Pretoria Declaration on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa (2004) Preamble Recalling that the African Charter enshrines economic, social and cultural rights, in particular in its article 14, article 15, article 16, article 17, article 18, article 21 and article 22; Recognising the existence of regional and international human rights standards that stress the indivisibility, interdependence and universality of all human rights. Among these are the African Charter, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration on the Right to Development, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; Recognising also that the objectives and principles of the Constitutive Act include a commitment to the promotion and protection human and peoples’ rights, respect for democratic principles, human rights, the rule of law and good governance and the promotion of social justice to ensure balanced economic development; Noting that despite the consensus on the indivisibility of human rights, economic, social and cultural rights remain marginalised in their implementation; Concerned that there is resistance to recognising economic, social and cultural rights that results in the continued marginalisation of these rights, which excludes the majority of Africans from the enjoyment of human rights; Appreciating the positive impact that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can have on the promotion, protection and realisation of economic, social and cultural rights; Recognising that there are several constraints that preclude the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights in Africa; Deeply disturbed by the ongoing and longstanding conflicts in the regions of Africa, which impede the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights; Adopted at a seminar in Pretoria, South Africa in September 2004 at which representatives of the Commission, 12 African states, national human rights institutions and NGOs participated. The Declaration was adopted by the Commission at its 36th session in December 2004. Concerned further by the lack of human security in Africa due to the prevailing conditions of poverty and under-development and the failure to address poverty through development; Further recognising the urgent need for human rights, judicial and administrative institutions in Africa to promote human dignity based on equality and to tackle the core human rights issues facing Africans including, food security, sustainable livelihoods, human survival and the prevention of violence; The participants state that: