Justiciability of Human Economic and Social Rights Based on Constitutions with a Special Focus on the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Mirzadeh Kouhshahi, Nader; Sayyad Abdi, Hossein

doi:10.22059/jplsq.2025.386080.3638

Justiciability of Human Economic and Social Rights Based on Constitutions with a Special Focus on the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Document Type : Article

Authors

Nader Mirzadeh Kouhshahi ¹

Hossein Sayyad Abdi ²

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

² MA in Human Rights Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2025.386080.3638

Abstract

Economic and Social human rights protect the fundamental needs of mankind. Nevertheless, scholars and the implementing institutions consider that these rights are not justiciable for several reasons, including the fact that these rights are progressively realized, the vagueness of these rights as well as the limitation of resources for the realization of these rights. This research uses a descriptive-analytical method and reviews documents, cases, and theories, and attempts firstly to discover the justiciability of economic and social rights and secondly analyzes the textual status of constitutions, with special regard to the Constitution of Iran, for the purpose of specifying those rights and identifying them as justiciable. This research firstly concludes that available documents undermine the unjusticiability view and validates the enforcement of these rights by judicial review. Secondly, the text of the constitution in each country, is the primary document which identifies these rights. This text itself can be the basis for filing a claim. Alternatively, the text can, through interpretation by judges, be used to enforce these rights. Subsequently, this paper concludes that although a striking number of economic and social rights have been enshrined in the Constitution of Iran, none of them are justiciable except for the “Right to Own Property”. Hence, the fulfillment of these rights requires solutions outside the text of the constitution. Furthermore, the Divan Edalat Edari (i.e. the Court of Administrative Justice), in accordance with Article 173 of the Constitution of Iran, has had a prominent role in the implementation and the commitment of Iran's Government to the aforementioned rights.

Keywords

Constitution

human rights

International Covenant on Economic

Social and Cultural Rights

justiciability

Subjects

International Human Rights Law

English
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