International Human Rights Law and Practice II: Economics, Social and Cultural Rights

This course is a follow-up to International Human Rights Law and Practice: Civil and Political Rights, offering students an opportunity to deepen their engagement with international human rights law through a focused examination of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR). These rights—including access to health, housing, food, education, work, social security and cultural participation—are understood as universal and indivisible, yet their implementation raises complex questions of resources, political priorities and accountability. Students will engage with the legal architecture governing economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR), including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, its Optional Protocol, and relevant regional systems. The course explores central doctrinal elements such as progressive realization, maximum available resources, and minimum core obligations. It will also consider the enforcement mechanisms available at domestic and international levels, noting the persistent challenges of justiciability, resource allocation, and evidentiary barriers that make the effective realization of ESCR particularly difficult in contemporary contexts.