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International human rights law requires governments to respect individuals’ civil and political rights – such as their rights to free speech, fair trial, and political participation – and to promote their economic, social and cultural rights – such as their rights to health care and education. Since its formation in 1978, Human Rights Watch has focused mainly on upholding civil and political rights, but in recent years we have increasingly addressed economic, social and cultural rights as well. We focus particularly on situations in which our methodology of investigation and reporting is most effective, such as when arbitrary or discriminatory governmental conduct lies behind an economic, social and cultural rights violation. Joint Letter to President Bush on the Situation in GazaWe are writing to you on the occasion of your forthcoming visit to Israel to urge you to exercise your influence to reverse Israel’s closure policy towards the Gaza Strip and to disassociate the United States from that policy. Israel’s comprehensive restrictions on the movement of goods and people, including fuel and other civilian necessities, have produced a devastated economy and a severe humanitarian crisis there. These restrictions constitute collective punishment against the civilian population, a serious violation of international humanitarian law. May 12, 2008 Letter Also available in 
Printer friendly version Burma: China Should Push to Get Aid in India, ASEAN Also Need to Push Generals to Accept International Help China, India, Thailand and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should work to convince Burma’s government to lift restrictions on international assistance so aid can reach survivors of Cyclone Nargis, Human Rights Watch said today. May 10, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of Romania Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council This submission will focus only on Human Rights Watch’s key concerns regarding Romania’s compliance with international human rights law in its treatment of children and youth living with HIV. It draws on research and recommendations presented in greater detail in our August 2006 report, Life Doesn’t Wait: Romania’s Failure to Protect and Support Children and Youth Living with HIV May 5, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of Ukraine Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council This submission summarizes Human Rights Watch’s key concerns with Ukraine’s compliance with its international obligations in the context of four areas that have been the focus of Human Rights Watch’s work in recent years – human rights abuses fueling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as discrimination against women in employment, media freedoms, and the treatment of migrants. May 5, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of Zambia Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council In Zambia, where 17 percent of the adult population is living with HIV/AIDS, women face grave gender-based abuses, in particular domestic violence, which hinder their ability to access or continue using life-saving HIV treatment. Despite Zambia’s impressive roll-out of HIV treatment, the country’s health system and legal framework fail to address these barriers to women’s HIV treatment and as a result, some women living with HIV miss out on life-saving HIV treatment. May 5, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Labour Regulations Foreign domestic workers need rest, too By Emily Allen and Nisha Varia Published in The Straits Times Today as many of us celebrate May Day with a break from our jobs, others in Singapore are expected to work through the day. In fact, foreign domestic workers often work through all holidays. Far too many of them work every day of the week, every week of the year, without a single day of rest. May 1, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Lebanon: Protect Domestic Workers From Abuse, Exploitation Labor Day Campaign Challenges Employers to ‘Put Yourself in Her Shoes’ Lebanese employers, placement agencies, and the Lebanese authorities should improve the treatment of domestic workers by ensuring fair contracts, timely payment of wages, and a weekly day’s leave, Human Rights Watch said today, on the eve of Labor Day. Human Rights Watch is launching a campaign to highlight the often invisible abuses that many women who are domestic workers suffer in Lebanon. April 30, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Written Testimony to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the Human Rights Concerns of Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Accurate and objective sexual education is critical to advancing public health and promoting human rights. This fact is widely accepted within the international community and is supported by the provisions of fundamental human rights instruments. Indeed, the current federal policy of funding abstinence-only programs while failing to fund comprehensive sexuality education raises serious human rights concerns. Federal abstinence-only programs threaten a number of basic human rights, including the rights to health, information, and nondiscrimination. April 30, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Indonesia: Scrap Proposed Religion Ban Government Should Protect Ahmadis, not Persecute Them The Indonesian government should reject proposals to ban the minority Ahmadiyah faith and not align itself with the extremists who have fomented violence against them, Human Rights Watch said today. April 23, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Saudi Arabia: Male Guardianship Policies Harm Women Sex Segregation Keeps Women Out of Public Life Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship of women and policies of sex segregation stop women from enjoying their basic rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Saudi women often must obtain permission from a guardian (a father, husband, or even a son) to work, travel, study, marry, or even access health care April 21, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Second Preparatory Committee Meeting for the Durban Review Conference Human Rights Watch's Position Paper on the Durban Preparatory Committee Human Rights Watch urges governments involved in the Durban review process to press for progress on key issues highlighted at the Durban Conference of 2001 and to address recent or new manifestations of racism and related intolerance. Where progress has been made since 2001, Human Rights Watch believes that more can be done. Where States have not been successful in adequately addressing certain forms of discrimination, the review conference provides a renewed opportunity. April 21, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Perpetual Minors Human Rights Abuses Stemming from Male Guardianship and Sex Segregation in Saudi Arabia
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-307-2 April 20, 2008 Report Also available in
Download PDF, 357 KB, 52 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release Reply to Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica We write on behalf of Human Rights Watch to thank you for your response to our letter of February 27, 2008, expressing our concern regarding a violent homophobic attack on a group of men in Mandeville in January 2008 and the disappearance of one of the victims of the attack. April 17, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version The Future of Human Rights: U.S. Policy for a New Era The thirteen essays in this volume, edited by William F. Schulz, provide thematic assessments of the current state of global human rights programs. Human Rights Watch's Refugee Policy Director Bill Frelick writes an essay on U.S. refugee and asylum policy and Senior Labor Rights and Trade Researcher Carol Pier contributes a chapter on labor rights. Taken together, the essays converge on one overarching point: to attract the widest support, the U.S. commitment to universal human rights should be presented as reflecting the best of the American tradition. April 16, 2008 Web Site UN Rights Council to Review South Africa Universal Periodic Review of South Africa South Africa’s human rights record will be scrutinized on April 15, 2008 by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva at a Universal Periodic Review Session that is likely to focus on abuses around HIV infections, sexual violence, and asylum procedures. April 15, 2008 Memorandum Printer friendly version Open civil society letter to the participants of the “Capacity building workshop on human rights and gender in HIV legal frameworks” In light of the importance of a robust legislative response to the epidemic and strong action on behalf of the most affected communities, we draw your attention to serious human rights concerns that have been raised with respect to the N’Djamena “model law” and the national HIV laws that have followed it. This meeting is a vital opportunity to update these laws so that the region of West and Central Africa reflects the very best guidance on how countries respond to HIV with legislation. April 15, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Denied Status, Denied Education Children of North Korean Women in China
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-304-8 April 12, 2008 Report Also available in 
Download PDF, 269 KB, 24 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release Egypt: 117 NGOs Slam HIV-Based Arrests and Trials Doctors Helping Police Denounced for Breaching Medical Ethics, Human Rights As five more men face trial in Cairo on April 9 in a widening and dangerous police crackdown on people living with HIV/AIDS, 117 organizations worldwide working in the fields of health and human rights condemned the crackdown and the participation of medical personnel. April 7, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of the State of Bahrain Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council The Human Rights Council, in its review of Bahrain’s human rights record, should assess this legislation and recommend steps to bring existing legislation, especially in the areas of freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and accountability for grave crimes April 7, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of Morocco Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council Morocco continues to present a mixed picture on human rights. It has made great strides in addressing past abuses, allowed considerable space for public dissent and protest, and reduced gender inequality in the family code. But authorities, aided by complaisant courts, continue to use repressive legislation to punish peaceful opponents. April 7, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version | |
Related Material
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by UN General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by UN General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966 HRW Policy on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Human Rights Watch considers that economic, social, and cultural rights are an integral part of the body of international human rights law, with the same character and standing as civil and political rights. We conduct research and advocacy on economic, social, and cultural rights using the same methodology that we use with respect to civil and political rights and subject to the same criteria, namely, the ability to identify a rights violation, a violator, and a remedy to address the violation. Related Material Films screened in the HRW International Film Festival 2003: American Dissent 2003: The Flute Player 2002: Dweepa 2002: Life on the Tracks 2002: Pinochet's Children 2002: Wartakes 2000: The Internationale |
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