Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR)

Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR) is a new international initiative in the area of gender and economic, social and cultural rights. PWESCR works to promote women’s human rights, especially in the context of economic, social and cultural rights by bringing a gender framework to policy, law and practice at local, national, regional and international levels through ever-evolving strategies and activities in both conceptual and practical realms. PWESCR, in its initial phase will have a South Asia regional focus.

 Women's realities have brought out the interconnectedness and indivisibility of all women's rights. For example, in order for women to enjoy their right to adequate housing and land, they also need to be free from violence, and have equal access to healthcare, education, natural resources, livelihood options, and decent work. There is a critical need to develop international human rights organizations in the Global South that help network, exchange expertise, strengthen and develop human resources, and create tools to raise awareness around women's ESCR. To meet some of these needs, PWESCR has been developed. The programme will strengthen links between local and global initiatives— focusing on international advocacy with an emphasis on South Asian regional implementation and monitoring. It will draw from the work done by organizations like Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) in linking right to adequate housing to violence against women