Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

   Introduction

   Statement to the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (Seattle)

   General Comment 15:  The right to water (articles 11 and 12)

   General Comment 14:  The right to the highest attainable standard of health (article 12)

   Guidelines for Drafting General Comments

   Sessions (State party reports, Concluding observations)

   Notes on sessions

   States Parties to the Covenant

   Draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

   Plan of Action to Strengthen the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

   Press releases

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The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, at its 15th session held in Geneva from 18 November to 6 December 1996, concluded its consideration of a draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights granting the right of individuals or groups to submit communications (complaints) concerning non-compliance with the Covenant. The elaboration of the draft optional protocol was recommended by the World Conference on Human Rights.

The report of the Committee on the subject (E/CN.4/1997/105) was submitted for consideration by the Commission on Human Rights at its 53rd session held in Geneva, from 17 March to 25 April 1997.

Comments, suggestions, recommendations and observations on the draft Optional Protocol could be sent to office PW-1-025, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Palais des Nations, 8-14 avenue de la Paix, 1211 Genève, Switzerland. Tel.(41)(22)917-93-21; Fax:(41)(22)917-90-22 or to: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch

For a brief description of the history of the Optional Protocol see also Fact Sheet No. 16