Our commentary on Forman et al paper explores their thesis that right to health language can frame global health policy responses.We examined human rights discourse in the outcome documents from three 2015 United Nations (UN) summits and found rights-related terms are used in all three.However, a deeper examination of the discourse finds the documents do not convey the obligations and entitlements of human rights and international human rights law.The documents contain little that can be used to empower the participation of those already left behind and to hold States and the private sector to account for their human rights duties.This is especially worrying in a neoliberal era.
In the lead-up to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the human rights community, along with civil society more generally, had engaged in the negotiations for the new development agenda at an unprecedented level, especially when compared to the millennium development goals. International human rights law provides a scaffolding, and accountability mechanisms, that allow a systems-based and consistent response to sustainable development that can bring about transformative, structural change to reduce inequalities and challenge power imbalances. Human rights advocates achieved a lot in SDG negotiations: from the overall promise of 'leave no one behind', to references to human rights in the Declaration, to many of the targets which implicitly reflect human rights language. The critical engagement of human rights can further inform SDG plans and programmes with the principles of equality, participation and accountability to help fulfil the promise of leaving no one behind.
In this article we undertake a legal and policy analysis of Brazil’s Family Health Program which confirms that the right to health extended beyond Brazil’s constitution, and into the laws, policies, and documents associated with that program in 1996–2004. We then use Big Data to show that the right to health contributed to the large and sustained health gains, including in maternal and infant mortality, especially among less educated women. For example, the data shows progressive realization, enhanced access in poor and underserved areas, and reduced health inequalities, all of which are features of the right to health.
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This special issue on the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights developed from a workshop of the Economic and Social Rights Group at the Human Rights Institute at the University of Connect...
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