GI-ESCR co-hosts a workshop series on the commons and human rights with the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

On 11, 18 and 25 February 2021, the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, together with the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, hosted a series of three workshops on the commons and human rights. 

This workshop series brought together around 25 leading thinkers and practitioners from both the human rights and the commons movements to explore the relationship between these fields. This is particularly relevant in the context of exploring alternatives to privatisation and to the traditional State-centred model for the provision of goods and services essential to the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights, which is one of GI-ESCR’s priority areas of work. The discussions addressed the following questions:  

  • How can models based on the commons promote and provide equitable, secure and sustainable access to resources? 

  • How have commons-based models contributed to the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights? 

  • How can commons-based models be structured or governed to ensure effective participation of all members of the community and ensure democratic accountability? 

  • What role for the State, as the duty-bearer under traditional conceptions of human rights law, for models based on the commons?  

  • What are the points of common ground between human rights and the commons? 

  • How can the commons help us rethink human rights and the role of the State? 

  • How can human rights play a role in supporting the commons?  

The realisation of human rights in areas such as food, water, housing and education has traditionally depended on the State either providing such goods or services directly, or regulating private actors to ensure that all people have access to what is necessary to ensure an adequate standard of living. The commons offers an alternative beyond State delivery and market-based solutions, in which local communities design their own rules to manage resources and provide services, for the benefit of the community.  

This workshop series was the first step in an ongoing dialogue between the commons movement and the human rights community. To build on the momentum of the event, the group of participants will work on a collective text on what the two movements can bring to each other. GI-ESCR will continue to work on this topic as part of its work on exploring alternatives to privatisation.

 If you would like to know more about this workshop series or about GI-ESCR's work on this topic, please contact Sarah Jameson, Programme Officer on Human Rights and Public Services at sarahk@gi-escr.org. 

 

 

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