A/HRC/22/24 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 19/5, the Human Rights Council requested the Secretariat to submit a report on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights, with a special focus on women (para. 20). Previously, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had submitted, in 2008, a report to the Economic and Social Council (E/2008/76), which addressed economic, social and cultural rights, the principles of equality between men and women and non-discrimination against women. The present report should be considered as a complement to that report. 2. The present report starts by tracing recent developments in this area. It addresses the normative framework of women’s economic, social and cultural rights, recalling the main achievements of treaty bodies in clarifying the content of those rights. It also maps developments and activities relevant to the promotion and protection of women’s economic, social and cultural rights within the United Nations treaty bodies, special procedures and OHCHR. Finally, it offers some conclusions and recommendations. II. Normative framework A. Gender equality and non-discrimination as cross-cutting norms 3. Addressing women’s economic, social and cultural rights demands important measures across sectors of society, including in both the public and private spheres. Inequality in the enjoyment of human rights by women throughout the world is often deeply rooted in socioeconomic structures and culture, including religious attitudes,1 and in the power dynamics between men and women that are inherent in family and social settings. 4. The increasing international focus on economic, social and cultural rights during recent years has contributed to raising awareness of the specific human rights problems faced by women in economic and social areas. Attention given to the economic, social and cultural rights of women must take into account the principle of the indivisibility and interdependence of human rights, which emphasizes the importance of all sets of rights and the recognition that the human rights of women form an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.2 5. Equality and non-discrimination are essential to safeguarding women’s economic, social and cultural rights and are included in most international human rights treaties. According to these principles, the human rights enshrined in the conventions should be guaranteed to everyone irrespective of grounds such as race, colour, sex, language and religion. Differential treatment to the detriment of persons based on those grounds of discrimination is prohibited, except where reasonable and objective justification can be demonstrated. 6. The principle of the equal enjoyment of human rights irrespective of sex was introduced universally by the adoption of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945.3 The principle has subsequently been elaborated through the 1948 Universal Declaration of 1 2 3 Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 28 (2000) on equality of rights between men and women, para. 2. Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, A/CONF.157/23, paras. 5 and 18. See arts. 1, para. 3, 13, para. 1 (b), 55 (c), 62, para. 2, and 76 (c). 3