Should trade be considered a human right?

From:: Department for International Development
Published: 1 January 2008

Document Type:: Briefing
Theme:: Economic Growth
Authors:: Hague, S., Fernandez, S., Meyn, M., Fernandez Valle, M.

Abstract

The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 60th anniversary on 10 December 2008. This declaration has served as a foundation of international law in the intervening years and also holds the record as the most translated document in the world; it is available in over 360 languages. One of the main areas of focus of the declaration is on economic rights, which has been further detailed in the UN’s International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Ensuring the right to work is a central tenant of both these documents, but never do they explicitly mention trade as a mechanism for ensuring this fundamental right. And yet trade plays a key role in promoting the economic growth and stability that jobs and workers rely on. The Trade and Poverty in Latin America (COPLA) programme has therefore taken this anniversary as an opportunity to pose a question to a diverse group of experts: ‘Should trade be considered a human right?’

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