The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has published a draft of the General Comment on Science.
The General Comment includes several elements that Science for Democracy has been campaigning for, including the formal mention of the human right to science and the importance of access to and research on controlled substances. Over the years Science for Democracy has organized a series of public meetings and side-events at the UN in Geneva, Vienna, and New York to raise awareness on some science-related issues that were running the risk of being excluded from the document.
Science for Democracy commends the work of the Committee and believes the draft has taken into consideration a significant number of suggestions coming from civil society organizations. However, improvements can still be made, and the draft is open to inputs from civil society until 14 February.
Views can be sent directly to cescr@ohchr.org or shared with Science for Democracy, which will then include them into its own submission.
The General Comment will be part of the agenda of the VI World Congress for freedom of scientific research that will be held in Addis Ababa on 25-26 February.
