UN’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Overview: 

Former Indian diplomat, Preeti Saran has been elected unopposed to an Asia Pacific seat on the United Nation’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).

• The UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected Saran to the 18-member committee ‘CESCR’ for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2019.

About Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR):

• The CESCR was set up in 1985 by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
• It was constituted with an aim to monitor on its behalf the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESR), which has been ratified by 169 countries.
• The countries that are parties to the covenant are required to submit reports to the CESCR every five years on how they protect the economic, social and cultural rights.
• The committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of concluding observations.
• The Members of the CESCR serve in their personal capacities as experts and do not represent their countries even though they may be nominated by their own nation.
• The CECSR meets in Geneva and holds two sessions per year, consisting of a three-week plenary and a one-week pre-sessional working group.

Sources: the hindu.