Values, policies and rights

Human rights are gaining increasing attention in development discourse internationally, but may pose potential contradictions to policies that seek to promote health equity. EQUINET has begun to explore what kinds of rights approaches are best suited to an equity agenda, and aims to deepen these frameworks through participatory action research in selected projects the region. Capacity building to engage rights frameworks will also be developed through EQUINET’s participating institutions.

Work is being done by the Health and Human Rights Division, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town.
Website: http://www.publichealth.uct.ac.za/

In 2003/4 UCT / EQUINET undertook the development of a conceptual framework for understanding how human rights approaches can be consonant with health equity objectives through the exploration of three case studies in Southern Africa, the results of which were presented to a preliminary meeting of civil society groups in November 2003 and then to EQUINET’s 2004 conference . Products of this process have included a Discussion paper, a policy brief and a pamphlet targeting community activists exploring the right to health. Most recently, the theme has documented the human rights commitments made by SADC members with a view to understanding what these commitments mean for the right to health and for community mobilization in support of equitable health systems. This work has also been presented at various international forums, and has contributed to materials in the annual MPH Programme on Health and Human Rights. On other areas of the site you can also view information on training,meetings and grants related to this area of EQUINET's work. You can also search publications produced by EQUINET and our annotated bibliography for documents related to this theme.