Transcript Slide 1
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
TRAINING ON ECONOMIC,
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
RIGHTS
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
About the Human Rights Concept
History of development of human rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
Sharing Session
Do you have personal experiences related to (limitations of) Social
Rights?
Are you aware of events or cases of other persons or religious
organisations related to this issue?
Which issues play a role in discussions in your society in which the
wish to restrict or defend this freedom is at stake?
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
What do we mean by:
Economic Rights
Social Rights
Cultural rights?
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Conference of European Churches
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What are the Present Challenges related to
Social Rights in Society?
Dominant economic model: growth model
Inequality and discrimination
Poverty
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
Theological Reflection
Human beings are created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).
Legal traditions in the Bible are focusing on the responsibility to care
for the weak.
The prophets of the Old Testament reclaim the aim to achieve social
justice (Mal 3:5).
Failure of social duty towards the vulnerable results in disaster for the
community.
Jesus widens the principles by narrowing them down to the double
commandment to love God and the neighbour. (Mat 22:37-40).
The rich should treat the poor with dignity. (Lk 16:19-31).
Jesus comes to bring good news to the poor. (Lk 4:18).
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and
is entitled to realization, through national effort and international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of
each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for
his dignity and the free development of his personality.
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
What do we mean by Social Rights?
Right to housing
Right to Health Care
Right to Education
Right to an adequate standard of living
Right to work
Right to social security
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Conference of European Churches
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What is ‘Social Justice’?
The concept of social justice
Inequality
Damage to society as a whole
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Conference of European Churches
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The Relationship between Social Rights and Full
Participation in Society
Social injustice has thus (at least) two distinct dimensions:
Maldistribution – this is usually defined as faulty distribution or
apportionment, as of resources over an area or among a group;
Misrecognition - this is usually defined as 'misrecognition' of the
true relations between the structure of that field and the structures
of economic and political power – not really being aware of an
existing relationship.
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
Legal Tools related to Social Rights
UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
The revised Social Charter of the Council of Europe
The European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
When and Why Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are
Violated by the State
The most significant explanation of the violation of economic,
social and cultural rights comes from the Maastricht
Guidelines on Violations of Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, Maastricht, January 22-26, 1997, which were aiming
to build on the Limburg Principles of 1986.
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Conference of European Churches
Church & Society Commission
European Convention on Human Rights
Civil and political rights v social and economic rights:
Right to property
Right to education
Article 3: Prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment
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