FIDH welcomes the French National Assembly’s vote for the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR

On 26th June 2014, France’s National Assembly voted in favour of the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). FIDH salutes this vote, which represents an important step towards the effective realisation of Economic, Social and Cultural rights (ESC rights), reaffirming the universality and indivisibility of all human rights.

The Optional Protocol, which entered into force on 5th May 2013, gives individuals or groups of individuals whose ESC rights have been breached and who were unable to obtain justice domestically, the opportunity to seek remedy at the international level before the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

FIDH hopes the French Senate will confirm the National Assembly’s vote, but regrets that the draft law does not include articles 10 and 11 of the Optional Protocol, respectively on Inter-State communications and Inquiry procedures. The inclusion of these articles would have allowed to go further in securing the protection of ESC rights.

Read the French Platform on ESC rights’ press release (in French):

CP Plateforme DESC 26 juin 2014

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