PILA Bulletin readers may recall that Ireland signed the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in 1973, and ratified it in 1989. However the treaty's protections – of rights to do with work, social security, family, housing, health and education – are not actually incorporated into domestic Irish law. The 2008 Optional Protocol allows individuals and groups to seek justice from the UN if their rights are violated and their government does not provide justice. Ten countries have ratified the protocol, but thirty-two countries (including Ireland) have only signed it. Because of the support of these ten countries, the Optional Protocol came into force on 5 May. Amnesty International has been lobbying the Irish government to adopt the protocol.
Amnesty has prepared an information note based on the findings of the Case Study: Lessons learned from AI Ireland Section’s work on the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, by Sarah Cooke and Pamela Montgomery (November 2012). It sets out the goals and practical actions taken by Amnesty as part of its lobbying work. It is a useful document about the campaigning and advocacy work around the Optional Protocol, and is useful for other NGOs engaging with international human rights law.
Click here to access the note.