"True peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice" is a quote by Martin Luther King Jr., and quite relevant in the discussion of human rights. For this week’s assignment, we explored the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights and the topic of maternal mortality as it relates to the human right to receive health care. A human right is an intrinsic right that should be internationally recognized, and according to the Declaration this common recognition “of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” I would have to agree, given the many historic examples that disregard for such rights has left only oppression, suffering, and misery. Therefore, adhering (or not adhering) to these principles has huge implications for the health and general welfare of populations worldwide.
Article 25 of the Declaration states that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family…”, and the statement goes so far as to include housing, medical care, social services, and the right to financial security for those in need. This also explicitly extends to mothers and children. A good standard of living is vital in many ways to a healthy, productive life; it is surprising, though, that it would be considered an essential human right given how many nations do not provide such comprehensive care and security to all – not even close, including in America, where almost 50 million people are uninsured and some nations where millions are stuck in slums or in rural poverty. It is difficult, almost economically impossible given the current systems, to provide 7 billion with this “essential human right”. It is indeed important for health, but is most definitely hard to tackle.
The editorial we read outlined a Brazilian human rights case, Alyne da Silva Pimentel vs Brazil, that involved the death of a pregnant woman due to inadequate medical care services from the local facility. This case set the precedent that states must provide women with obstetric care and other necessary health services indiscriminately, in a timely and well-regulated manner. Also, governments that allow private health care must ensure that such humane treatment is being put into practice in the private arena.
In Article 25 of the Declaration, there is the statement that “motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance” and social protection. Such an idea of protecting mothers and would-be-mothers is widespread and internationally understood because mothers bear and, most often, foster the next generation of people – children are our future. Also, innocent children and unborn babies deserve their own set of rights regardless of what their mother’s background is – and the first of these natural, intrinsic rights is the right of life.
Good post Virginia,
ReplyDeleteYou brought up a very interesting point in your post: how are we provide 7 billion people with the right to health and well-being? Unlike the right to free speech or the right to freedom of religion, the right to good health requires input from the community. In other words, we cannot just give someone the right to health like we would with the right to religion. The former is more dependent on what the community has to offer: health care, clean water, hygienic facilities. This is why the right to good health is so hard to achieve. You can't just "give" someone the right to good health, instead you have to provide him with an environment that will allow him to attain good health.
Hai
Hey Ginny,
ReplyDeleteI love the MLK quote you used to open up your blog. It was really engaging and made me very interested in what you had to say. I also agree that a good standard of living is vital for the advancement of the human race. Without quality resources and materials human life could not sustain its self on this earth. SO with that being said I agree that in order for us to continue to exist we must be alotted the right to have a good standard of living. We all deserve it.
Ginny,
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you opened up your post with the MLK quote and tied it into what we studied this week. I also found your take on the importance of protecting pregnant women interesting, because I never thought of the babies that were risk. I had only been concerned with the women because they were more vulnerable to mortality but the babies are definitely at the same if not more risk since they have no say at all in what is going to happen to them. Societies should definitely put a special emphasis on protecting pregnant women since they are so important for our societies to prosper and continue developing.
Kelley
Ginny,
ReplyDeleteGreat post with interesting thoughts. I agree with you that Article 25 has not been translated to practices in real life. However, having it included as a human right pushes these countries to try to improve living standards within their respective countries. It's a stimulus, if you will. As for women and children, yes they are important factor fot next generation of people. Remember, too, that women are quite vulnerable and are often marginalized in society, thereby needing special protection.
Here are some of my thoughts on the assignment: A human right is an inalienable right to which all humans are entitled. Human rights are important for public health because they form a foundation upon which certain public health measures can be built and guaranteed to be made available for everyone. For example, the right to life (Article 3) means that diseases and health conditions that lead to premature death should be addressed by public health professionals. Human rights also provide a legal framework for some of the public health measures. A good standard of living as mentioned in Article 25 of UDHR is related to health in that poor living standards negatively impact “food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services”—all of which are crucial for maintaining good health. When I was in Kenya, I visited some of the slums of Nairobi and living conditions there were atrocious. There was no clean water or sewer system, which meant high rates of GI illnesses and infections. Poor ventilation in makeshift homes meant increased respiratory diseases. Overcrowding also led to increased number of communicable diseases. Good living standard was probably included as a major human right because of these kinds of issues. According to the editorial, States have an obligation to guarantee “women of all racial and economic backgrounds timely and non-discriminatory access to appropriate maternal health services” (p. 79). I think that motherhood is specifically mentioned in the UDHR and specifically addressed by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women because women constitute a vulnerable population that is often marginalized in society—especially in paternalistic societies. Mothers and mothers-to-be can be quite fragile with multiple healthcare needs. Mothers’ health is closely linked with their children’s health. Poor nutrition and poor health during pregnancy result in infants with poor health, which has an important impact on society at large.