Human-rights-based approaches to health in Latin America

Abstract

A key and distinctive feature of Latin America is the explicit discourse around the right to health. Many countries have translated this commitment into practice by incorporating rights principles and standards in constitutions and legislation, together with health policies and programmes, to treat health as an asset of citizenship rather than a market commodity, and to promote an equitable path to universal health coverage. Human-rights-based approaches (HRBAs) are characterised by a focus on the underlying social determinants of health and an emphasis on the principles of accountability, meaningful participation, transparency, and equality and non-discrimination. 1 Bustreo F Hunt P Gruskin S et al. Women's and children's health: evidence of impact of human rights. World Health Organization, Geneva2013http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/84203/1/9789241505420_eng.pdf Google Scholar Understanding governments as duty bearers and health system users as claims holders has been fundamental to holding governments to account with respect to achieving aspects of universal health coverage equitably in Latin America, a region marked by profound social inequality, which is reflected in health disparities. Health-system reform and universal health coverage in Latin AmericaStarting in the late 1980s, many Latin American countries began social sector reforms to alleviate poverty, reduce socioeconomic inequalities, improve health outcomes, and provide financial risk protection. In particular, starting in the 1990s, reforms aimed at strengthening health systems to reduce inequalities in health access and outcomes focused on expansion of universal health coverage, especially for poor citizens. In Latin America, health-system reforms have produced a distinct approach to universal health coverage, underpinned by the principles of equity, solidarity, and collective action to overcome social inequalities. Full-Text PDF