work also continues to uncover the structured nature of inequality on a global scale; the gendered and ethno-racial structure of inequality (Razavi and Hassim, 2006; Taylor and Mahon, 2019; UN DESA, 2020; UN Women, 2020; Williams, 2021), and the many barriers to inclusion that people with disabilities and indigenous people face (who are at a disadvantage regarding most SDGs) according to UN and WHO flagship reports like the World Report on Disability (WDR) (WHO, 2011), Disability and Development Report (DDR) (UN DESA, 2019a), State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (SOWIP) (UN DESA, 2019b), and the World Social Report (WSR) examining global inequality (UN DESA, 2020). The so-called social questions relating to ‘race’ and ‘women’ signified gendered-ethno-racial divisions and struggle in patriarchal societies, within the context of structural and systemic racism (Pateman, 1988; Pilbeam, 2000; Fassin and Fassin, 2006; Wacquant, 2006, 2014). The Me Too (or #MeToo) women’s empowerment movement has become a worldwide phenomenon, in the global struggle against violence against women. Male intimate partner violence and sexual violence is a major public health problem and a violation of women’s human rights (WHO, 2013, 2014, 2017). While the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, established in 2013 in the USA, has grown into the largest black-led social movement advocating racial justice since the 1960s (Garza, 2020). It is now a global network calling for radical, sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of Black lives (Tilly et al, 2019).14
Social resilience and political struggle are becoming more evident on a global scale, in opposition to the lack of respect for basic human rights and key freedoms to equality, fair treatment and dignity as set out in foundational international human rights documents. These include the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, Box 1.2), and the international agreements, treaties and conventions emerging out of conflict and social struggle, such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD, in 1965), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, in 1966), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, in 1979), UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, in 1989), and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, in 2008). The core international human rights instruments and associated UN human rights monitoring bodies are shown in Box 1.3.
Box 1.2: The 30 rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
| The 30 rights and freedoms were adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 10 December 1948 | |
| Article 1. Innate freedom and equality Article 2. Ban on discrimination Article 3. Right to life Article 4. Ban on slavery Article 5. Ban on torture Article 6. Right to recognition as a person before the law Article 7. Equality before the law Article 8. Right to effective judiciary Article 9. Ban on arbitrary detention Article 10. Right to public hearing Article 11. Right to the presumption of innocence Article 12. Right to privacy Article 13. Right to freedom of movement Article 14. Right to asylum Article 15. Right to a nationality Article 16. Right to marriage and family Article 17. Right to own property | Article 18. Right to freedom of thought and religion Article 19. Right to freedom of opinion and expression Article 20. Right to freedom of assembly and association Article 21. Right to take part in government Article 22. Right to social security Article 23. Right to work Article 24. Right to rest and leisure Article 25. Right to an adequate standard of living Article 26. Right to education Article 27. Right to participate in cultural life Article 28. Right to a social and international order Article 29. Duties and limitations Article 30. Salvatory clause |
Source: United Nations: www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/
(Reproduced with the permission of the United Nations.)
Box 1.3: Core international human rights instruments
| Acronym | Full name | Date adopted | UN monitoring bodies |
| CSR51 | The 1951 Refugee Convention | 28 Ju1y 1951 | UNHCR |
| ICERD | International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination | 21 Dec 1965 | CERD |
| ICCPR | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | 16 Dec 1966 | HRC |
| ICESCR | International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights | 16 Dec 1966 | CESCR |
| CEDAW | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women | 18 Dec 1979 | CEDAW |
| CAT | Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | 10 Dec 1984 | CAT |
| UNCRC | Convention on the Rights of the Child | 20 Nov 1989 | UNCRC |
| ICMW | International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families | 18 Dec 1990 | CMW |
| DEVAW | Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women | 20 Dec 1993 | SRVAW |