Permanent Mission of Uruguay to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations INVITATION Special event on The protection of economic, social and cultural rights: celebrating the second anniversary of the entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights invites, with the co-sponsorship of the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Uruguay, on behalf of the Group of Friends to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights1 on Monday, 11 May 2015 UN Secretariat Conference Building, Conference Room 11 11AM to 1PM With a keynote speech by Mr. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entered into force on 5 May 2013. To celebrate the second aniversary of this important milestone for human rights, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Group of Friends to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will co-host on 11 May 2015 an special event on the legal protection of economic, social and cultural rights. The event, aimed at encouraging ratifications by other countries, will offer an overview of the content of the Optional Protocol, its provisions and mechanisms, and the connections between the domestic and international legal protection of economic, social and cultural rights. 1 The Group of Friends to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is composed of Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay. 1 Programme Keynote speech: Mr. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights H.E. Amb. Alvaro Mendonça e Moura, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations H.E. Amb. Gonzalo Koncke, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations Moderated by: Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel Statements and comments from the floor Conclusions by the panel Background Despite the recognition by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the indivisibility of human rights, economic, social and cultural rights were not given the same attention and status when compared to civil and political rights. This historic gap in the protection of economic, social and cultural rights was finally addressed by the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP–ICESCR). The Optional Protocol was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 2008 and grants the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) the competence to receive and consider communications from alleged victims of violations of the rights included in the ICESCR and to conduct inquiries in cases of grave or systematic violations. The ability of victims to complaint about the violation of their rights to international mechanisms brings meaning to the rights enshrined in human rights treaties. Following its tenth ratification, the instrument entered into force on May 5th 2013. The Optional Protocol has 45 signatories and 20 State Parties, with additional ratifications expected to be confirmed in the coming months. The Group of Friends to the OP ICESCR and OHCHR will host an informative meeting to take stock of recent progress, celebrate the entry into force of the Optional Protocol, and encourage new ratifications. The purpose of the panel is to facilitate constructive and informed dialogue about the importance of the OP-ICESCR in reinforcing the equal value of all human rights by ensuring the legal protection of economic, social and cultural rights. The panel aims at offering an overview of the content of the Optional Protocol, its provisions and mechanisms, and the connections between the domestic and international legal protection of ESCR. Participation This event is open to all Member States, civil society representatives and general public. In case you are interested and do not have a UN badge, please write to [email protected] or [email protected] 2
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