In May, eyeWitness to Atrocities submitted input to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to help inform its forthcoming Draft General Comment on the Application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in situations of armed conflict.

The submission drew on photos and videos captured by partners and individuals using the eyeWitness mobile application, along with open-source information, to examine how the armed conflict in Ukraine has affected the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights. In particular, it considered:

• the right to health (article 12 ICESCR);
• the right to adequate housing (article 11 ICESCR), and;
• the right to take part in cultural life (article 15(1) ICESCR).

Over 65,000 items of footage with verified metadata have been captured across Ukraine with the eyeWitness application since the start of the full-scale invasion. This footage includes extensive documentation of damage to civilian infrastructure, including homes, cultural sites, hospitals and supermarkets. Collectively, this photo and video evidence demonstrates the impact of the armed conflict on civilians and civilian infrastructure, illustrating the far-reaching consequences for economic, social, and cultural rights.

The submission also recommended that the Committee clarify a number of issues relating to the interpretation and practical application of the ICESCR during armed conflict, including:

• the scope of states’ discretion when implementing ESC rights;
• how states can continue to progressively realise ESC rights;
• the circumstances in which retrogressive measures may be justified; and
• the role of the international community in supporting the realisation of ESC rights during and after conflict

Related links:

• UN Special Rapporteurs urge the Nigerian government to address alleged human rights violations
• Justice Urgently Needed for Victims of Violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt
• Professor Leila Nadya Sadat Joins eyeWitness to Atrocities Board of Trustees