<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">OP Coalition</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:op-coalition@escr-net.org">op-coalition@escr-net.org</a>></span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div style="background-color:#fff">
<div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:8.0pt">English<span style="color:#1F497D"> </span>/<span style="color:#1F497D"> </span>Español<span style="color:#1F497D"> / </span></span></b><span><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:7.0pt">*La version
française viendra plus tard</span></b></span><span><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#1F497D"></span></b></span></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:14.0pt;color:blue">MAKE OUR RIGHTS LAW! ENFORCE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS</span></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Call for Action to support signature, ratification and
implementation of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px; ">The
upcoming first anniversary of the opening for signature, ratification and
accession on 24 September of the Optional Protocol to the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Protocol), the annual Treaty
Event taking place in New York between 21-23 and 27-28 September (coinciding
with the MDG Summit), and the second anniversary of the adoption of the
Protocol are key dates to campaign for the ratification of this mechanism. At
present, 33 countries have signed the Protocol, and Ecuador and Mongolia have
ratified it. Eight more states need to become a party to the Protocol in order
for it to come into force.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">We ask you to take action to support the call for signature, ratification and
implementation of this treaty. </span></b></p>
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<p><a name="12b1ccec61933418__Toc271535219"><span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Possible actions</span></span></a><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">:</span></b></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">- Please <b>send a letter to your government</b> urging them to
sign and ratify or accede to the Protocol without delay. Please ask your
government to participate in the Treaty Event in New York, which starts on 21
September 2010, and to mark the first anniversary of the opening for signature,
ratification and accession of the Protocol on 24 September by becoming a party
to the Protocol. Please also call on them to make a declaration, at the time
they become a party to the treaty, that they recognise the competence of the
Committee to carry out inquiries under the inquiry procedure. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">- Issue a <b>press release/public statement</b> on or in advance
of the opening anniversary of the opening for signature, ratification and
accession on 24 September calling on your government to become a party to the
Protocol and to encourage other states to do the same. Any media work around the OP-ICESCR could also support the media work
around the MDG summit by emphasising that the Protocol should be ratified as a
tool to promote accountability for human rights in MDG efforts. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">- <b>Prepare an Op-ed</b> to run in a national newspaper. Where
possible, an influential person could be asked to issue the opinion editorial
under her or his name. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">- Seek
a <b>meeting with your contacts in government</b> to discuss the Protocol and
find out if they plan on becoming a party to this treaty. If your government is
not planning to sign or has not yet decided if they will become a party to the
Protocol, please try to discuss and identify the possible obstacles for doing
so. Once the problems have been identified, steps can be taken to address
decision-makers’ concerns or to campaign to overcome them. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">If you need
help in preparing the counter-arguments or would like to discuss this further,
please email Suad Elias at the NGO Coalition at <a href="mailto:op-coalition@escr-net.org" target="_blank">op-coalition@escr-net.org</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">We would appreciate any updates on government positions and plans,
as well as on activities linked to this action circular or more broadly to
promote ratification of the Protocol. Please send any updates to the Coalition:
<a href="mailto:op-coalition@escr-net.org" target="_blank">op-coalition@escr-net.org</a>. Your
feedback is very important. We would also encourage you to share information on
your activities and materials that you are using to promote action as this may
be useful for colleagues in other countries. </span></p>
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