The term “social and economic rights” encompasses a range of rights, including the rights to education, adequate housing, social security and health; the right to work and workers’ rights; and the right to an adequate standard of living. Social and economic rights are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as other international conventions. ACRI firmly believes in the indivisibility of human rights and recognizes that the full enjoyment of civil and political rights – itself an essential element of a vibrant democracy – is dependent upon the full realization of social and economic rights, rights that affect all members of society. A democracy cannot thrive while large sectors of its society are socially excluded and denied their right to live their lives in dignity.
With the privatization of Israel’s economy, the gap between the rich and poor widens, and marginalized groups confront glaring disparities and discrimination in their access to basic rights and services. Though Israel’s labor laws are among the most progressive in the world, enforcement of these laws is not nearly satisfactory. Public medicine is on a downward spiral that has created two parallel health systems – one for the affluent and one for the poor. Adequate housing has also become unreachable for many, with prices in the private rental market skyrocketing and public housing opportunities diminishing.
To redress these issues, ACRI is working intensively to identify and address violations of social and economic rights while raising public awareness of these critical issues and their impact on Israel’s social fabric. Through our work in the legal, public, and educational arenas, we seek to enhance respect for the principles of social justice and democracy, and ensure that all persons, regardless of their socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, geographic location, or nationality, can live their lives in dignity.
Resources on Social and Economic Rights:
New MRI Tender Favors Hospitals in Periphery, August 2009
Guaranteeing Safe Public Housing for Family in Rocket-Stricken South, July 2009
New Health Ministry Plan to Provide Dental Care for Children, Elderly, July 2009
Demanding Accountability of Schools’ First Aid Services Privatization, July 2009
Problematic Welfare-to-Work ‘Wisconsin Plan’ will not be Expanded, July 2009
Coalition for a Different Society Demands Fair Budget Allocation, June 2009
Key Mortgage Law Reform Prevents Harmful Eviction of Mortgage Debtors, May 2009
Equality and Health within the Economic Arrangement Bill 2009-2010, May 2009
May 1 Educational Kits Highlight Rights of Workers, May 2009
Intervention on the Right to Information for the Mentally Ill, March 2009
ACRI Op-Ed: For Our Own Welfare, February 2009
