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Articles

Vol. 59 No. 6 (2025): Law and Social Bonds no. 6 (vol. 59) 2025

Vulnerability and the Social Dimension of the Rights Guaranteed by the Articles 2, 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36128/479zv240
Submitted
7 April 2025
Published
19 December 2025 — Updated on 20 January 2026
Versions

Abstract

The European Convention on Human Rights primarily protects civil and political rights; however, according to the European Court of Human Rights, its interpretation “may extend into the sphere of social and economic rights.” This paper aims to analyse the relationship between the applicant’s status as vulnerable or as belonging to a vulnerable group, and the extension of the Convention’s protection into the domain of social rights. The research focuses on judgments and decisions of the ECtHR concerning the social dimension of rights enshrined in Articles 2, 3 and 8 of the Convention, in which the concept of vulnerability is invoked. The paper examines how the Court applies the concept of vulnerability and assesses its impact on the outcome of the case.

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