The purpose of this manual is to collaborate with grass-roots organizations, in particular with NGOs, in defining the content of economic, social and cultural rights (ESC rights) and to empower the actions of NGOs working to tackle poverty in the field. By highlighting the interpretation techniques used by judges throughout a series of landmark cases on ESC rights around the world, the manual elaborates standards for poverty eradication extracted from comparative case law. Indeed, the manual supports the approach that highlighting the interpretational efforts of courts will channel the voices of the poor and provide principles and precedents for action.

The manual is based on the idea that the enforcement of ESC rights will become a reality and will increase the clarification of rights for the right holder, the duty bearer and civil society as a whole. It will provide not only locus standi to NGOs, but empower their role in the field.