Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2008
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Signed by 45 countries, ratified by 33 countries
Country |
Signature date | Ratification date * | Reservation / Declaration | Comments |
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 Angola |
September 23, 2013 |
- |
- | - |
 Antigua and Barbuda |
- |
July 3, 2019 |
- | - |
 Argentina |
September 24, 2009 |
October 24, 2011 |
Reservation
Declaration:
On the occasion of its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Argentine Government recalls that on 3 October 1983 the Argentine Republic rejected the extension of the application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands. The Argentine Government recalls that the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas are an integral part of the Argentine national territory and, being illegally occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the two countries which is recognized by the United Nations and other international organizations. In this connection, the General Assembly of the United Nations has adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25, in which the sovereignty dispute referred to as the “Question of the Malvinas Islands” is recognized and the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are urged to resume negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute. Concurrently, the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations has repeatedly affirmed this view. Also, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States adopted, on 24 June 2010, a new pronouncement, in similar terms, on the question. In ratifying the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Argentine Republic does so on the understanding that the system of communications provided for under that instrument does not apply to the right of peoples to self-determination in any context related to sovereignty disputes. |
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 Armenia |
September 29, 2009 |
October 13, 2020 |
- | - |
 Azerbaijan |
September 25, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Belgium |
September 24, 2009 |
May 20, 2014 |
- | - |
 Benin |
September 24, 2013 |
- |
- | - |
 Bolivia |
February 12, 2010 |
January 13, 2012 |
- | - |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
July 12, 2010 |
January 18, 2012 |
- | - |
 Cabo Verde |
September 26, 2011 |
June 23, 2014 |
- | - |
 Central African Republic |
- |
October 11, 2016 |
- | - |
 Chile |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Congo |
September 25, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Costa Rica |
April 28, 2011 |
September 23, 2014 |
- | - |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
September 23, 2010 |
- |
- | - |
 Ecuador |
September 24, 2009 |
June 11, 2010 |
- | - |
 El Salvador |
September 25, 2009 |
September 20, 2011 |
Reservation
Declarations:
Article 10 With respect to article 10, the Government of the Republic of El Salvador hereby declares that it recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State party claims that another State party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant. Article 11 With respect to article 11, the Government of the Republic of El Salvador hereby declares that it recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provided for under the article. |
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 Fiji |
- |
August 16, 2018 |
- | - |
 Finland |
September 24, 2009 |
January 31, 2014 |
Reservation
Declaration
“The Republic of Finland declares that it recognizes the competence of the committee to receive and consider inter-state communications made against it provided for in article 10 of the Protocol and the competence of the committee concerning an inquiry procedure provided for in article 11 of the Protocol.” |
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 France |
December 11, 2012 |
March 18, 2015 |
- | - |
 Gabon |
September 24, 2009 |
April 1, 2014 |
- | - |
 Germany |
- |
April 20, 2023 |
- | - |
 Ghana |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Guatemala |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Guinea-Bissau |
September 25, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Honduras |
- |
January 16, 2018 |
- | - |
 Ireland |
March 23, 2012 |
- |
- | - |
 Italy |
September 28, 2009 |
February 20, 2015 |
- | - |
 Kazakhstan |
September 23, 2010 |
- |
- | - |
 Luxembourg |
September 24, 2009 |
February 3, 2015 |
- | - |
 Madagascar |
September 25, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Maldives |
September 21, 2011 |
December 23, 2020 |
- | - |
 Mali |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Marshall Islands |
- |
March 12, 2018 |
- | - |
 Mongolia |
December 23, 2009 |
July 1, 2010 |
- | - |
 Montenegro |
September 24, 2009 |
September 24, 2013 |
- | - |
 Netherlands |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Niger |
- |
November 7, 2014 |
- | - |
 Paraguay |
October 6, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Portugal |
September 24, 2009 |
January 28, 2013 |
Reservation
DECLARATION
“With respect to article 10, the Portuguese Republic hereby declares that it recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party cl aims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant. With respect to article 11, the Portuguese Republic hereby declares that it recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provided for under this article.” |
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 Qatar |
- |
May 21, 2018 |
Reservation
The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by the following provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for the below mentioned reasons:
1. Article 3 with regard to provisions related to the inheritance of power, for it contravenes the provisions of article 8 of the Constitution. 2. Article 23.4, for it contravenes the Islamic Sharia. |
1. The State of Qatar shall interpret the term “punishment” in Article 7 of the Covenant in accordance with the applicable legislation of Qatar and the Islamic Sharia. 2. The State of Qatar shall interpret Article 18, paragraph 2, of the Covenant based on the understanding that it does not contravene the Islamic Sharia. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement such paragraph in accordance with such understanding. 3. The State of Qatar shall interpret that the term “trade unions” and all related matters, as mentioned in Article 22 of the Covenant, are in line with the Labor Law and national legislation. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement such article in accordance with such understanding. 4. The State of Qatar shall interpret Article 23, paragraph 2, of the Covenant in a manner that does not contravene the Islamic Sharia. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement such paragraph in accordance with such understanding. 5. The State of Qatar shall interpret Article 27 of the Covenant that professing and practicing one's own religion require that they do not violate the rules of public order and public morals, the protection of public safe[t]y and public health, or the rights of and basic freedoms of others. |
 Sao Tome and Principe |
October 31, 1995 |
January 10, 2017 |
- | - |
 Senegal |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Serbia |
- |
September 22, 2023 |
- | - |
 Slovakia |
September 24, 2009 |
March 7, 2012 |
- | - |
 Slovenia |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Solomon Islands |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 South Sudan |
- |
February 5, 2024 |
- | - |
 Spain |
September 24, 2009 |
September 23, 2010 |
- | - |
 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |
August 14, 2013 |
- |
- | - |
 Timor-Leste |
September 28, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Togo |
September 25, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Ukraine |
September 24, 2009 |
- |
- | - |
 Uruguay |
September 24, 2009 |
February 4, 2013 |
- | - |
 Venezuela |
October 4, 2011 |
October 10, 2018 |
- | - |