The right to benefit from scientific progress and its applications

The right to benefit from scientific progress and its application is an important part of article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and therefore, a fundamental aspect of cultural rights that the mandate has looked into.

You will find below the thematic work conducted by the mandate over the years, as well as developments in other parts of the UN system and important links.

Ensuring everyone benefits from science

The right to enjoy scientific progress and its application covers all sciences: life, physical, behavioural and social, as well as engineering and the health professions. Implementation of this right means:

• Access for all without discrimination to the benefits of science and its application necessary to live a dignified life, including scientific knowledge;
• Opportunities for all to contribute to science and scientific research;
• The information necessary for individuals and communities to engage in decision-making regarding areas of research and development, and the related right to information; and
• An environment that promotes the conservation, development and diffusion of science and technology, and the freedom indispensable for scientific research.

Report on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications (2012)

In her 2012 report to the human Rights Council (A/HRC/20/26), the Special Rapporteur focuses on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications. She stresses the strong link between this right and the right to take part in cultural life, as well as other human rights.

For essential innovations to reach everyone, states and the private sector need to work together to identify the needs of marginalized people through consultative processes, direct funding and targeted research. The private sector needs to prioritize the right to science through corporate social responsibility initiatives. The report also calls for states to give everyone access to essential technologies like the Internet, promote open access to scientific knowledge and information on the Internet, and promote science education at all levels.

To prepare this report and assess achievements and challenges related to the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications, the Special Rapporteur prepared and disseminated a questionnaire. See the questionnaire and the responses received on the report page.

Read all recommendations to states, enterprise, universities and other stakeholders on how to ensure the right for everyone to take part in scientific life (A/HRC/20/26)

Related events and materials

• Participation of the Special Rapporteur in the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator 2022 Summit, in a session focusing on “Reviving the Human Right to Science”. In her intervention, the Special Rapporteur reminded of the importance of looking at all the human rights related to science, including access to knowledge, methodologies and benefits, access to scientific publications, participation in and direct contribution to scientific research, academic and scientific freedoms and the corresponding obligations of States and other duty bearers.
  Geneva, 13 October 2022
  Full programme of the summit
  Recording of the session
   
• Participation of the Special Rapporteur in the second UNESCO and Human Rights: Geneva dialogues for enhancing cooperation and effectiveness, dedicated to the right to science.
  Geneva, 25-26 April 2022
  • Programme of the dialogues
  • Short video
• Joint appeal for open science, by CERN, OHCHR, UNESCO and WHO, 27 October 2020

• Keynote address by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights in the Symposium "Women in Culture and Science", organised by the UNESCO Chair on Building Common Ground: Cultural Rights of the University of Copenhagen and the UNESCO division for gender equality, Paris, France, 8 March 2018

• Webpage of the event

• Keynote speech by Ms. Farida Shaheed, International conference on the Human Right to Science: New Directions for Human Rights in Science, Bern, Switzerland, 22 May 2015
• Public consultation on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications, 7 December 2011 Audio files

Further developments in the UN system

• Day of general discussion on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications (art. 15.1 b), Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 9 October 2018
  • Documents from experts and written contributions
  • General Comment No. 25 (2020) on Science and economic, social and cultural rights, Art. 15.1.b, 15.2, 15.3 and 15.4, adopted 7 April 2020
• Revision of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Scientific Researchers
  • Call for advice and comments for the revision
  • Brochure on 10 key themes of recommendation
• Seminar on the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications, as requested by the Human Rights Council resolution 20/11, Geneva, 3-4-October 2013)
  • Invitation and programme
  • OHCHR report of the seminar (A/HRC/26/19)

Useful links

• AAAS - American Association for the Advancement of Sciences
• EIFL - Knowledge without boundaries
• UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Scientific Researchers