The Center for Economic and Social Rights celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Our founding task in 1993 was to bring down the wall between different categories of rights, and to bring human rights into the socio-economic sphere. 2013 also marks two decades since the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, which famously proclaimed that all human rights are indivisible, interrelated and of equal importance.
The Vienna Declaration and Platform of Action has to a large extent inspired CESR’s efforts to make economic and social rights a reality over a period marked by new socio-economic challenges, shifting patterns of power and widening inequality. For this reason CESR’s 20th anniversary events, which are presented in this specially-created website, are aimed at facilitating a reflection on progress made in implementing the economic and social rights commitments set out in the Vienna agenda and to explore key trends likely to shape ESC rights advocacy over the next two decades.
Ignacio Saiz, Executive Director
Taking stock of progress
Leading figures of the economic and social rights and development fields reflect on the progress made in the economic and social rights field over the past 20 years and the contribution of CESR to social justice struggles and development in the field.
Twenty Years of Economic and Social Rights Advocacy
On 4 February 2013 CESR and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice hosted a panel event in New York University examining progress in the field of economic and social rights over the last two decades and exploring challenges that lie ahead. The event heard from leading figures associated with CESR on the advances that have been made in the field and how strategies have evolved to tackle new and emerging problems. A video recording of the meeting can be viewed below. The discussion begins after a short introductory clip presenting the Center's achievements and current work.
