Extraterritorial obligations (ETOs) encompass:

(a)  obligations relating to the acts and omissions of a State, within or beyond its territory, that have effects on the enjoyment of human rights outside of that State’s territory; and

(b)  obligations of a global character that are set out in the Charter of the United Nations and human rights instruments to take action, separately, and jointly through international cooperation, to realize human rights universally.

Extraterritorial obligationsrefer to the obligations of States to respect, protect and fulfill human rights outside their territorial jurisdiction. These obligations especially apply to economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs), as made evident in numerous cases in the light of current globalization processes. All human rights obligations of States have extraterritorial dimensions such that they take into account in policy making and regulating legal and natural persons. Nevertheless, decision makers still tend to restrict rules and policies to the domestic level and neglect to avoid or prevent human rights violations in other countries through acts of commission and/or omission.