Joint Civil Society Report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

There has never been a more important time for the UK Government to follow guidance of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and implement future recommendations from the Committee. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates that 7 million households in the UK are at present going without the absolute basics. The last several years has seen those who have always faced barriers due to discrimination, inequality and poverty have increasingly more of their economic, social, and cultural rights disregarded. We face a human rights crisis in the UK rooted in deep discrimination and a lack of understanding to those at the sharpest end of it.

This report seeks to look at how the UK is fundamentally failing to implement the International Covenant on on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, whilst focusing in on marginalised experiences to showcase wider gaps where affirmative action is needed to address inequality. Specifically, as a joint report from Scottish organisations, this report will use primarily devolved Scottish examples to highlight where people’s economic, social, and cultural rights are not being respected by government.