A/HRC/12/22 page 7 relation to the minimum core obligations are not permissible under the Covenant.13 A State party would have to demonstrate that these measures can be justified by reference to the totality of rights provided for in the Covenant,14 i.e. that they are taken in pursuit of a pressing goal, that they are strictly necessary and that no less restrictive measures were available to achieve the same goal. The Committee recalls in general comment No. 3, paragraph 12, that even in times of severe resource constraints, the vulnerable members of society must be protected by the adoption of relatively low-cost targeted programmes. 14. Obligations under the Covenant apply to nationals and also to non-nationals, including refugees and asylum-seekers. Nonetheless, under article 2, paragraph 3, of the Covenant, developing countries may determine, with due regard to human rights and their national economy, to what extent they would guarantee the rights recognized in the Covenant to non-nationals. Moreover, the provisions in the Covenant concerning international assistance and cooperation, particularly in article 2, have been interpreted to reflect an obligation to refrain from actions which interfere with the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in other countries.15 B. Links between economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights 15. From the perspective of the general human rights framework, there are links between economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights contains a range of economic, social, civil, cultural and political rights. The World Conference on Human Rights in its 1993 Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action affirmed that “all human rights are universal, indivisible, and interdependent and interrelated”, and that all human rights must be treated “globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis”.16 Some regional instruments, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, do not make any distinction between the two sets of rights. In addition, the principles of non-discrimination and equality are equally applicable to all human rights. 16. The Human Rights Committee, the body that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, holds the view that when a State party takes action affecting economic, social and economic rights - even rights not protected by the Covenant - this requires that, under article 26 of the Covenant, any such action be taken in a non-discriminatory way, regardless of any shortage of resources. In addition, the Human Rights Committee is of the 13 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comments No. 12 (1999) on the right to adequate food (art. 11), para. 19, and No. 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of health (art. 12), para 32. 14 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 3, para. 9. 15 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comments No. 12, para. 14, and No. 15 (2002) on the right to water (arts. 11 and 12 of the Covenant), paras. 30-36. 16 Chapter I, para. 5.