Opinion – The Right to an Adequate Standard of Living

Rapporteur: Greece

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Stressing the importance of ensuring dignified living conditions for all citizens of all States Parties without discrimination,
Respecting the adequate standard of living established by the International Covenant on Human Rights and Article 11 of the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Encouraging the support of all States Parties to the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and in particular to the content of Article 11 on housing, adequate food and clothing,
Renewing the commitment of all Parties to the obligations arising from the Convention,
Understanding the difficulties of the States Parties in complying with the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, but recognizing the need to ensure and safeguard the basic rights of citizens related to a dignified life,

1. Encourages donations from the most economically powerful countries to those still developing in order to reconstruct public hospitals, as well as to renovate the existing hospital units by equippingthem with up to date equipment,
2. Proposes that the public should be informed through non-governmental organizations about the risks of diseases,
3. Recommends the organization of free vaccination days for those who do not have the necessary financial resources to afford them,
4. Proposes, as well, the organization of a blood donation day in order to collect the necessary quantities of blood for treatment in case of emergencies,
5. Encourages the investments of the wealthy individuals in order to build new hospital infrastructures which would create new jobs,
6. Expresses its desire for the reinforcement of Non-Governmental Organizations as well as the implementation of the World Food Program in cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development in order to distribute agricultural products, that remain unexploited or are not being collected from the fields, to vulnerable populations,
7. Encourages the States Parties to adopt more favorable measures concerning the mortgages and evictions due to non-fulfillment of the tenant’s obligations, so that
   families and their minors are not being expelled without warning from their first and main home,
8. Recommends the utilization of already used footwear and clothing in good condition, through the installation of specially designed recycling bins in the central areas of the States Parties, with the aim of donating them to those in need but also of saving resources that would have been spent on the production of new clothing and footwear,
9. Proposes the protection of the first and basic residence of citizens by the States Parties through programs such as the Finnish “First Home” Initiative, with the aim to granting corresponding social benefits,
10. Encourages the establishment of shelters and care centers for homeless and people in need, until they can find a stable work to secure their resources to make a living, in cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations and volunteer-citizens,
11. Encourages States Parties to create an investment-friendly environment with favorable tax conditions and a fast bureaucracy mechanism in order to create new jobs and combat high unemployment rates, especially in developing countries,
12. Recommends that the States Parties take measures to make water easily accessible to all citizens and to improve water quality in the following ways (a) by installing pilot units with water filtration mechanisms to clean contaminated water sources; (b) by building seawater desalination centers, (c) by strengthening water filtration mechanisms in residential areas;
13. Proposes the following solutions concerning the proper decomposition of garbage:
    (a) the placement of bins of various kinds, such as bins to collect plant products for the production of fertilizer, (b) the organisation of various activities in order to inform citizens about the recycling; (c) the exploitation of new ways of garbadge decomposition with the establishment of centers of combustion and conversion into biomass;
14. Urges the States Parties to set up special reception centers for refugees in order to ensure that their human dignity is protected during their arrival in the host country;
15. Encourages the States Parties to sign bilateral and multilateral agreements in order to strengthen trade and the labor market, develop international communication, and facilitate the movement of resources and employees;
16. Proposes the effort of equal and proportional distribution of financial resources among the States Parties, with the contribution of the developed countries that could provide financial support to those still developing, by providing loans on favorable terms and support measures aiming to eradicate poverty and achieve the goals that are proposed in the Article 11 of the Convention,
17. It strongly urges the States Parties to remain active in order to fulfill their obligations as mentioned in the Convention.