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Neglected Diseases: A Human Rights Analysis

Author: P Hunt
Date: 2007
Size: 64 pages (640 KB)

Summary

How can a human rights approach contribute to the fight against neglected diseases? Neglected diseases are understood to be those primarily affecting people living in poverty in developing countries, particularly in rural areas. This report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) aims to equip practitioners with an understanding of how human rights abuses can both cause and result from neglected diseases.

Almost one billion people are affected by neglected diseases. Given that they are both a cause and a consequence of human rights violations, neglected diseases are more likely to occur where human rights are not guaranteed. The essential features of human rights – non-discrimination, equality, participation, entitlement, obligation and accountability – empower the powerless. Thus, a rights-based approach to neglected diseases engages rights to health, non-discrimination, privacy, water, education, information, food and to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress.

Under international human rights law, states have primary responsibility for ensuring rights, with obligations to respect, protect and fulfill them. States that are in a position to do so should provide international assistance to enable developing countries to fulfill their core human rights obligations.

Human rights can ensure that neglected diseases attract equitable levels of research and development and existing treatments and services reach all those who need them. Contemporary health research needs to consider issues including equitable access to health care and the dismantling of societal, discriminatory obstacles to technologies and essential medicines.

Discrimination and social stigma can be both the cause and consequence of some neglected diseases. This can heighten people’s vulnerability to ill-health, particularly the poor and marginalised, whilst posing obstacles to prevention and treatment.
Essential medicines are often unavailable, inaccessible or inequitably distributed within states. This may amount to a violation of both the right to health and the right to life.
The development of new tools – diagnostics, drugs and vaccines – has been under-funded or neglected, largely through lack of market incentives.

The right to health demands an effective and integrated health system, encompassing health care and the underlying determinants of health, which is responsive to local priorities and accessible to all. Core obligations are to:

ensure the right of access to adequate, acceptable and affordable health facilities, goods, services and health education on a non-discriminatory basis, especially for vulnerable and marginalised groups
ensure access to basic housing, sanitation and potable water in order to greatly reduce the burden of certain diseases
provide essential drugs and immunisations against major infectious diseases
take measures to prevent, treat and control epidemic and endemic diseases
promote medical research and development through international assistance and co-operation.

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Source: Hunt, P., 2007, 'Neglected Diseases: A Human Rights Analysis', Social, Economic and Behavioural Research Special Topics, no. 6, World Health Organization, Geneva
Author: World Health Organisation (WHO), http://www.who.int