A/68/333 15. The right to housing can be found in numerous instruments. 8 The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights discusses the right to adequate housing in general comments Nos. 4 and 7. Reports of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living elaborate on this right and how it can affect poor communities. 9 Article 26 of the American Convention on Human Rights requires States to achieve progressively the full realization of rights included in the Charter of the Organization of American States, which encompass the right to housing as well as the rights to employment opportunities, acceptable work conditions, and education opportunities for all. 16. Several instruments recognize the right to work and/or the right to just conditions of work, 10 and the right to social security is also mentioned. 11 As mentioned in general comment No. 18 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, access to work “constitutes an opportunity for economic self-reliance and in many cases a means to escape poverty”. In general comment No. 19, the Committee acknowledges that social security plays an important role in poverty reduction and alleviation, preventing social exclusion and promoting social inclusion. On the regional level, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights ensures “the right to work under equitable and satisfactory conditions” in article 15, the European Union Charter in article 31 and the San Salvador Protocol in article 7. 17. The prohibition of discrimination is widely accepted and stipulated in all the major international conventions, some of which contain forceful provisions outlawing discrimination. 12 General comments of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (No. 20) and the Human Rights Committee (No. 18) and general recommendation No. 20 of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination discuss the universality and importance of the prohibition of discrimination. All major regional instruments also forbid discrimination based on race, sex, colour, language, religion, or social status. 13 __________________ 8 9 10 11 12 13 6/22 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (art. 25), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 11), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (art. 5 (e) (iii)), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (art. 14 (2) (h)) and Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 27). See, for example, E/CN.4/2002/59 and Corr.1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (art. 23), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (arts. 6 and 7), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (art. 5 (e) (i)), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (art. 11). Universal Declaration of Human Rights (art. 22), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 9), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (art. 5 (e) (iv)), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (arts. 11 (1) (e) and 14 (2) (c)). Universal Declaration of Human Rights (arts. 1 and 7), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 2 (2)), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (arts. 4 and 26), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 2). Including the European Convention on Human Rights (art. 14), American Convention on Human Rights (arts. 1, 24 and 27) and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (art. 28). 13-43133