This
week we looked at The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and read an
editorial called “Maternal mortality and human rights: landmark decision by
United Nations human rights body.” A human right is a right, which is granted
universally to all humans just by being alive. These rights include access to
the basic necessities for self preservation, however they also express peoples
rights to expression and to act against oppression or any other violation of
their rights. Public Health has a large role in human rights because the two
have common goals and encompass overlapping fields. This relationship is most
clearly exemplified in Article 25 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
which states, “(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for
the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food,
clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right
to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old
age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. (2)
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All
children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social
protection.” A good standard of living is closely related to health because the
general health of an environment in which someone lives directly impacts that individual’s
personal health. If someone were subject to severely unsanitary living
conditions their rights to adequate health would be infringed upon. This is
included as a major human right because it is unjust to expose someone to
inadequate living conditions as it can threaten a persons life.
In
the editorial the author talks about a court case related to human rights and
the death of a pregnant woman. Alyne
da Silva Pimentel v. Brazil established that states have an obligation to
guarantee women of all backgrounds timely and non-discriminatory access to
appropriate maternal health servies. Motherhood is specifically mentioned in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights because the health of mothers
directly impacts the health of newborns, and therefore their rights include
multiple people. Furthermore, the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against Women must specifically address the discrimination of
women because it covers these areas linked to motherhood. Mothers and mothers
to be are different to men because of the responsibility, which they have in
the care of children specifically being the ones who actually carry the child
and bring it into the world.
Hi Jameson,
ReplyDeleteNice blog. I really like how you defined our human rights. I think you have a good point that Mothers are seen as the responsible ones for their children. I also think that Public Health professionals value mothers simply because of sheer numbers. A wife and child counts for two lives saved while a man is only one. It's a terrible way to think about it, but it's still a Public Health perspective.
Great Blog. I definitely agree that it is the public health field's duty to make sure people have access to sanitation and other basic human rights that may not be as accessible in other countries.
ReplyDeleteShawdae
Hey Jameson,
ReplyDeleteYour discussion of what a human right is was both thorough and thought provoking. Unfortunately, while we do have human rights for everyone, it doesn't seem that everyone gets these rights. It is weird to think of a world where these rights that have been laid out are not given, but certain parts of the world exist that are like that. As for women and their rights, mothers definitely carry more responsibility even after birth, as you said. Especially in other countries, such as the developing nations, women are seen as the child bearers and caretakers. With that being the case, I agree that it is important for them to have special rights.
Hi Jameson,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog! You’re absolutely right with your definition of human rights – a human right is an inalienable right to which all humans are entitled. I agree with you about why a good standard of living is considered a human right – one’s environment does directly affect a person’s health and can be life-threatening. For example, poor living standards can affect food quality and/or abundance/availability, clothing, housing and medical care. Can you think of other specific examples?
You’re spot-on with question number 3. A caveat is that even if government outsource the medical personnel and organizations that supply these services, it is still the government’s responsibility to ensure its availability and quality.
Regarding the question of mothers and mothers-to-be, and why they are included specifically within the human rights declaration, you’re right, pregnant women are carrying two people which is a large responsibility and makes pregnant women a more vulnerable population. Additionally, women in general and specifically those with children are often marginalized in society who are therefore deserving of special protections.
You did a really nice job on this blog! I look forward to your problem statement next week, and to meeting you.