Take action during December to advance OP-ICESCR ratification!
Take action during December to advance OP-ICESCR ratification!
Reminder-Action Circular Update
Key anniversary:
December 10 – Adoption of the OP-ICESCR and Human Rights Day
Whether you are a member, ally or new to this struggle for access to justice, the NGO Coalition for the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR) invites you to engage in the global campaign:
Justice Now! Ratify to Protect all Human Rights.
The OP-ICESCR entered into force on May 2013, allowing individuals and groups to bring complaints to the UN Committee on ESCR for violations of their economic, social and cultural rights. As of today, 21 countries have become party to the OP-ICESCR, securing access to justice for their people at the international level. Visit here for more information on the OP-ICESCR.
December 10th, the Human Rights Day, is the 7th anniversary of the adoption of the OP-ICESCR.Many countries have signed the OP-ICESCR expressing their willingness to move forward and ratify/access it.
This anniversary provides an opportunity to call on all States to ensure the respect, protection and fulfillment of all human rights by becoming party to the OP-ICESCR.
Has your country ratified the OP-ICESCR? Check the status of your country here .
If not, explore important opportunities to push your country to ratify the OP-ICESCR:
Your country may have signed the treaty (but not ratified); check here. Their signature demonstrates an intention to ratify the OP-ICESCR.
If your country is a member of or candidate for the Human Rights Council, ratifying the OP-ICESCR would be an important demonstration of human rights leadership.
If your country is being reviewed by the Committee on ESCR or approaching a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the Human Rights Council Countries, this is another important moment for advocacy. Some states make commitments to ratify the OP-ICESCR during these processes, so you might also look at recent commitments by your State.
Suggested Actions:
Send a letter encouraging ratification of the OP-ICESCR to your Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) or other relevant officials involved in considering international commitments and treaties. If possible, get support from several organizations as co-signatories to the letter. Please download model letter here.
Request a meeting with your MoFA or other relevant authorities: In your request, you might cite upcoming anniversaries and International Human Rights Day. For suggestions, please see Booklet 4of the Toolkit on the OP-ICESCR. Booklet 3 outlines arguments for why countries should ratify the OP-ICESCR.
Write a blog, op-ed or press release highlighting these anniversaries and the reasons for ratification, if your country has not ratified, or celebrating access to justice at the international level, if it has ratified. This Q and A may be helpful.
Build a national coalition for ratification, including other human rights and social justice organizations, unions, social movements, artists and other concerned people. You might start with an online petition or a public action/demonstration. Or invite others to join any of the actions above. For more information and ideas, please contact the NGO Coalition for the OP-ICESCR at ilarrosa@escr-net.org
Raise public awareness through social media, posting Facebook messages and tweets about the OP-ICESCR. You can share our Commitment Stamp with followers and ask them to use it for a period of time in their Facebook and Twitter profiles. Suggested messages for December:
Status
Signed
Well done #[country]. You are one step closer to make access to justice for violations of ESCR a reality for all. Ratify the OP-ICESCR and show leadership in the realization of these rights [link to Statement/press release/petition or/Booklet 3-Why States should Ratify]
Move forward #[country] and #RatifyOPICESCR to grant access to justice for all [link to Statement/press release or petition/Booklet 3 –Why States should Ratify]
More than 300 million of people can turn to the UN if their economic, social and cultural rights are violated. They live in one of the 21 countries that have ratified the OP-ICESCR [link to Map].
To mark the 7th anniversary of the adoption of the OP-ICESCR, we urge that the government of [country] to take the next step and ratify the OP-ICESCR. [link to Statement/press release/petition or Booklet 3 on Why States should Ratify].
We call on #[country] @governmentAccount to join others and ensure access to justice for human rights #RATIFYOPICESCR (link to Booklet3-Why States Should Ratify)
Not yet signed or ratified
Many countries— Argentina, Mongolia, Cabo Verde and France—have ratified the OP-ICESCR and secured a new way for their people to access justice if their human rights are violated. Don’t let the government leave us out! We call on #Country to ratify[link to Statement/press release/petition/Booklet 3]
Great news! Victims of rights abuses in 21 countries can turn to UN for justice. What about people in #[country]? [Link to map with ratifications/signatures]
New protection for economic, social and cultural rights a reality for 21 countries. We call on #[country] to #RatifyOPICESCR [link to Statement/press release/petition/Booklet3]
All
Imagine you have been forcibly evicted from your home, but the law in your country offers you no protection and no compensation. What do you do? Who do you turn to?
If you live in one of these 21 countries that have ratified the OP-ICESCR [link to map], you can now turn to the UN for justice! But what if you live in Germany, Brazil or South Africa? [link to Statement/press release/petition/Booklet 3]
21 countries have now strengthened access to justice for rights! #RatifyOPICESCR [link to map]
Ratified
These countries[LINK TO MAP] have ratified the OP-ICESCR. We call on States to follow their example and grant access to justice for all. [link to Booklet3]
We call on #[ratifyingcountry] to encourage its peer[#country] to move forward and #RatifyOPICESCR [link to Booklet3]
Please let ESCR-Net know if you are planning actions. They are happy to support. Together we can amplify our impact! Please share your plans with Ivahanna Larrosa, NGO Coalition Campaign Coordinator at: ilarrosa@escr-net.org