Health and Human Rights Training course for WHO staff February 2.-3. 2011

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Health and Human RightsTraining course for WHO staff February 2.-3. 2011

Riikka Rantala

JPO-HHR

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Health and Human Rights (HHR)

Basic concepts of HHR UN Human Rights System WHO and HHR

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1.Basic concepts of health and human rights

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Health and Human Rights – Linkages

Human rights violations worsen healthTorture, GBV, discrimination

Realization of human rights improves healthGender equality, rights to education,

information, water, housingHealth policies/programmes can violate or

promote human rightsParticipation, discrimination, privacy

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Right to Health

Underlying determinants Health-carewater, sanitation, food, nutrition, housing, healthy occupational and environmental conditions, education, information, etc.

AAAQAvailability, Accessibility, Acceptability, Quality

(General Comment No. 14 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, explains

CESCR Art 12. “The right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”)

Right to Health

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Right to HealthProgressive realization

Concrete steps e.g. national strategy Using maximum of available resources,

international assistanceCore minimum obligation

Non-discriminatory basis Minimum essential food Shelter, housing, sanitation, safe drinking water Provision of essential drugs Equitable distribution of health facilities, goods,

services

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Even if health care is available, it is not always accessible or acceptable

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Health and Human Rights – Principles

UniversalityIndivisibilityInterdependence and interrelatednessEquality and non-discriminationParticipation and inclusionAccountability

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Types of obligations

Obligation to

Respect Protect Fulfill

Duty-bearer to refrain from

interfering with enjoying the

right

Duty-bearer to prevent others interfering with the enjoyment

of the right

Duty-bearer to adopt appropriate measures towards full realization of

the right

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2. UN Human Rights System

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Monitoring process of the treaty bodies

Ratification of the treaty

Submission of State party report (4-5 years)

Pre-sessional working group

List of issues

Follow-up of the recommendationsConcluding observations (recommendations)

Plenary Session (dialogue between the TB & the Govt)

Response to the list of issues

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Charter-based bodies

UN charter-based human rights bodies:

HUMAN RIGHT COUNCIL (UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW)

SPECIAL PROCEDURES (INDEPENDENT EXPERTS/ WORKING GROUPS)

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3. Human rights and WHO

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WHO’s mandate on HHR

WHO Constitution (1946/48)

Alma Ata (1978), World Health Declaration (1998)

WHA resolutions and policy documents 11th General Programme of

Work 2006-2015 Medium-term Strategic Plan

2008-2013 SO 7, OWER 4 Cross-cutting issue

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WHO’s mandate on HHR

Charter of the UN (1945)

UN Reform Programme (1997)

UN Common Understanding on HR

World Summit 2005

UN Member States

“call upon all parts of the UN to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with their mandates”

2005 World Summit Outcome, GA res. 60/1 2005

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WHO’s mandate on HHR

Every SEAR Member State has ratified at least 2 international human rights treaties that recognize health as a human right or other health-related human rights + MS have domestic obligations (constitution etc.)

WHO's public health guidance needs to be consistent with (and reinforces and promotes) these human rights obligations

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Some benefits of integrating human rights into WHO’s public health work

Human Rights WHO

Member

States

Policy making: Human rights as a standard of assessment of health policy and practice

Programming: Human rights as an analytical framework to identify root causes of problems and power dimensions (better targeted approach)

Accountability mechanism: Legal Framework (entitlements and obligations), Reforms in laws and policies

Partnerships: Increased range of partners, scope of analysis and action in countries

Advocacy: Powerful advocacy tool. Advancing health agenda within the human rights arena.

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HHR and WHO SEARO

Workshops/orientations on HHR (environmental health Thailand, right to clean indoor air Nepal, orientations for WCOs, MoH, HRCs)

Tools (MNH tool in Indonesia, gender/hr, education package)

Fact sheets, advocacy material (country, thematic)

Reports to treaty monitoring bodies Mental health law and human rights diploma,

ILS Law College Pune (support a student)

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Thank you!

For more information:

http://intranet/en/Section23/Section239 7.htm

http://www.who.int/hhr/en/

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored” –Aldous Huxley