Strengthening ESCR monitoring

Overview and rationale:
This project aims at strengthening the capacity of ESCR-Net members—NGOs, social movements and grassroots groups, as well as their allies, to produce their own evidence on systemic ESCR issues.

Monitoring economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) is critical to ensure their fulfilment. Monitoring can contribute to litigation, policy analysis and movement building. Effective monitoring is therefore an indispensable pillar for achieving accountability for ESCR violations and systemic change. Nevertheless, deprivations of these rights are often difficult to monitor, because they are rooted in systems of inequality rather than specific events with clear causation and responsible actors. In addition, the perspectives and voices of human rights defenders and grassroots communities are often side-lined by evidence developed by power-holders like States and corporations, which often exert undue influence on decision-making processes in ways that counter human rights and de-legitimize those affected by these decisions. In light of this challenge, it is critical that ESCR-net members and their allied communities are to be able to gather and analyse key ESCR data and find ways to use this evidence to influence decision-making processes.

The proposed strategy for this project envisages to:

a) proactively engage ESCR-net members to reflect, exchange and learn about key methodologies and issues for monitoring and analysing ESCR issues - through online and in person discussions on cross-cutting issues relevant to members of the Network and the development of brief and accessible resources;

b) reactive support to other members and Working Groups in developing and implementing monitoring strategies relevant to their collective projects.

Past activities:

>> Webinar on ‘How do we effectively monitor ESCR?’ - 12 July 2018 <<

>> Webinar on ‘Using technical evidence for strategic litigation’ - 6 December 2018 <<

>> Workshop on communtity-led documentation at the Grassroots Women's Leaders Exchange, Chiang Mai, Thailand - August 2019 (report available soon) <<

For activities before 2018, including a webinar on ESCR Monitoring and Budget Analysis (2016) and monthly blog discussions held in 2014-15, please click here.