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color:#44B1E6">ADJUDICATION OF ESCR</span></h2>
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<h1 align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.65pt;
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Protocol to the ICESCR Ratification Campaign</span></h1>
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<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Millions of
people around the world suffer violations of their economic, social and
cultural rights (ESCR), including abuses of the rights to adequate housing,
food, water, sanitation, health, work and education. Many of them find no
mechanisms within their countries to address these violations, and up to now
there was no procedure at the international level to seek justice for these
violations. However, once in force, the Optional Protocol will enable victims
of violations of the rights protected in the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, who are unable to find remedies within
their own countries, to seek justice within the United Nations.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The International
NGO Coalition for the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR or Optional Protocol),
coordinated by ESCR-Net, brings together hundreds of individuals and
organizations from around the world who share the common goal of promoting
the ratification and implementation of the Optional Protocol. The NGO
Coalition led civil society efforts towards the adoption of the Optional
Protocol and now focuses on the ratification and implementation of this
Treaty.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Victims of
violations of ESCR can only utilize the procedure after their State has
ratified the Optional Protocol and a total of ten ratifications has been
reached. States will only ratify the Optional Protocol if civil society
groups tell them how important it is to do so, so we need your help!</span></p>
<h2 style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.65pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:14.4pt"><em><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#1075CB;font-weight:normal">GET INVOLVED!</span></em><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB"></span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Join the campaign
and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/f24bb3c32ffa8f10200d5711fe77a04f?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">Get involved!</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br>
For more information on the Ratification Campaign, contact Suad Elias at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:op-coalition@escr-net.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">op-coalition@escr-net.org</span></a>. To join the
Coalition, simply fill out the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/ee40debadeb8b96c8f298188bd2b0bb9?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">Membership Form</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and return it to the email address
above. For further information on the Coalition visit:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/3da7f0ba1747da68bae69d99cd14bf96?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">www.escr-net.org</span></a>.</span></p>
<h2 style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.65pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB">■</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;color:#1075CB"> Update on Ratifications: Spain Becomes
the 3rd Country to Ratify the OP-ICESCR. 7 More To Go!</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB"></span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Honoring its
commitment to international human rights obligations and realization of
economic, social and cultural rights,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Spain</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>ratified the OP-ICESCR on September
23, 2010.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Ecuador</span></strong>became
the first State to ratify it in June, 2010 and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial">Mongolia</span></strong>, shortly
after.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The Optional
Protocol was opened for signature and ratification on 24 September 2009
during the 2009 Treaty Event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Besides
these 3 ratifications the Protocol is signed so far by 32 other countries
(signature is a legal step prior to ratification): Argentina, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Congo,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Finland, Gabon, Ghana,
Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali,
Montenegro, Netherlands, Paraguay, Portugal, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Togo, Ukraine and Uruguay.</span></p>
<h2 style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.65pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB">■</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;color:#1075CB"> Toolkit for Action for the
OP-ICESCR</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:#1075CB"></span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The NGO Coalition
is glad to announce the launch of its Toolkit for Action for the Optional
Protocol. The Toolkit aims to facilitate international and national advocacy
work for the ratification of the OP-ICESCR and the national implementation of
ESCR. The objective of this Toolkit is to provide human rights advocates with
the relevant information, strategies and tools for undertaking national level
efforts toward the ratification and implementation of the OP-ICESCR in their
country.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The Toolkit
includes Four Booklets which are available<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/21554ec8e6731a05248b30622687b8f8?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">here</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><strong><span style="font-size:
7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Booklet 1:</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black">Refreshing Your Knowledge about the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Booklet
2:</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Overview:
The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Booklet
3:</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Why Should
States Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Booklet
4:</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Tools to
Lobby Your Country and Advocate for the Ratification and Implementation of
the Optional Protocol.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The booklets are
currently available in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/6313b2fe10ee727e1a3d4c160f5c94e9?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">English</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/e2c0ad8b0e99d232b04eef5a97dd2d72?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">French</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and will be soon available in Spanish
and Arabic.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">To join the
Coalition email list please send an E-mail to:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:op-coalition@escr-net.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">op-coalition@escr-net.org</span></a></span></p>
<h2 style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.65pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB">■</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB"> </span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:
Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#1075CB"><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/33b337f4c67272b2d4027f71de05337f?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">10 For Access To Justice For All
Human Rights</span></a></span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">On September
2010, the NGO Coalition launched a statement calling on States to seize on
the opportunity offered by the first anniversary of the Optional Protocol's
opening for signature, ratification and accession and the MDG-10 year review
by becoming party to this treaty to ensure at least 10 ratifications or
accessions by December 10, 2010. On December, 2010, we reiterated our call,
asking States to ensure that the second anniversary of the adoption of the
Optional Protocol by the UN General Assembly in December 10, 2008, was marked
with a historic moment for human rights in the world: the entry into force of
a mechanism that will reunify the vision of human rights as including
economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, all in equal status.
The NGO Coalition for an Optional Protocol prepared model letters and press
releases to facilitate actions by interested organizations. You can see the
statement and letters<a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/67a12ecfa5838ba83c2202068b07f31a?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">here</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">We thank all the
organizations who took action on during the dates, and we thank those who
continue working in support of the OP-ICESCR.</span></p>
<h2 style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.65pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;
color:#1075CB">■</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;color:#1075CB"> Advocacy on the Rules of
Procedure for the OP-ICESCR</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:
Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#1075CB"></span></h2>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The UN Committee
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is in the process of adopting
Rules of Procedure for the OP-ICESCR. A number of key issues that will be
influential in determining the effectiveness and competence of the ESCR
Committee's consideration of communications under the OP-ICESCR will be
addressed in these Rules of Procedure. Currently, the CESCR is still in the
process of revising and discussing the draft rules and had their last
discussion on November 12 during the 45th session in Geneva. The NGO Coalition organized an
event during the prior Committee Sessions in May 2010 and advanced some key
issues for the rules in conversations with Committee Members through members
participating in the November sessions.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The NGO Coalition
for the OP-ICESCR drafted a commentary on the draft Rules of Procedure aimed
at influencing the development process and continues looking at manners in
which to positively influence this process. This commentary is available<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/7d77b4c0cbad8d49ff3c8364ce229730?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">here</span></a></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">For a summary of
the document in Spanish click<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/eb086127c3b9a28879d5882e18448333?pa=3389460844" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">here</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.6pt;margin-left:
0in;line-height:18.0pt;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">For more
information on the NGO Coalition for an OP-ICESCR and ESCR-Net's work in this
area, please contact Suad Elias at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:op-coalition@escr-net.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1089EE">op-coalition@escr-net.org</span></a>.</span></p>
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