A/HRC/31/31 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 27 January 2016 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirty-first session Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights Report of the Secretary-General* Summary In the present report, methodologies used at the national level to measure the realization of economic, social and cultural rights are examined. The report starts with an overview of State obligations relating to the measurement of progressive and immediate realization of economic, social and cultural rights. The elements required to develop adequate measurement tools and indicators from a human rights perspective are then analysed. By means of the example of States’ practices, he identifies principles for an adequate human rights measurement methodology. On that basis, a number of recommendations on human rights measurement and a rights-based approach to data and statistics are made. * The present report was submitted after the deadline in order to reflect the most recent information. GE.16-01120(E) *1601120*