Section 61p. 61

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW COMPENDIUM VOLUME I

an equitable distribution of world food supplies in relation

to need.

Article 12

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize

the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest

attainable standard of physical and mental health.

2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the

present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this

right shall include those necessary for:

(a) The provision for the reduction of the stillbirth-rate

and of infant mortality and for the healthy development

of the child;

(b) The improvement of all aspects of environmental and

industrial hygiene;

(c) The prevention, treatment and control of epidemic,

endemic, occupational and other diseases;

(d) The creation of conditions which would assure to all

medical service and medical attention in the event of

sickness.

Article 13

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize

the right of everyone to education. They agree that

education shall be directed to the full development of the

human personality and the sense of its dignity, and shall

strengthen

the

respect

for

human

rights

and

fundamental

freedoms.

They

further

agree

that

education

shall

enable

all

persons

to

participate

effectively in a free society, promote understanding,

tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial,

ethnic or religious groups, and further the activities of the

United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

2. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize

that, with a view to achieving the full realization of this

right:

(a) Primary education shall be compulsory and available

free to all;

(b) Secondary education in its different forms, including

technical and vocational secondary education, shall be

made generally available and accessible to all by every

appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive

introduction of free education;

(c) Higher education shall be made equally accessible to

all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means,

and in particular by the progressive introduction of free

education;

(d)

Fundamental

education

shall

be

encouraged or

intensified as far as possible for those persons who have

not received or completed the whole period of their

primary education;

(e) The development of a system of schools at all levels

shall be actively pursued, an adequate fellowship system

shall

be established, and the material conditions of

teaching staff shall be continuously improved.

3. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake

to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when

applicable, legal guardians to choose for their children

schools, other than those established by the public

authorities, which conform to such minimum educational

standards as may be laid down or approved by the State

and to ensure the religious and moral education of their

children in conformity with their own convictions.

4. No part of this article shall be construed so as to

interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to

establish

and

direct

educational

institutions, subject

always to the observance of the principles set forth in

paragraph I of this article and to the requirement that the

education given in such institutions shall conform to such

minimum standards as may be laid down by the State.

Article 14

Each State Party to the present Covenant which, at the

time of becoming a Party, has not been able to secure in

its metropolitan territory or other territories under its

jurisdiction

compulsory

primary

education,

free

of

charge, undertakes, within two years, to work out and

adopt

a detailed plan of action for the progressive

implementation, within a reasonable number of years, to

be fixed in the plan, of the principle of compulsory

education free of charge for all.

Article 15

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize

the right of everyone:

(a) To take part in cultural life;

(b) To enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its

applications;

(c) To benefit from the protection of the moral and

material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or

artistic production of which he is the author.

2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the

present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this

right shall include those necessary for the conservation,

the development and the diffusion of science and culture.

3. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake

to

respect

the

freedom

indispensable

for

scientific

research and creative activity.

4. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize

the benefits to be derived from the encouragement and

development of international contacts and co-operation

in the scientific and cultural fields.

PART IV

Article 16

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to

submit in conformity with this part of the Covenant

reports on the measures which they have adopted and

the progress made in achieving the observance of the

rights recognized herein.

2.

(a) All reports shall be submitted to the Secretary-General

of the United Nations, who shall transmit copies to the

Economic

and

Social

Council

for

consideration

in

accordance with the provisions of the present Covenant;

(b) The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall also

transmit to the specialized agencies copies of the reports,

or any relevant parts therefrom, from States Parties to the

present Covenant which are also members of these

specialized agencies in so far as these reports, or parts

therefrom, relate to any matters which fall within the

responsibilities of the said agencies in accordance with

their constitutional instruments.

Article 17

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant shall furnish

their reports in stages, in accordance with a programme

to be established by the Economic and Social Council

within one year of the entry into force of the present

Covenant after consultation with the States Parties and

the specialized agencies concerned.

2. Reports may indicate factors and difficulties affecting

the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the present

Covenant.

3.

Where

relevant

information

has

previously

been

furnished to the United Nations or to any specialized

agency by any State Party to the present Covenant, it will

not be necessary to reproduce that information, but a

precise reference to the information so furnished will

suffice.

Article 18

Pursuant to its responsibilities under the Charter of the

United

Nations

in

the

field

of

human

rights

and

fundamental freedoms, the Economic and Social Council

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