The Council for Health and Development, through the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches, delivered an oral intervention through video in the interactive dialogue on economic, social and cultural rights, and COVID-19 recovery in the 54th Session of UN Human Rights Council on September 18, 2023.

Full video of the session (timestamp of CHD’s video of oral intervention starts at 24:27): https://media.un.org/en/asset/k18/k1845xd6tb

Oral Intervention for Interactive Dialogue

Item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Report of the OHCHR on economic, social and cultural rights, and COVID-19 recovery

15 September 2023 | Human Rights Council Fifty-fourth session

Thank you, Mr. President.

We thank the OHCHR for their comprehensive report, and agree with the findings that the world’s poverty, hunger, and inequities in health, went beyond crisis levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines is an example of such a crisis, resulting from decades of the undermining of economic, social and cultural rights, aggravated by massive corruption, and inadequate funding to public health and other social services.

Privatization and the concentration of wealth in big business deepened the disenfranchisement of millions of vulnerable populations. There has been no accountability nor effective administration of justice for these outcomes.

As we try to recover from the COVID crisis, we urge the Philippine government and governments of other countries similarly affected, to address these root causes of poverty and disease. Civic space must be respected and protected, and all citizens – including health workers – must be able to express criticism of State policies detrimental to human rights.

Mr. President, in the light of the lessons we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask the Human Rights Council to further encourage States, such as the Philippines, to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. We appeal to the Council to urge States to revisit policies that promote and protect businesses that have adverse impacts on human rights.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Report of the OHCHR on economic, social and cultural rights, and COVID-19 recovery
A/HRC/54/35: https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2FHRC%2F54%2F35&Language=E&DeviceType=Mobile&LangRequested=False