Consultation on Applying Human Rights to Women’s and Children’s Health

Significant progress has been made in further articulating the importance of human rights as a foundation for improving health. For example, on 1 February 2013, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted General Comment no. 15 on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. In September 2012, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a Technical Guidance document on the application of a human rights-based approach to eliminate preventable maternal mortality and morbidity.  A monograph documenting evidence of impact of human rights on women and children’s health was launched at the World Health Assembly in May 2013. Human rights have framed work to provide access to HIV related services, as well as sexual and reproductive health care.

Civil society, multilateral organisations and academia have worked alongside governments to translate the commitment to a rights-based approach to health demonstrated in global level processes, to practical action at the community level. Communities themselves have participated in changing the way health services are designed to better fulfill community members’ right to health.

As the global health community increases our efforts towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals and shape the priorities within the post-2015, Norad, Save the Children and its partners, World Vision, Unicef and WHO, convened a consultation in Oslo 5th and 6th December 2013 to help shape the practical next steps in achieving a rights based approach to health, in particular maternal and child health. The consultation brought together knowledgeable participants from communities, academia, civil society and multilateral organisations. The outcomes documented in the report (link) will feed  into other ongoing processes and dialogues.