights education and information dissemination are highly critical in raising peoples’ capabilities to assert and defend their rights. Equipping them with knowledge and skills will enable them to engage the government to comply with the numerous international human rights treaties it has ratified by formulating and implementing pro-people laws, policies and programs; allocating the necessary resources; establishing appropriate mechanisms and structures; ensuring the active and meaningful participation of the people; and intervening to prevent and/or stop the violation of the peoples’ rights and freedoms.
In the case of Economic, Social and Cultural rights, a familiarity with the definition, scope, legal bases, nature of State obligations, standards and indicators, and monitoring and documentation of human rights violations, will help people’s organizations and communities conduct their advocacy and organizing activities in a more effective manner. Existing ESC rights -related laws, ordinances, policies, structures and mechanisms can be maximized and utilized in the promotion of these rights. Moreover, the peoples’ struggles for a dignified human existence can be further advanced when they are better armed with solid data in the conduct of dialogues and negotiations with government officials and agents.
This publication, Training on Your Rights: Modules on Monitoring Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, is a contribution of the Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PhilRights) to the advancement of the people’s struggle for human rights by raising their capabilities in the conduct of human rights work in their communities. We hope that the target audience of the material, i.e. leaders and members of NGOs, people’s organizations, local communities, etc., will find the different modules relevant to their needs and useful not only in the realization of their economic, social and cultural rights, but of their full human potentials.
Nymia Pimentel Simbulan, Dr PH
Executive Director
Training on Your Rights: Modules on Monitoring Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, consists of several modules that will equip people with needed skills to monitor and document the realization or abuse of their rights.
- Basic Human Rights ans ESC Rights Orientation
- Monitoring and Documenting ESC Rights
- PhilRights’ ESC Rights Monitoring Tools
Download the document:
- Training on Your Rights: Modules on Monitoring ESC Rights
