免于贫困作为一项权利:修订版《欧洲社会宪章》的实践与启示

Protection against Poverty as a Right:Jurisprudence and Inspiration of the Revised European Social Charter

贫困一直是困扰全球发展的难题,而免于贫困能否成为一项独立的法定权利也一直为学界所热议。在欧洲层面,1996年修订的《欧洲社会宪章》虽然热度一直不及《欧洲保障人权和基本自由公约》,但其新增设的第30条免于贫困与社会排斥权,及通过报告机制和集体申诉机制积累的相关实践经验,使其在减贫议题上获得了更多关注与期待。第30条及其监督机制对贫困的识别、对缔约国的要求、对申诉主体的选择和在反歧视方面所发挥的作用,为中国提供了以权利视角审视贫困的启示。对免于贫困作为一项权利的探讨,也为中国和欧洲国家在人权议题上进一步寻求共识、增进交流和相互理解提供了契机。

Poverty has always been a challenge to global development and the issue of whether protection against poverty constitutes a right has been heatedly debated in academia.As a regional human rights instrument,the 1996 Revised European Social Charter does not attract as much attention as the European Convention on Human Rights.But as the jurisprudence of Article 30(the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion)has gradually developed through the monitoring mechanisms of report and collective complaints,the Revised European Social Charter gains more visibility and prominence in the fi eld of poverty reduction.The Revised European Social Charter’s assessment of poverty,requirements for State Parties,selection of the organizations entitled to filed complaints,and its role in fighting against discrimination,can inspire China to observe poverty from a legal right perspective.Discussion regarding treating protection against poverty as a right can also serve as an opportunity for China and European countries to find more common grounds and to promote mutual understanding and exchange in the fi eld of human rights.