Names: Sarador, Kate

Sepra, Aimee
Saludar, Alexa
Ortega, Vanessa
Rosal, Alphia

Document Analysis
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
1. What is the instrument all about?
Considering that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the
Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the
equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Recognizing that
these rights derive from the inherent dignity of the humans, in accordance
with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ideal of free human
beings enjoying freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if
conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his economic, social
and cultural rights, as well as his civil and political rights, promote universal
respect for, and observance of, human rights and freedom.
2. Who are the parties/signatories of the instrument?
The signatories in charge of the instrument are the following
participating countries and their contributions:
Afghanistan
24 January 1983
Albania
4 October 1991
Algeria
10 December 1968 12 September 1989
Angola
10 January 1992
Argentina
19 February 1968 8 August 1986
Armenia
13 September 1993
Australia 18 December 1972 10 December 1975
Austria
10 December 1973 10 September 1978
Azerbaijan
13 August 1992
Bahamas
4 December 2008 23 December 2008
Bahrain
27 September 2007
Bangladesh
5 October 1998
Barbados
5 January 1973
Belarus
19 March 1968 12 November 1973
Signed and ratified as the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Belgium
10 December 1968 21 April 1983
Belize
6 September 2000 9 March 2015
Benin
12 March 1992
Plurinational State of Bolivia
12 August 1982
Bosnia and Herzegovina
1 September 1993
The former Yugoslavia had signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967
and ratified it on 2 June 1971.
Brazil
24 January 1992
Bulgaria
8 October 1968 21 September 1970
Burkina Faso
4 January 1999
Burundi
9 May 1990
Cambodia
17 October 1980 26 May 1992
Democratic Kampuchea had signed the Covenant on 17 October
1980
Cameroon
27 June 1984
Canada
19 May 1976
Cape Verde
6 August 1993
Central African Republic
8 May 1981
Chad
9 June 1995
Chile
16 September 1969 10 February 1972
China 27 October 1997 27 March 2001
The Republic of China had signed on 5 October 1967
Colombia
21 December 1966 29 October 1969
Comoros
25 September 2008
Congo
5 October 1983
Costa Rica
19 December 1966 29 November 1968
Côte d'Ivoire
26 March 1992
Croatia
12 October 1992 The former Yugoslavia had signed the
Covenant on 8 August 1967 and ratified it on 2 June 1971.
Cuba

Cyprus Ethiopia

Czech Republic Finland

Democratic Fiji
People's Republic of
Korea France

Democratic Gabon
Republic of the
Congo Gambia

Denmark Georgia

Djibouti Germany
Ghana
Dominica
Greece
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Ecuador
Guatemala
Egypt
Guinea
El Salvador
Guinea-Bissau
Equatorial Guinea
Guyana
Eritrea
Haiti
Estonia
Honduras Liechtenstein

Hungary Lithuania

Iceland Luxembourg

India Madagascar

Indonesia Malawi

Iran (Islamic Maldives

Republic of)
Mali
Iraq
Malta
Ireland
Israel Marshall Islands

Italy Mauritania
Jamaica
Mauritius
Japan
Jordan Mexico

Kazakhstan Monaco

Kenya Mongolia

Kuwait Montenegro

Kyrgyzstan Morocco

Lao People's Myanmar

Democratic
Republic Namibia

Latvia Nepal

Lebanon Netherlands

Lesotho New Zealand

Liberia Nicaragua

Libya Niger
Nigeria Sierra Leone

Norway Slovakia

Pakistan Slovenia

Palau Solomon Islands

State of Palestine
Somalia
Panama
South Africa
Papua New Guinea Spain
Sri Lanka
Paraguay
St. Vincent and the
Peru Grenadines

Philippines Sudan

Poland Suriname

Portugal Swaziland

Qatar Sweden

Republic of Korea Switzerland

Republic of Moldova Syrian Arab

Republic
Romania
Tajikistan
Russian Federation
Thailand
Rwanda
The Republic of
San Marino Macedonia

Sao Tome and Timor-Leste

Principe
Togo
Senegal
Trinidad and
Serbia Tobago

Seychelles Tunisia
 Turkey Uruguay

Turkmenistan Uzbekistan

Uganda Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic
Ukraine of)

United Kingdom of Viet Nam

Great Britain and
Northern Ireland Yemen
United Republic of
Tanzania Zambia

United States of Zimbabwe

America
3. What are the article/s or section/s of the instrument which articulate the
centrality of human rights vis-à-vis science, technology, and environment?
The supporting articles and sections are as follows:
Article 12
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of
everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health.
2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the present
Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include
those necessary for:
(a) The provision for the reduction of the stillbirth-rate and of infant
mortality and for the healthy development of the child;
(b) The improvement of all aspects of environmental and industrial
hygiene;
(c) The prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic,
occupational and other diseases;
(d) The creation of conditions which would assure to all medical
service and medical attention in the event of sickness.
Article 13
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of
everyone to education. They agree that education shall be directed
to the full development of the human personality and the sense of its
dignity, and shall strengthen the respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms. They further agree that education shall
enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society, promote
understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all
racial, ethnic or religious groups, and further the activities of the
United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
2. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize that, with a
view to achieving the full realization of this right:
(a) Primary education shall be compulsory and available free to all;
(b) Secondary education in its different forms, including technical and
vocational secondary education, shall be made generally available
and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular
by the progressive introduction of free education;
(d) Fundamental education shall be encouraged or intensified as far
as possible for those persons who have not received or completed
the whole period of their primary education;
(e) The development of a system of schools at all levels shall be
actively pursued, an adequate fellowship system shall be
established, and the material conditions of teaching staff shall be
continuously improved.
Article 15
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of
everyone:
(a) To take part in cultural life;
(b) To enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications.
(c) To benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests
resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he
is the author.
2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the present
Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include
those necessary for the conservation, the development and the
diffusion of science and culture.
3. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to respect
the freedom indispensable for scientific research and creative
activity.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the benefits
to be derived from the encouragement and development of
 international contacts and co-operation in the scientific and cultural
fields.
4. How does the instrument safeguard human rights in the face of science and
technology?
The following articles provide proof for an answer to this question:
Article 4
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize that, in
the enjoyment of those rights provided by the State in conformity with
the present Covenant, the State may subject such rights only to such
limitations as are determined by law only in so far as this may be
compatible with the nature of these rights and solely for the purpose
of promoting the general welfare in a democratic society.
Article 7 (Work)
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the
right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions
of work which ensure, in particular:
(a) Remuneration which provides all workers, as a minimum,
with:
(i) Fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value
without distinction of any kind, in particular women being guaranteed
conditions of work not inferior to those enjoyed by men, with equal
pay for equal work;
(ii) A decent living for themselves and their families in
accordance with the provisions of the present Covenant;
(b) Safe and healthy working conditions;
(c) Equal opportunity for everyone to be promoted in his
employment to an appropriate higher level, subject to no
considerations other than those of seniority and competence;
(d) Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours
and periodic holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public
holidays
Article 9
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the
right of everyone to social security, including social insurance.
Article 10 (Protection)
 The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize that:
1. The widest possible protection and assistance should be
accorded to the family, which is the natural and fundamental group
unit of society, particularly for its establishment and while it is
responsible for the care and education of dependent children.
Marriage must be entered into with the free consent of the intending
spouses.
2. Special protection should be accorded to mothers during a
reasonable period before and after childbirth. During such period
working mothers should be accorded paid leave or leave with
adequate social security benefits.
3. Special measures of protection and assistance should be
taken on behalf of all children and young persons without any
discrimination for reasons of parentage or other conditions. Children
and young persons should be protected from economic and social
exploitation. Their employment in work harmful to their morals or
health or dangerous to life or likely to hamper their normal
development should be punishable by law. States should also set
age limits below which the paid employment of child labour should
be prohibited and punishable by law.
Article 15 (Science and Technology)
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the
right of everyone:
(a) To take part in cultural life;
(b) To enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its
applications;
(c) To benefit from the protection of the moral and
material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or
artistic production of which he is the author.
2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the present
Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include
those necessary for the conservation, the development and the
diffusion of science and culture.
3. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to
respect the freedom indispensable for scientific research and
creative activity.
 4. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the
benefits to be derived from the encouragement and development of
international contacts and co-operation in the scientific and cultural
fields.
5. What challenges stand in the way of the instrument and its key principles in
safeguarding human rights amidst the changing scientific and technological
contexts?
The challenges which take a hindrance on the key principles of this
instrument include the fundamental injustices of society such as poverty,
human trafficking, corruption, and the like. These are inalienable to society
no matter how firm are the laws we implement. There are always factors
which tip the scale of balance, enabling ups and downs of a typical
functioning community we encounter every day. However, these principles
still hold the bounds of humanity, at least in a manner we can try to assess
and modify for the years to come.