This article poses questions about what will be achieved at Rio+20. The author argues that all global environmental problems—from climate change to hazardous waste—have separate agreements. International rules of engagement and cooperation are being discussed in parallel processes and institutions. Rio+20 has raised the green economy rather than 1992’s concept of sustainable development, but without clarifying what this is. Does it mean the world will invest in technologies to green the current economy? Or will it seriously reinvent growth so that it is not driven by cheap consumption that is costing us the earth?
Values, Policies and Rights
Beyond Rio +20
Sunita Narain, CSE
Further details: /newsletter/id/37067
Contact: cse@equitywatch.org
Government must enforce Kenyan Constitution to protect gays, sex workers
Release Political Prisoners Trust: Pambazuka News, 16 May 2012
In this press statement, human rights organisation Release Political Prisoners (RPP) Trust registers its support for the position taken by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights to promote the rights of lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgender people as well as commercial sex workers. RPP notes that the constitution protects all Kenyans against any form of discrimination and that the bill of rights guarantees all persons, non-heterosexuals included, all rights and entitlements under that Chapter, including the right to health and education. Statistics indicate that up to 15% of new HIV infections in Kenya are attributable to gay men and 6 out every 10 gay men are in heterosexual relationships. Yet discrimination hampers access to health services for these marginalised groups. Even when they get infected, they rarely have access to treatment and are reportedly often discriminated against by health workers. RPP notes several incidences in the recent past where gay men and women have been threatened and attacked at health facilities while seeking treatment for HIV. It argues that these attacks can be directly attributed to the preaching of hatred against gays and lesbians by religious leaders, and calls on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to consider investigating these religious groups for hate speech and for promoting discrimination against non-heterosexuals and commercial sex workers.
HIV and AIDS workplace policy launched in Uganda
Kigali Konnect: 25 May 2012
The Ugandan government has launched an HIV and AIDS workplace policy in a bid to promote freedom from stigma and non-discrimination for all employees, according to this article. The policy, spearheaded by the Ministry of East African Affairs, will address discrimination against employees living with HIV or AIDS, ensure that they are provided with antiretrovirals, promote gender equity and equality, help with management of HIV-positive employees to enable them achieve their potential, as well as guaranteeing them total confidentiality. The policy acknowledges that HIV and AIDS have continued to impact negatively on the country’s economy, through the loss of skilled labour, absenteeism from work due to stigma and increased healthcare expenditure. The policy covers all employees except the police and army, which do not recruit people living with HIV, even if they meet all other requirements.
Malawian president vows to repeal gay ban
IsiVuba U: IRwanda News, 21 May 2012
President Joyce Banda has announced her intention to repeal Malawi's laws gainst homosexual acts, going against a trend in Africa in which gays, lesbians and transgendered people are being increasingly singled out for prosecution. President Banda, who assumed the presidency in April 2012 when her predecessor died, made the announcement in her first state of the nation address, vowing to repeal indecency and unnatural acts laws. Repealing the law requires a parliamentary vote. The authors caution that it is unclear how much political support Banda would have for these changes. In South Africa, the only African country with laws protecting gay rights, HIV and AIDS activist Mark Heywood said Banda would have international support.
New bill to protect traditional knowledge passed in South Africa
New W: Intellectual Property Watch, 17 May 2012
South Africa’s Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill, which is hoped to pave the way for the protection of the country’s traditional medicinal knowledge, has finally been passed by Parliament and is awaiting the approval of President Jacob Zuma. The bill aims to: improve the livelihoods of indigenous knowledge holders and communities, benefit the national economy, prevent bio-piracy, provide a legal framework for protection and empower local communities and prevent exploitation of indigenous knowledge. Indigenous peoples in South Africa and the rest of the world have put forward the argument that knowledge of the use of certain plants, for example, has been developed over several generations, and ask why only the present generation should benefit. They also question why some governments or corporates are reaping the rewards of indigenous knowledge through patented products when the knowledge was born from the communities of indigenous peoples. The difficulty in answering these questions, according to law experts, is that indigenous knowledge systems do not have a clearly devised timeline to the origin or source of the knowledge. It still proves very difficult for proponents of indigenous intellectual property to trump corporates wanting to capitalise on indigenous knowledge systems, more especially within a western legal framework. Meanwhile, the main critique of the new Bill is that it incorporates traditional knowledge into existing law, rather than being governed by its own separate act, which was the main objection raised during public hearings on the bill.
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
Anand Grover, UN Human Rights Council 20th Session Agenda item
The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health considers in this report occupational health as an integral component of the right to health. The report outlines international human rights and other instruments related to occupational health, and it addresses occupational health in the informal economy, focusing on the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups. It also addresses the obligation of States to formulate, implement, monitor and evaluate occupational health laws and policies, as well as the requirement for the participation of workers at all stages of those activities. The discussion of State obligations is followed by the analysis of such occupational health issues as environmental and industrial hygiene; prevention and reduction of the working population's exposure to harmful substances; challenges posed by emerging technologies; minimization of hazards in the workplace; and availability and accessibility of occupational health services. The Special Rapporteur then elaborates on the prospective and retrospective components of accountability, as well as remedies for violations related to occupational health. The Special Rapporteur concludes his report with a number of recommendations aimed at strengthening occupational health, as a component of the right to health.
Tobacco law needs to be enforced to protect public health, CANSA says
Cancer Association of South Africa: 8 May 2012
To commemorate World No Tobacco Day on 31 May 2012, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) announced plans to increase public awareness of the tobacco industry’s aggressive marketing tactics in South Africa. Over 44,000 people are estimated to die each year from tobacco-related diseases in the country, despite advertising restriction requirements in legislation. CANSA notes that tobacco companies are targeting women and young people to become smokers, as they represent a relatively untapped market for these companies. In the past, cigarettes were made freely available and promoted at exclusive parties and evidence has come to light of specific brands promoting cigarettes in a supermarket, as well as at a restaurant, as recently as November 2011, with beautiful women used to promote and distribute free cigarettes. CANSA notes that the Tobacco Control Act restricts tobacco advertising, including ‘viral’ marketing via social media like Facebook and Twitter, which is a favoured approach to target young people. The organisation highlights the need for this law to be leveraged to stop tobacco companies from marketing their harmful products to the public.
Influencing policy change: the experience of health think tanks in low- and middle-income countries
Bennett S, Corluka A, Doherty J, Tangcharoensathien V, Patcharanarumol W, Jesani A, Kyabaggu J, Namaganda G, Hussain AMZ and de-Graft Aikins A: Health Policy and Planning 27 (3):194-203, 10 May 2011
This study aimed to investigate the contribution made by health policy analysis institutes in low- and middle-income countries to health policy agenda setting, formulation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation; and assess which factors, including organisational form and structure, support the role of health policy analysis institutes in low- and middle-income countries in terms of positively contributing to health policy. Six case studies of health policy analysis institutes in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, South Africa, Uganda and Vietnam were conducted including two NGOs, two university and two government-owned policy analysis institutes. Some key messages merged. Under the right conditions, health policy analysis institutes can play a positive role in promoting evidence-informed decision making in government. Factors critical in supporting effective policy engagement include: a supportive policy environment, some degree of independence in governance and financing, and strong links to policy makers that facilitate trust and influence. Motivation and capacity within government to process and apply policy advice developed by a health policy analysis institute was found to be key to the institute’s ultimate success.
Innovation and access to medicines for neglected populations: Could a treaty address a broken pharmaceutical R&D system?
Moon S, Bermudez J and 't Hoen E: PLoS Medicine 9(5): 15 May 2012
The current system for the research and development (R&D) of new medicines does not adequately meet the needs of the majority of the world's population, argue the authors of this paper. There is a lack of new medicines for the “neglected diseases”, namely those that primarily affect populations with little purchasing power, and therefore offer an insufficient incentive for industry to invest in R&D. Despite the emergence of many new approaches to generating R&D that meets the needs of poorer populations, efforts remain ad hoc, fragmented, and insufficient. The authors discuss how an R&D treaty could complement and build on existing initiatives by addressing four areas where the system remains particularly weak: affordability, sustainable financing, efficiency in innovation, and equitable health-centered governance. They argue that effective tools for global governance are required to generate medical R&D as a global public good, based on the understanding that a politically and financially sustainable system will require both fair contributions from all, and fair benefit-sharing for all.
Making Health Policy
Buse K, Mays N and Walt G: Open University Press, 2012
This book focuses on how health policy is developed nationally and globally, clearly explaining the key concepts from political science with examples. This edition is fully updated to reflect new research and ways of thinking about the health policy process. The book covers a range of topics: health policy analysis; power and policy making; public and private sector; agenda setting; government roles in policy; interest groups and policy; policy implementation; globalisation and policy process; policy research and evaluation; and doing policy analysis. It is intended as a resource for students of public health and health policy, public health practitioners and policy makers.