AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

Article 15 in Practice: Exemplars of Government Action

Article 15 requires that governments recognize the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress, that they take steps to conserve, develop and diffuse science, that they respect scientific freedom, and that they encourage international cooperation in science.

But what can governments do in practice to meet their obligations under this right? To answer this question, we have developed a series of one-page and several shorter exemplars, all of which describe actions taken by national governments that in some way respect, protect, or fulfill the right to the benefits of scientific progress.

The exemplars are categorized as follows:

Another exemplar highlights the fundamental human rights principle of participatory decision-making as it applies to Article 15.

While these exemplars highlight government actions that contribute to the realization of Article 15, in none of these cases was Article 15 explicitly cited as a motivation. For more information about state actions specifically taken in accordance with Article 15, please see the periodic reports submitted by states parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in which states describe the actions they have taken to respect, protect, and fulfill the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress.

(page updated 08/07/2008)