international community has set as a target the universal ratification of international human rights instruments, most prominently in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.15 An obligation common to all the major treaties is the submission of reports to the various committees. Most States find it difficult to meet this obligation in a timely way. To enhance the effectiveness of the treaty system, it is important for States to seek to improve their performance in this area. By their nature, reservations to human rights instruments limit the application and hence the effectiveness of these instruments. Encouraging the limitation or removal of such reservations is therefore another objective of the international community.16 Several international instruments have optional protocols, including complaint procedures that serve to define the application of the treaties to individuals, their ultimate beneficiaries. The United Nations General Assembly has regularly encouraged States to consider accepting these optional protocols. 9.7.2 Economic, social and cultural rights Suggested national action plan content: ● Commitment to take legislative and administrative measures to entrench the recognition and observance of economic, social and cultural rights; ● Commitment to effective means of redress for violations of economic, social and cultural rights; • Elaboration of benchmarks for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights in line with the country’s human rights obligations and development of specific programmes to achieve associated targets in areas such as: - The right to an adequate standard of living, including nutrition and housing; - The right to health; - The right to education; - The right to social security; - The right to take part in cultural life; - The right to work; - The right to just and favourable conditions of work and to form and join trade unions; • Elimination of discrimination in the observance of economic, social and cultural rights; • Development of mechanisms to monitor on a regular basis the observance or nonobservance of economic, social and cultural rights; • Conduct of public inquiries into systemic problems in the areas of economic, social and cultural rights; • Proposal of programmes of awareness of economic, social and cultural rights both for relevant officials and workers and for the general public; • Promotion of research and debate on economic, social and cultural rights. This Handbook has emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach in any national action plan. In particular, the plan should be based on the universality and indivisibility of human rights. There are various possible ways of reflecting this broad 15 16 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Part I, para. 26, and Part II, para. 4. Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Part II, para. 5. 78