UNITED NATIONS

 

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted General Comment No. 20 on Non-Discrimination in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The General Comment is the Committee’s interpretation of Article 2(2) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Article 2(2) states: “The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” The General Comment reiterates that discrimination undermines the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights for a significant proportion of the world’s population and that “non-discrimination and equality are fundamental components of international human rights law and essential to the exercise and enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights.” The Committee has provided a non-exhaustive list of “other grounds” of discrimination prohibited by Article 2(2), including: disability, age, nationality (covering non-nationals, migrant workers and victims of international trafficking), sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, and economic and social situation.
Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Contact    |   Crédits    |   Rss