THE VIRTUA HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE 2025 (SEOTMENBER 27,29 &30)

Theme:

“Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Human Rights–Based Approach to Development”

Introduction

Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ESCR) form one of the core pillars of human rights. They encompass the rights of individuals to adequate food, health, education, housing, work, social security, cultural participation, and an adequate standard of living. These rights are enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1966) and are fundamental to achieving human dignity and equality.

At the same time, the Human Rights–Based Approach to Development (HRBA) places human rights principles—such as participation, non-discrimination, accountability, and transparency—at the center of development policies and programs. This approach recognizes people not merely as beneficiaries of aid, but as rights-holders with entitlements, and states and institutions as duty-bearers with obligations.