Social and Economic Rights in Africa: International and Public Law Perspectives (Routledge Studies on Law in Africa)

By: Nsongurua Udombana

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Synopsis: Social and economic rights have hitherto been marginalised in mainstream legal and political discourses and treated as second-class citizens in the human rights family. These rights are now receiving increasing attention in law and politics, arguably because they raise existential questions on human security and dignity. This one-stop volume examines the international and public law perspectives on socio-economic rights in Africa. Working on the premise that these rights are normative and justiciable, the author methodically and expertly examines the legal frameworks for their protection in global, regional, and national instruments, infusing the analysis with African and comparative jurisprudence. The author also examines the nature of obligations on these rights as well as the interpretive methodologies that should be deployed towards their realisation. In blending theory with practice, the book also refl ects on some governance challenges that continue to hobble the eff ective realisation of these rights in Africa. The book is a seminal contribution on an important fi eld, an ideal companion for human rights practitioners, international and constitutional lawyers, judges, government advisors, students, social workers, and everyone who desires ‘freedom from fear and want’.