How are unemployment and social security issues relevant to human rights? The R2W Group use a human rights based approach to campaign for change. Their work is specifically focussed on the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; specifically Article 6 and 9 which relate to work and social security respectively. The key issues that have arisen from the action research and monitoring work carried out by R2W at Social Security offices across Belfast have aligned closely with the core human rights standards articulated by the United Nations Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNCESCR) in their General Comments No. 18 (Work) and No. 19 (Social Security). These issues are: Long term unemployment: People who are fit and able to work but are out of work for over one year are defined as Long Term Unemployed under the definition of the International Labour Organisation. As studies show that the longer you are without a job, the harder it is to re-enter employment, this group can be considered as among the furthest from the labour market, and therefore requiring innovative efforts to enable them to access jobs. Under international human rights law, the principal obligation of state parties to ICESCR is to ensure the progressive realisation of the right to work. UNCESCR has underlined the urgency in tackling unemployment by stating that “state parties must therefore adopt as quickly as possible measures aimed at achieving full employment”. (General Comment 18 paragraph 19). Government ‘Back to Work’ schemes: in Northern Ireland people who are fit to work and have been unemployed for a specified period of time, must, as a condition of their entitlement to Jobseekers Allowance, participate in a government funded ‘back to work’ scheme. The main back to work scheme in Northern Ireland is currently called ‘Steps to Success’. Under international human rights law, steps taken by the government to realise full employment must not only include “technical and vocational guidance and training programmes” but these must also safeguard the “fundamental political and economic freedoms of the individual” and they must be effective. (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 6 (2)). Interference with social security payments because of sanctions and/or changes to social security entitlement: Social security entitlement is a right which is protected under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The right to social security has been described as “of central importance in guaranteeing human dignity for all persons when they are faced with circumstances that deprive them of their www.pprproject.org
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