The viability of the United Nations approach to economic and social human rights in a globalized economy

International Affairs

Volumn 75, Issue 3, 1999, Pages 563-598

  Felice, William F ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 0039776522     PISSN: 00205850     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/1468-2346.00094     Document Type: Article

References (115)

1. See William F. Felice, 'The morality of the depths: the right to development as an emerging principle of international law', in Taking suffering seriously: the importance of collective human rights (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996), pp. 69-90.
2. The International Bill of Human Rights encompasses the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
3. Julia Hausermann, 'The realization and implementation of economic, social and cultural rights', in Ralph Beddard and Dilys M. Hill, eds, Economic, social and cultural rights: progress and achievement (New York: St Martin's Press, 1992), p. 49.
4. Kathryn S. Fuller, 'Balancing trade and sea turtles', International Herald Tribune, 16-17 May 1998.
5. Address by President Clinton to the World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 18 May 1998.
6. For a comprehensive overview of the UN's approach to economic and social rights see: Scott Leckie, 'Another step towards indivisibility: identifying the key features of violations of economic, social and cultural rights', Human Rights Quarterly 20, 1998.
7. Virginia A. Leary, 'The paradox of workers' rights as human rights', in Lance A. Compa and Stephen F. Diamond, eds., Human rights, labor rights, and international trade (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996), p. 28.
8. Paul Hunt, Reclaiming social rights: international and comparative perspectives (Aldershot, Hants: Dartmouth, 1996), p. 2.
9. Asbjorn Eide, 'Economic, social and cultural rights as human rights', in Asbjorn Eide, Catarina Krause and Allan Rosas, eds, Economic, social and cultural rights: a textbook (Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1995), p. 31.
10. Eide, 'Economic, social and cultural rights'.
11. The Limburg Principles on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, UN ESCOR, Commission on Human Rights, 43rd Session, Agenda Item 8, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1987/17/Annex (1987), reprinted in ' The Limburg Principles on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights', Human Rights Quarterly 9:2, 1987, pp. 122-35.
12. The Limburg Principles on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, UN ESCOR, Commission on Human Rights, 43rd Session, Agenda Item 8, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1987/17/Annex (1987), reprinted in ' The Limburg Principles on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights', Human Rights Quarterly 9:2, 1987, pp. 122-35.
13. 'The Maastricht guidelines on violations of economic, social and cultural rights', Human Rights Quarterly 20: 3, 1998, pp. 691-704.
14. See Danilo Turk, Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, The full realization of economic, social and cultural rights (final report), UN ESCOR, Commission on Human Rights, 48th Session, Agenda Item 8, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1992/16 (1992); Vienna declaration and programme of action, UN GAOR, World Conference on Human Rights, 48th Session, 22nd plenary meeting, UN Doc. A/CONF.157/24 (1993); UN seminar on appropriate indicators to measure achievements in the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights, UN GAOR, World Conference on Human Rights, 4th session, provisional agenda item 6, UN Doc. A/CONF.157/ PC/73 (1993).
15. See Danilo Turk, Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, The full realization of economic, social and cultural rights (final report), UN ESCOR, Commission on Human Rights, 48th Session, Agenda Item 8, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1992/16 (1992); Vienna declaration and programme of action, UN GAOR, World Conference on Human Rights, 48th Session, 22nd plenary meeting, UN Doc. A/CONF.157/24 (1993); UN seminar on appropriate indicators to measure achievements in the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights, UN GAOR, World Conference on Human Rights, 4th session, provisional agenda item 6, UN Doc. A/CONF.157/ PC/73 (1993).
16. See Danilo Turk, Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, The full realization of economic, social and cultural rights (final report), UN ESCOR, Commission on Human Rights, 48th Session, Agenda Item 8, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1992/16 (1992); Vienna declaration and programme of action, UN GAOR, World Conference on Human Rights, 48th Session, 22nd plenary meeting, UN Doc. A/CONF.157/24 (1993); UN seminar on appropriate indicators to measure achievements in the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights, UN GAOR, World Conference on Human Rights, 4th session, provisional agenda item 6, UN Doc. A/CONF.157/ PC/73 (1993).
17. 'Maastricht guidelines', p. 692.
18. Henry Shue, Basic rights: subsistence, affluence, and US foreign policy (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1980).
19. Center for Human Rights, Right to adequate food as a human right, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1987/23, UN Sales No. E.89.XIV.2 (1989).
20. 'Maastricht guidelines', p. 693.
21. Ibid., p. 694.
22. Ibid., p. 697.
23. 'Maastricht guidelines', p. 696.
24. Matthew Craven, The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights: a perspective on its development (Oxford: Clarendon, 1995), p. 103.
25. See Philip Alston, 'The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights', in Philip Alston, ed., The United Nations and human rights (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), pp. 473-5.
26. See Craven, The International Covenant.
27. The US has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR.
28. Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human rights 2, Spring 1998, p. 13.
29. Interview with Mercedes Morales, Human Rights Officer, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 22 May 1998, Geneva, Switzerland.
30. Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human rights, pp. 15-16.
31. Ibid., p. 16.
32. Louis Henkin, The age of rights (New York: Columbia University Press, 1990), p. 33.
33. Henry J. Steiner and Philip Alston, International human rights in context (Oxford: Clarendon, 1996), p. 316.
34. Craven, The International Covenant, p. 104.
35. Ibid., p. 90.
36. Ibid., p. 91.
37. See Bruno Simma, 'The implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights', in Franz Matscher, ed., The implementation of Economic and Social Rights: national, international and comparative aspects (Arlington, VA: N.P. Engel Verlag, 1991), pp. 88-94.
38. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 3, UN Doc. E/1991/23, Annex III (1990).
39. Craven, The International Covenant, p. 143.
40. See Craven, The International Covenant, p. 143.
41. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 4, the right to adequate housing (Art. 11(1) of the Covenant) (Sixth session, 1991), compilation of general comments and general recommendations adopted by human rights treaty bodies, UN Doc. HRI\GEN\1\Rev.1 at 53 (1994).
42. CESCR General Comment No. 4
43. Craven, The International Covenant, p. 336.
44. Ibid., p. 336.
45. UN Doc.E/1992/23, UN ESCOR, Supp. No. 3, at 32, para. 135(c)(1992). Quote from Craven, The International Covenant, pp. 342-3.
46. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 5, persons with disabilities (Eleventh session, 1994), UN Doc E/C.12/1994/13 (1994).
47. CESCR, General Comment No. 5.
48. Ibid.
49. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 6, the economic, social and cultural rights of older persons (Thirteenth session, 1995), UN Doc. E/C.12/1995/16/Rev.1 (1995), p. 4.
50. CESCR, General Comment No. 6, pp. 4-5.
51. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 7, the right to adequate housing (Art. 11(1) of the Covenant) forced evictions, UN Doc. E/C.12/1997/4 (1997), pp. 1-2.
52. CESCR, General Comment No. 7, p. 3.
53. Ibid.
54. Ibid., p. 4.
55. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 8 (1997), the relationship between economic sanctions and respect for economic, social and cultural rights, UN Doc. E/C.12/1997/8 (12 December 1997), p. 2.
56. CESCR General Comment No. 8. p. 3.
57. Barbara Stark, 'The "other" half of the International Bill of Rights as a postmodern feminist text,' in Dorinda Dallmeyer, ed., Reconceiving reality: women and international law (Washington, DC: The American Society of International Law, 1993), pp. 20-21.
58. See Hunt, Reclaiming social rights, p. 88.
59. Stark, 'The "other" half, p. 27.
60. Stark notes that there are countless examples of states relieving women of some burdens. For example, 'Sweden assures benefits for disabled children; Norway has established an ombudsman (sic) for children to deal with complaints of child abuse, physical conditions of children, child care, and schools; and Belarus provides subsidies for children's clothing.' Stark, 'The "other" half, p. 31.
61. Stark, 'The "other" half, p. 33.
62. Carole Pateman, 'Feminist critiques of the public/private dichotomy', in S. Benn and G. Gaus, eds, Public and private in social life (London: Croom Helm, 1983), p. 281.
63. Hunt, Reclaiming social rights, p. 87.
64. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. New York, 18 December 1979. Entered into force, 3 September 1981. UNGA Res. 34/180 (XXXIV), 34 UN GAOR, Supp. (No. 46) 194, UN Doc. A/34/830 (1979).
65. ICEDAW.
66. Hilary Charlesworth, Christine Chinkin and Shelley Wright, 'Feminist approaches to international law', The American Journal of International Law 85, 1991, pp. 631-2.
67. Ibid., p. 632.
68. Ibid., p. 634.
69. There has been one male member, Mr Johan Nordenfelt of Sweden. Since 1984 CEDAW has been entirely female. See Roberta Jacobson, 'The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women', in Philip Alston, ed., The United Nations and human rights (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), p. 459.
70. Roberta Jacobson, 'CEDAW'.
71. Charlesworth, Chinkin and Wright, 'Feminist approaches', p. 624.
72. Andrew Clapham, Human rights in the private sphere (Oxford: Clarendon, 1993), p. 100.
73. Women's Environment and Development Organization, Mapping progress (New York: WEDO, 1998), p. 13.
74. Ibid.
75. WEDO, Mapping Progress.
76. Ibid., pp. 67-8.
77. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), reprinted in Natan Lerner, The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands: Sijthoff & Noordhoff, 1980), pp. 217-30.
78. Karl Josef Partsch, 'The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination', in Philip Alston, ed., The United Nations and human rights (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), p. 360.
79. See Drew Mahalic and Joan Gambee Mahalic, 'The limitation provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination', Human Rights Quarterly 9, 1987, pp. 82-3.
80. Theodor Meron, 'The meaning and reach of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination', The American Journal of International Law, vol. 79, 1985, p. 287.
81. Ibid., pp. 288-9.
82. Allan Rosas and Martin Scheinin, 'Implementation mechanisms and remedies', in Asbjorn Eide, Catarina Krause and Allan Rosas, eds, Economic, social and cultural rights: a textbook (Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff, 1995), pp. 359-60.
83. Steiner and Alston, International human rights, p. 560.
84. James N. Rosenau, Turbulence in world politics (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1990), p. 10.
85. James N. Rosenau, Along the domestic-foreign frontier: exploring governance in a turbulent world (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997), p. 38.
86. For example, UN Charter article 2(7): 'Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter.'
87. United Nations Development Programme, Human development report 1997 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 62.
88. UNDP, Human development report, p. 9.
89. Jose Bengoa, 'The silence of the innocent: the rights of the poor and excluded', Social Development Review 2: 3, September 1998, pp. 4-5.
90. Statement by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 'Globalization and economic, social and cultural rights', May 1998 (http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/6/cescrnote.htm).
91. Richard Jolly, 'Profiles in success: reasons for hope and priorities for action', in Santosh Mehrotra and Richard Jolly, eds, Development with a human face: experiences in social achievement and economic growth (Oxford: Clarendon, 1997), p. 8.
92. See United Nations Development Programme, Human development report 1998 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998).
93. Paul Streeten, et al., First things first: meeting basic needs in developing countries (New York: Oxford University Press, 1981).
94. Santosh Mehrotra, 'Social development in high-achieving countries: common elements and diversities', in Santosh Mehrotra and Richard Jolly, eds, Development with a human face (Oxford: Clarendon, 1997), p. 29.
95. Mehrotra, 'Social development', p. 32.
96. Amartya Sen, 'Agency and well-being: the development agenda', in Noeleen Heyzer with Sushma Kapoor and Joanne Sandler, A commitment to the world's women: perspectives on development for Beijing and beyond (New York: UNIFEM, 1995).
97. Mehrotra, 'Social development', p. 40.
98. Ibid., p. 41.
99. Ibid., p. 48. See also: William F. Felice, 'Militarism and human rights', International Affairs 74: 1, January 1998.
100. Ibid., p. 48. See also: William F. Felice, 'Militarism and human rights', International Affairs 74: 1, January 1998.
101. Mehrotra, 'Social development', p. 49.
102. Instituto del Tercer Mundo, Social Watch Report No. 2 (Montevideo, Uruguay: Instituto del Tercer Mundo, 1998).
103. Ibid., p. 33.
104. Social Watch Report No. 2.
105. Constanza Moreira, 'Strategies in the struggle against poverty, a comparative approach', in Social Watch Report No. 2, p. 35.
106. Erika de Wet, 'Labor standards in the globalized economy: the inclusion of a social clause in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization', Human Rights Quarterly 17: 3, 1995, p. 450.
107. Ibid., p. 453.
108. Population Council, 'Female garment workers study in Bangladesh' (New York: Population Council, 1998), pp. 1-8.
109. Ibid., pp. 1-8.
110. Denis MacShane, 'Human rights and labor rights: a European perspective', in Lance Compa and Stephen Diamond, eds, Human rights, labor rights, and international trade (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996), p. 52.
111. Philip Alston, 'Out of the abyss: the challenges confronting the new UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights', Human Rights Quarterly 9, 1987, p. 352.
112. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, Human rights in cross-cultural perspectives: a quest for consensus (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992), p. 5.
113. International Conference on Popular Participation in the Recovery and Development Process in Africa, African chaner for popular participation in development and transformation (Arusha, Tanzania, 1990), E/ECA/ CM.16/11/Corr.1.
114. Dan Cunniah, 'The dangers of complacency in the face of a global social crisis', Social Development Review 2: 2, June 1998, p. 18.
115. Stephen Herzenberg, 'In from the margins: morality, economics, and international labor rights', in Compa and Diamond, eds., Human rights, labor rights and international trade, pp. 100-101, 108.