Call for Inputs: Draft General Comment on the Application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Situations of Armed Conflicts
Purpose
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights invites inputs to inform its work on elaborating a draft general comment on the Application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Situations of Armed Conflicts.
Background
At its seventy-eighth session, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights decided that its next general comment would elaborate on the application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in situations of armed conflicts. To this end, the Committee designated Ludovic Hennebel as the Rapporteur and further established a Drafting Group to coordinate the work on the preparation of the general comment.
In this context, the Committee invites all interested stakeholders to submit written inputs addressing the issues set out in the concept note, including States parties to the Covenant; United Nations funds, programmes and specialized agencies; national, regional and international human rights institutions and mechanisms; academic institutions and scholars, research centres and legal clinics; civil society organizations; and other subject-matter experts.
Objectives
The main objective of the General Comment is to provide interpretative clarity and authoritative guidance on the application of the ICESCR in situations of armed conflicts. The General Comment will address the entire conflict cycle: structural risk and prevention, active hostilities, occupation or effective control, stabilisation and post-conflict reconstruction. It will clarify how Covenant obligations continue across all phases, and how ESCR protection contributes to conflict prevention, humanitarian action, transitional justice, peacebuilding and sustainable recovery.
Key Questions and Types of Input/Comments Sought
Issues on Which Inputs Are Invited
The Committee welcomes inputs that may be doctrinal, analytical, empirical or practice-based, including case studies, examples of State practice, humanitarian reporting, operational insights, field documentation and testimonies from conflict-affected communities, with a view to assisting the Committee in clarifying obligations of State parties and other actors under the Covenant in situations of armed conflicts. The list below is purely illustrative and does not limit the scope of submissions:
- Continuous applicability of the Covenant;
- Interaction and Complementarity between ICESCR and international humanitarian law;
- Impact of armed conflicts on rights under Articles 1, 2, 3 and 6–15;
- Interdependence and indivisibility of ESCR;
- Obligations to respect, protect, fulfil and prevent;
- Maximum available resources and emergency budgeting;
- Extraterritorial obligations and occupation;
- International assistance and cooperation;
- Responsibilities of non-State actors;
- Accountability, remedies and reparations;
- Integration into peace-building, reconstruction and sustainable recovery;
- Methodologies for monitoring, data collection and reporting
How Inputs Will be Used?
As a first step, the Committee has undertaken preparatory work on a concept note to guide the process. The present call for inputs seeks written contributions on the issues identified in the concept note. Submissions received will inform the Committee’s work as it proceeds with the drafting of the general comment.
Subject to the availability of resources, the Committee envisages launching a second call for inputs at a later stage once a draft general comment is available, as well as organizing stakeholder consultations.
Next Steps
Input/comments may be sent by e-mail. They must be received by 15 May 2026.
Submissions should be up to 3,000 words (references and annexes may be included as necessary). They may include:
- An optional abstract of 150–200 words
- The main written submission
- A brief description of the author(s) and/or institution(s)
- An indication of whether confidentiality is requested
Unless confidentiality is expressly requested in full or in part, submissions will be made publicly available on the Committee’s webpage.
Email address: ohchr-cescr-armedconflicts@un.org
Email subject line: Submission – ICESCR Armed Conflicts (General Comment)
Word/Page limit: 3000 words
Accepted file formats: Word
Accepted Languages: English, French, Spanish