Twenty years have passed since leaders from 171 countries gathered together in the Austrian capital Vienna and affirmed that all human rights were interdependent, indivisible and of equal importance, thereby bringing to an end the Cold War divide between civil and political rights, on one hand, and economic and social rights, on the other. In the first of a series of activities to mark this important milestone, the Center for Economic and Social Rights, which also celebrates its 20th birthday this year, recently staged a panel event in collaboration with the Center for Human Rights and Global
at New York University???s Faculty of Law.
At the February 4 meeting leading figures from the world of human rights who have been associated with CESR over the course of its history offered their perspectives on progress made in advancing the economic and social rights agenda over the past 20 years. The event offered a unique opportunity for human rights defenders and legal experts to reflect on advances achieved and assess key challenges that must be overcome in the years ahead.
Many of the key issues that were discussed will be explored in greater detail at a high-level meeting in Geneva this summer, which CESR is organizing to take stock of progress in implementing the ???Vienna Agenda??? and to assess potential strategies to reinvigorate the vision of social justice it embodies.
The meeting will bring together leading advocates, activists and academics from all over the world, particularly the Global South, to analyze potential avenues to bring the Vienna promise to fruition in today???s rapidly changing world. Staged to coincide with the 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council, this important discussion will be framed around four key themes: The ???Policy and Power??? section will explore the role of new actors and governance structures that have emerged in recent years, while the ???Inequality and Injustice??? segment will examine issues of discrimination and marginalization, particularly as these affect vulnerable groups such as women, indigenous communities and people with disabilities. Another area, ???Means and Methods??? will focus on strategies and tools available to the human rights movement, before the concluding session, ???Looking Ahead??? identifies the key elements of an economic and social rights advocacy agenda for the years ahead.
With a view to carrying the lessons of this discussion forward, a side-event will also be staged in parallel to the Human Rights Council???s activities in Palais des Nations. Moreover, the papers and case studies used in the forum will feed into the production of a publication and documentary to be deployed in a broader outreach and advocacy strategy later in the year. CESR has also launched a new dedicated website to facilitate dialogue in the lead-up to the meeting and to share the papers and case studies presented when the event takes place this summer.
Given that debate is already well underway on a new agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015, and the parameters of a new framework are due to be hammered out at the MDG Review Summit in September, dialogue over the future of the economic and social rights agenda could not be more timely. The Vienna Declaration marked a crucial milestone for the human rights movement, as the international community explicitly recognized the links between poverty, development and human rights. In the years since, CESR has become a leading voice on the importance of incorporating human rights norms and standards into global development efforts, both independently and as a member of civil society networks. The Center will continue to work hard on these issues over the coming months, as 2013 is sure to prove pivotal for both human rights and the broader social justice movement.