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The international human rights system clarifies the obligations of States to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. States, therefore, have a proactive role as arbiters of social and economic rights. In an increasingly integrated global economy, where state functions are often ‘outsourced’, the realization of women’s economic and social rights requires a wider framework of accountability, which encompasses the private sector, States’ actions outside their own borders and international organizations. Women’s collective action strengthens accountability for women’s human rights, by legitimizing these rights as issues of public concern and building the capacity of women who experience multiple forms of discrimination, to claim their rights.
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