CESR is working towards building a human rights culture in the United States. To this end we have instigated and supported the work of two emerging networks in the U.S. The Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC), is a national campaign to raise the issue of poverty as a human rights violation. It is led by grassroots organizations of poor and homeless women, men and children of all races from across the country, ranging from public housing residents in Chicago to welfare recipients in Philadelphia. CESR has supported a range of activities that include developing economic and social rights factsheets, organizing capacity building meetings, documenting violations, and formulating legal strategies.
CESR drafted a Declaration on the Full Realization of Human Rights in the United States in collaboration with the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC). The Declaration sets out international economic human rights standards, as enshrined in the United Nations human rights treaties, and draws attention to the ways in which the United States has failed to meet these standards. It represents a Call to Action and a Declaration of Commitment to realizing full economic, social, and cultural rights within the United States.
The full Declaration can be viewed as a PDF or a Microsoft Word doc.
To endorse the Declaration, complete and return the Endorsement Form.
CESR has also been involved in launching and served as a member of the Secretariat (2002-2004) of the US Human Rights Network (USHRN). This network began through a set of meetings held at Howard University and its mandate includes the full set of human rights - civil, political, economic, social, and cultural. CESR is currently a member of the economic and social rights caucus of the network.