1 Health and Human Rights Training course for WHO staff February Riikka Rantala JPO-HHR

2 Health and Human Rights (HHR) Basic concepts of HHR UN Human Rights System WHO and HHR

3 1.Basic concepts of health and human rights

4 Health and Human Rights – Linkages Human rights violations worsen health Torture, GBV, discrimination Realization of human rights improves health Gender equality, rights to education, information, water, housing Health policies/programmes can violate or promote human rights Participation, discrimination, privacy

5 Right to Health Underlying determinants Health-care water, sanitation, food, nutrition, housing, healthy occupational and environmental conditions, education, information, etc. AAAQ Availability, 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

6 Progressive realization Concrete steps e.g. national strategy Using maximum of available resources, international assistance Core 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

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

8 Health and Human Rights – Principles Universality Indivisibility Interdependence and interrelatedness Equality and non-discrimination Participation and inclusion Accountability

9 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

10 2. UN Human Rights System

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12 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 recommendations Concluding observations (recommendations) Plenary Session (dialogue between the TB & the Govt) Response to the list of issues

13 Charter-based bodies UN charter-based human rights bodies: HUMAN RIGHT COUNCIL (UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW) SPECIAL PROCEDURES (INDEPENDENT EXPERTS/ WORKING GROUPS)

14 3. Human rights and WHO

15 WHO’s mandate on HHR WHO Constitution (1946/48) Alma Ata (1978), World Health Declaration (1998) WHA resolutions and policy documents 11 th General Programme of Work Medium-term Strategic Plan SO 7, OWER 4 Cross-cutting issue

16 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

17 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

18 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.

19 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)

20 Thank you! For more information: 7.htm “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored” –Aldous Huxley