Adequate Standard of Living

Two boys at the Maslakh Refugee Camp (Herat, Afghanistan)
Photo courtesy of Sarah Zaidi (June 2002)

The right to an adequate standard of living encompasses several more specific rights, including the right to food, the right to health, the right to water, the right to necessary social services, the right to clothing, and the right to housing. The right to an adequate standard of living requires governments to consistently improve these rights. This "progressive realization" means that any legal or political developments that diminish current protections are prohibited. Legally, the right to an adequate standard of living is protected by Article 11 in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Article 25 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

For more information on the right to an adequate standard of living, and CESR’s work on the topic, please follow one of the specific rights listed at the left.