Health and Human Rights | Human Rights Watch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.hrw.org/node/85750","20130513065205","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1368427925"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <title>Health and Human Rights | Human Rights Watch</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <script type="text/javascript">var _sf_startpt=(new Date()).getTime()</script> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/web/20130513065205im_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/all/themes/hrw/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/node/85750"/> <meta name="keywords" content="Health"/> <meta name="copyright" content="Human Rights Watch"/> <meta name="description" content="Promoting and protecting health and respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights are inextricably linked, and every country in the world is now party to at least one human rights treaty that addresses health-related rights and the conditions necessary for health."/> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/web/20130513065205cs_/http://www.hrw.org/modules/search/search.css?v"/> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/web/20130513065205cs_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/advagg_css/css_f1e18c79ac82dc0f9b95ef7ee08d9d13_1.css"/>   <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20130513065205js_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/advagg_js/js_706cc28b0b7e6bab0909adf1a6dfa280_2.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> <![CDATA[//><!]]> </script> <meta name="robots" content="noarchive"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Human Rights Watch - News" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/en/rss/news"> </head> <body class="hrw not-front not-logged-in page-node node-type-update one-sidebar sidebar-right i18n-en node-page sidebar-right"> <div id="header"> <div class="limiter clear-block"> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/" class="logo">HRW</a> <div class="right"> <div class="top clear-block"> <div class="i18n"><ul class="links"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/ar">العربية</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/zh-hans">中文</a></li><li class="active"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/en">English</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/fr">Français</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/de">Deutsch</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/ja">日本語</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/ru">Русский</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/es">Español</a></li><li class="last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/languages">More +</a></li></ul></div> <div class="personas"><ul class="links"> <li class="last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/get-involved">Get Involved</a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sm_links"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.twitter.com/hrw"><img src="/web/20130513065205im_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/all/themes/hrw/images/twitter.gif"></a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.youtube.com/humanrightswatch"><img src="/web/20130513065205im_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/all/themes/hrw/images/youtube.gif"></a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.facebook.com/humanrightswatch"><img src="/web/20130513065205im_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/all/themes/hrw/images/facebook.gif"></a><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/rss"><img src="/web/20130513065205im_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/all/themes/hrw/images/rss.gif"></a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="limiter nav clear-block"> <ul class="links"> <li class="first"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/home">Home</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/our-work">Our Work</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/news">News</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/publications">Publications</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/multimedia">Multimedia</a></li> <li class="last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/about">About Us</a></li> </ul> <ul class="donate links"> <li class="last"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/https://secure.hrw.org/site/c.nlIWIgN2JwE/b.8585041/k.3E50/Donate_to_Defend_Human_RIghts/apps/ka/sd/donorcustom.asp?msource=n">Donate</a></li> </ul> <div class="search"><form action="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/search/apachesolr_search" accept-charset="UTF-8" method="post" id="search-form" class="search-form"> <div><div class="form-item" id="edit-keys-wrapper"> <label for="edit-keys">Enter your keywords: </label> <div class="container-inline"><div class="form-item" id="edit-keys-wrapper"> <input type="text" maxlength="255" name="keys" id="edit-keys" size="40" value="" class="form-text"/> </div> <input type="submit" name="op" id="edit-submit-1" value="Search" class="form-submit"/> </div><div class="form-item" id="edit-apachesolr-search-detach-auto-language-filter-wrapper"> <label class="option" for="edit-apachesolr-search-detach-auto-language-filter"><input type="checkbox" name="apachesolr_search[detach_auto_language_filter]" id="edit-apachesolr-search-detach-auto-language-filter" value="1" class="form-checkbox"/> Search all languages</label> </div> <input type="hidden" name="apachesolr_search[queryvalues]" id="edit-apachesolr-search-queryvalues" value="[]"/> <input type="hidden" name="apachesolr_search[get]" id="edit-apachesolr-search-get" value="[]"/> </div> <input type="hidden" name="form_build_id" id="form-bc8e96f6084f9165de9a2aecd0df68fe" value="form-bc8e96f6084f9165de9a2aecd0df68fe"/> <input type="hidden" name="form_id" id="edit-search-form" value="search_form"/> </div></form> </div> </div> <div id="subnav" class="limiter clear-block"> </div> </div> <div id="page"> <div class="limiter clear-block"> <div class="sidebar sidebar-right"> <div id="block-views-sidebar-block_2" class="clear-block block block-views"> <div class="bcontent"><div class="view view-sidebar view-id-sidebar view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-field-copy-image-fid"> <span class="field-content"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/https://secure.hrw.org/site/c.nlIWIgN2JwE/b.8585041/k.3E50/Donate_to_Defend_Human_RIghts/apps/ka/sd/donorcustom.asp?msource=homeban"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205im_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media/images/copy/banner_donate_new2.jpg" width="322" height="70" class="imagefield imagefield-field_copy_image"/></a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-body"> <div class="field-content"><iframe style="margin:0px !important;padding:0px !important;" width="100%" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="/web/20130513065205if_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/email-signup/email-signupv3.html" height="70" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-body"> <div class="field-content"><iframe width="322" height="181" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/ltqTwXoYkWA?autohide=1&cc_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent&showinfo=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-body"> <div class="field-content"><iframe width="322" height="181" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/GQmV0nmNKDA?autohide=1&cc_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent&showinfo=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="main" class="clear-block"> <div class="page-tools"> <div class="clear-block"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="print_html first"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/print/85750" title="Display a printer-friendly version of this page." class="print-page" rel="nofollow">Print</a></li> <li class="share last"></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="content" class="clear-block"> <div class="node clear-block node-page ntype-update"> <div class="header"> <h6 class="node-title"> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/node/85750" title="Health and Human Rights">Health and Human Rights</a> </h6> </div> <div class="content clear-block filter-text"> <div class="node-body"><p>Promoting and protecting health and respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights are inextricably linked, and every country in the world is now party to at least one human rights treaty that addresses health-related rights and the conditions necessary for health. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family.” <strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/related_material/2013_Brochure_HHR.pdf">Download the complete brochure</a></strong>.</p> </div><div class="field field-type-text field-field-box-type"> <div class="field-label">Box type: </div> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> Blurb box </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <div class="limiter clear-block"> <div class="clear-block"><a href="#header" class="back-to-top">Back to top</a></div> <div class="nav"> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/rss" class="rss-link">RSS</a> <div class="pipe-links"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/home">Home</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/our-work">Our Work</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/news">News</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/publications">Publications</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/multimedia">Multimedia</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/about">About Us</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/contact-us">Contact Us</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://ff.hrw.org/">Film Festival</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/https://secure.hrw.org/site/c.nlIWIgN2JwE/b.8585041/k.3E50/Donate_to_Defend_Human_RIghts/apps/ka/sd/donorcustom.asp?msource=n">Donate</a></div> </div> <div class="footer-blocks clear-block"> <div id="block-views-hrw_footer-block_1" class="clear-block block block-views"> <div class="bcontent"><div class="view view-hrw-footer view-id-hrw_footer view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-2"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-body"> <div class="field-content">Human Rights Watch<br/> 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor<br/> New York, NY 10118-3299<br/> USA<br/> Tel: 1-(212) 290-4700<br/> <br/> <strong><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/en/contact-us">Contact Us - Global Offices</a></strong><br/> <strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://ff.hrw.org/">Film Festival</a></strong><br/> <strong><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/en/about/jobs">Employment</a></strong></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="block-tic-5" class="clear-block block block-tic"> <div class="bcontent"><div class="col-left clear-block"><strong class="vocab-header"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/regions">Browse by Region</a></strong><div class="item-list"><ul><li class="first first"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/africa">Africa</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/americas">Americas</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/asia">Asia</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/europe/central-asia">Europe/Central Asia</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa">Middle East/N. Africa</a></li> <li class="last last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/united-states">United States</a></li> </ul></div><strong class="vocab-header"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/browse_by_country">Browse by Country</a></strong></div><div class="col-right clear-block"><strong class="vocab-header"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topics">Browse by Topic</a></strong><div class="item-list"><ul><li class="first first"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/arms">Arms</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/business">Business</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/childrens-rights">Children's Rights</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/counterterrorism">Counterterrorism</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/disability-rights">Disability Rights</a></li> <li class="last last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/environment">Environment</a></li> </ul></div><div class="item-list"><ul><li class="first first"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/esc-rights">ESC Rights</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/free-speech">Free Speech</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/health">Health</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/international-justice">International Justice</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/lgbt-rights">LGBT Rights</a></li> <li class="last last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/migration">Migration</a></li> </ul></div><div class="item-list"><ul><li class="first first"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/refugees">Refugees</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/terrorism">Terrorism</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/torture">Torture</a></li> <li class=""><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/united-nations">United Nations</a></li> <li class="last last"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/topic/womens-rights">Women's Rights</a></li> </ul></div></div></div> </div> <div id="block-block-58" class="clear-block block block-block"> <div class="bcontent"><div id="footer"> <div class="footer-blocks clear-block"> <div id="block-ec_ads-slider_ad" class="block block-ec_ads"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205js_/https://www.kintera.org/atf/cf/%7BD108C9E1-9920-41E7-A617-EF5F171073E4%7D/JQUERY.COOKIE.JS"></script> <style type="text/css"> #footer table {border-collapse: inherit;} #footer div.pop_up { position: fixed; bottom: 0px; left: 50%; width: 353px; z-index: 10000000; margin: 0 auto; margin-left: -500px; } #footer .content_holder { width: 383px; z-index: 100; background-repeat: no-repeat; } #footer #magazine_cover { position: absolute; width: 120px; top: 26px; left: 240px; z-index: 102; } #footer #f_main { color:#ffffff; font-weight:bold; padding:0px; background-image:url("https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205im_/https://www.kintera.org/atf/account101731/images/mainbody.png"); width: 343px; height: 260px; z-index: 100; background-repeat: no-repeat; } #footer #f_main form { width:303px; height:169px; padding:20px; } #footer #top_f_main { position: absolute; top: -55px; left: 0px; width: 263px; height: 72px; cursor: pointer; } #footer #hide_btn { top: -40px; left: 230px; width: 15px; height: 15px; position: absolute; z-index: 3; cursor: pointer; } #up_arrow, #down_arrow { position: absolute; top: -35px; left: 8px; width: 25px; height: 10px; z-index: 3; cursor: pointer; margin:10px; } </style> <script type="text/javascript"> function show_roll_up(){ $("#f_main").show(1000); $("#up_arrow").hide(500); $("#down_arrow").show(0); $("#popup_status").val("up"); } function hide_roll_up(){ $("#f_main").hide(1000); $("#down_arrow").hide(500); $("#up_arrow").show(0); $("#popup_status").val("down"); } function add_supporter(frm){ var fname = frm.first_name.value; var lname = frm.last_name.value; var email = frm.email.value; var country = frm.country.value; if(fname == "" || fname == "first name" ) { alert("First Name is required"); frm.first_name.focus();return false;} if(lname == "" || lname == "last name" ) { alert("Last Name is required"); frm.last_name.focus();return false;} if(email == "" || email == "email address" ) { alert("Email is required"); frm.email.focus();return false;} var goodEmail = email.match(/\b(^(\S+@).+((\.com)|(\.net)|(\.edu)|(\.mil)|(\.gov)|(\.org)|(\.info)|(\.sex)|(\.biz)|(\.aero)|(\.coop)|(\.museum)|(\.name)|(\.pro)|(\..{2,2}))$)\b/gi); if (!goodEmail) { alert("Incorrect email format."); frm.email.focus(); return false; } $('form[name=contactForm]').submit(); } function roll_up_confirmed(){ var date = new Date(); date.setTime(date.getTime() + (30 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); $.cookie("modal","true",{path:"/",expires:date}); $(".pop_up").slideUp(1000); } $(document).ready(function() { if($.cookie("modal") == null){ $("#subscription_slider").show(); setTimeout("show_roll_up()", 3000); } else if($.cookie("modal") == "hide") { $("#popup_status").val("down"); $("#subscription_slider").show(); } $("#up_arrow").click(function(){ show_roll_up(); }); $("#top_f_main").click(function(){ if($("#popup_status").val() == "down") show_roll_up(); else { hide_roll_up(); var date = new Date(); date.setTime(date.getTime() + (3 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); $.cookie("modal","hide",{path:"/",expires:date}); } }); $("#down_arrow").click(function(){ hide_roll_up(); var date = new Date(); date.setTime(date.getTime() + (3 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); $.cookie("modal","hide",{path:"/",expires:date}); }); $("#hide_btn").click(function(){ var date = new Date(); date.setTime(date.getTime() + (30 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); $.cookie("modal","true",{path:"/",expires:date}); $(".pop_up").hide(); }); }); </script> <div class="content clearfix"> <div id="subscription_slider" class="pop_up" style="display:none;"> <div class="content_holder"> <div id="magazine_cover"></div> <div id="f_main" style="display:none;"> <iframe src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205if_/https://secure.hrw.org/site/lookup.asp?c=nlIWIgN2JwE&b=8381153" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" width="333" height="275" style="margin-left:10px" scrolling="no"></iframe> </div> <input type="hidden" id="popup_status" value=""/> <div id="top_f_main"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205im_/https://www.kintera.org/atf/account101731/images/topmain2.png"/></div> <div id="hide_btn"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205im_/https://www.kintera.org/atf/account101731/images/hidebtn.gif"/></div> <div id="up_arrow" style="display: block; "> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205im_/https://www.kintera.org/atf/account101731/images/uparrow.gif"/> </div> <div id="down_arrow" style="display: none; "> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205im_/https://www.kintera.org/atf/account101731/images/downarrow.gif"/> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div<></div> </div> <div id="block-block-60" class="clear-block block block-block"> <div class="bcontent"><script> $(document).ready(function(){ $("a").click(function(){ if($(this).children('img').length){ var image = $(this).children('img').attr('src'); if(image == "https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media/images/copy/banner__YT3M.jpg"){ _gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Outbound links', 'YouTube Promo Click', 'youtube.com/humanrightswatch']); }} }) }); </script></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="sub-footer"> <div class="limiter clear-block"> <div class="pipe-links"><a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/sitemap" class="footer">Site Map</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/privacy" class="footer">Privacy Policy</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/corrections" class="footer">Corrections</a> <span class="pipe">|</span> <a href="/web/20130513065205/http://www.hrw.org/permissions" class="footer">Permissions</a></div> <div class="footer-message"> © Copyright 2013, Human Rights Watch </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> var _sf_async_config=Drupal.settings.chartbeat; (function(){ function loadChartbeat() { window._sf_endpt=(new Date()).getTime(); var e = document.createElement('script'); e.setAttribute('language', 'javascript'); e.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript'); e.setAttribute('src', (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://web.archive.org/web/20130513065205/https://s3.amazonaws.com/" : "http://") + "static.chartbeat.com/js/chartbeat.js"); document.body.appendChild(e); } var oldonload = window.onload; window.onload = (typeof window.onload != 'function') ? loadChartbeat : function() { oldonload(); loadChartbeat(); }; })(); </script><script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20130513065205js_/http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/advagg_js/js_fb159dffecff87923d54d37d385ca2fa_0.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> <![CDATA[//><!]]> </script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Health and Human Rights | Human Rights Watch