Economic and social rights are clearly enshrined in international human rights law: critical rights such as the right to education, employment, an adequate standard of living, health and social security should be guaranteed by states without discrimination.
We believe increasing socio-economic inequality and recurrent patterns of discrimination, not limited resources, are the root causes of non-realisation of social and economic rights.
We engage with this intersection in two key ways: exploring the link at the conceptual level to develop the discourse; and working towards the practical realisation of socio-economic rights for the most disadvantaged, through applying equality strategies.
Equal Social and Economic Rights: A Litigator’s Guide
In 2014 we published Economic and Social Rights: A Litigator's Guide to Using Equality and Non-Discrimination Strategies to Advance Economic and Social Rights. This is the result of two years of research into the intersection between equality and socio-economic rights. Designed to assist non-governmental organisations, lawyers and activists, the Guide identifies equality and non-discrimination strategies that may be employed in seeking to advance economic and social rights before courts. It is also accompanied by an online Compendium of useful cases in which equality and non-discrimination concepts and approaches have been employed to advance ESRs. Click to read more.
Special Issue of the Equal Rights Review
In 2014, we published a special issue of the intersection between equality and socio-economic rights. For the Trust’s conceptual framework on the issue, see The Pyramid Question, our Executive Director’s Editorial to the volume. The volume contains articles, testimony and interview on the theme of socio-economic rights and equality. Click here to read more.
A Focus on Socio-Economic Inequality in Our Country Projects
Our use of the unified approach to equality means that exploring socio-economic inequality is a key element of our work and is integrated into our approach to advocacy, litigation and movement building.
Some of our work also places a particular emphasis on equal access to economic and social rights. For example, in Guyana, we have been working with civil society to build their capacity on the intersection of equality and socio-economic rights, gather evidence on access to socio-economic rights for disadvantaged communities and engage in advocacy for reform.