in poverty.’ Because of its mandate, expertise and experience, the Committee gives particular attention to the economic, social and cultural rights dimensions of anti-poverty strategies, but all rights are equally important as a means of ensuring that all people can live in freedom and dignity. is a need for appropriately trained officials operating good processes that are informed by reliable, disaggregated data. 11, Second, non-discrimination and equality are integral 14. The Covenant empowers the poor by granting them rights and imposing legal obligations on others, such as States. Critically, rights and obligations demand accountability: unless supported by a system of accountability, they can become no more than windowdressing. Accordingly, the human rights elements of the international human rights normative framework, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Sometimes poverty arises when people have no access to existing resources because of who they are, what they believe or where they live, Discrimination may cause poverty, just as poverty may cause discrimination. Inequality may be entrenched in institutions and deeply rooted in social values that shape relationships within households and communities. Accordingly, the intemational norms of non-discrimination and equality, which demand that particular attention be given to vulnerable groups and individuals fram such groups, have profound implications for anti-poverty strategies. 12, Third, the international human rights normative framework includes the right of those affected by key decisions to participate in the relevant decisionmaking processes, The right to participate is reflected in numerous international the International Covenant instruments, including on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Declaration on the Right to Development.® In the Committee's experience, a policy or programme that is formulated without the active and informed participation of those affected is most unlikely to be effective. Although free and fair elections are a crucial component of the right to participate, they are not enough to ensure that those living in poverty enjoy the right to participate in key decisions affecting their lives. 13. In conclusion, anti-poverty policies are more likely to be effective, sustainable, inclusive, equitable and meaningful to those living in poverty if they are based upon international human rights. For this to occur, human rights need to be taken into account in all relevant policy-making processes.® Thus, there Obligations and accountability approach to requires that international their conduct poverty emphasizes obligations and all duty-holders, including States and organizations, are held to account for in relation to international human rights law. In its General Comment No. 9, the Committee remarks upon mechanisms of legal accountability for State parties. As for other duty-holders, they must determine which accountability mechanisms are most appropriate in their particular case. However, whatever the mechanisms of accountability, they must be accessible, transparent and effective," Core Obligations: National =Consistent with ease |, paragraph 5 of the Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights (1993): “All human rights are universal, interrelated. human 8 9 The indivisible and international rights globally interdependent community in a fair and equal must realized progressively.'! However, General Comment No. 3, adopted in 1990, confirms that State parties have a “core obligation to ensure the satisfaction of, at the very least, minimum essential levels of each of the rights” enunciated in the Covenant. As the Committee observes, without such a core obligation, the Covenant “would be largely deprived of its raison d’étre”.@ 16. More recently, the Committee began to identify the core obligations arising from the “minimum essential levels” of the rights to food, education and health,” and it confirmed that these core obligations are “non-derogable”.‘* In General Comment No. 14, the Committee emphasizes that it is particularly position to assist, to provide “international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical” to enable developing and treat manner, on the same footing, and with the samme emphasis." See article 13.1 of the Internationa! Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and article 2.3 of the Declaration on the Right to Development. See statement of the Committee on Economic, Social 10 For the Committee’s remarks on the “Obligations of actors other than States parties” see, in particular, General Comment No, 13, part Ill and General Comment No. 14, part V; also General Comment No. 12, paras. 20 and 38-41. 11 Article 2.1. of the World Trade Organization, Seattle, 30 November3 December 1999 (E/C.12/1999/9). 12 General Comment No. 3, para. 10. 13 14 General Comment Nos. 11, 13 and 14 respectively. General Comment No. 14, para. 47. and Cultural Rights to the Third Ministerial Conference 52 International 15. According to the Covenant, the enumerated rights are subject to resource availability and may be incumbent on all those ina 7 and Responsibilities cure ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS HANDBOOK