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A rights-based approach to development uses human rights and their accompanying standards to

analyze and operationalize development programming. In a rights-based approach, development

organizations work with governments and authority figures as well as the population to respect, protect,

and fulfill the development obligations defined in the human rights standards. Four basic principles:

accountability, participation, indivisibility, and non-discrimination form the basis for action in a rights-based

approach.

The Right to Health was established in 1946 in the constitution of the World Health Organization and

reaffirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The right to health is included in over 100national constitutions.

What is the Right to Health?

In 2000, the UN established human rights standards to define a right to health. These standards are used

to measure the direction ofprogress towards fulfilling the right to health and are to be realized over time.

Progress towards these standards is the primary responsibility of government officials and authority figures

as well as the population.

Availability public health care facilities, goods andservices must exist and be available in sufficient quantity. At

a minimum, this includes safe drinking water, adequate

sanitation, hospitals and clinics, trained medical personnelreceiving domestically competitive salaries, and essential

drugs.

Accessibility health care must be physically andeconomically available and affordable. It must be provided to

all on a non-discriminatory basis. Information on how to

obtain services must be freely available.

Acceptability all health facilities must be respectful ofmedical ethics, and they must be culturally appropriate,

sensitive to gender and life-cycle requirements, as well asrespect confidentiality.

Quality health facilities, goods, and services must be scientifically and medically appropriate and ofgood quality. At a minimum, this requires skilled medical personnel, scientifically approved and unexpired

drugs and hospital equipment, safe water and adequate nutrition within the facility.

How can the Right to Health be used in Development?

The right to health and the standards for monitoring realization of the right to health provide a basis for

development programming. There are three generally accepted means to using rights in development

programming:

1. A system of analysis:

2. Operational Framework:

The Right to Health Definedan inclusive right extending not only totimely and appropriate health care but alsoto the underlying determinants of health,such as access to safe and potable waterand adequate sanitation, an adequatesupply of safe food, nutrition and housing,healthy occupation and environmentalconditions, and access to health-relatededucation and informationA furtherimportant aspect is the participation of thepopulation in all health-related decision-making at the community, national, andinternational levels UN General Comment14 related to the International Covenant onEconomic, Social, and CulturalRights(2000)

A Rights-Based Approach to Health

Use the Right to Health and its standards to assess

Which standards have been realized, for whom, what is still left to achieve?

Who is responsible for providing health services and other determinants of health?

What is being done and by whom to move towards realizing standards?

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2. An Operational Framework:

3. Advocacy Lens:

How does the Right to Health change programming?

Using the human rights standards of the right to health means that development programming is:

Clearly Targeting Sustainability: By working to ensure that governments and authority figures

assume responsibility for ensuring health services and that communities are directly engaged in

determining the priorities and nature of those services

Focusing Attention on P oor, Vulnerable, and Disadvantaged Popula tions: By working to

address imbalances in the current health systems and ensure the equal distribution of health

resources

Reducing Direct Delivery of Services: In favor of providing capacity building support to

governments and authority figures as well as citizens to negotiate and prioritize actions to improve

health.

Increasing Work in Partnerships: By identifying local citizen groups and communities as well as

government and authority figures to support as they negotiate and realize human rights standards.

Additional ResourcesWorld Health Organization, 25 Questions and Answers on Health and Human Rights

http://www.who.int/hhr/activities/en/25_questions_hhr.pdf

American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, The Right to Health: A Resource Manual for NGOs

http://shr.aaas.org/Right_to_Health_Manual/index.shtml

For more information on InterActions work on a Rights-Based

Approach to Development, visit: www.interaction.org/rbaor

contact Patricia MacWilliams, pmacwilliams@interaction.org

Develop health programs based on human rights principles:

Equal i t y and N on-Discr im inat ion: Are their differences in health services based on gender,ethnicity, age, language, religion, birth, or geographic area? Who is doing what to address this?

Par t i c i pa t i on : Is the population involved in determining health priorities and in making

community, regional, national, and international decisions about health? What education, analysis,and capacity building can development organizations provide to facilitate community engagement?

Accoun tab i l i t y : Do governments and authority figures have the responsibility, authority, and

resources to fulfill their responsibilities to ensure health services to the population? Whateducation, resources, and capacity building can development organizations provide to facilitate

authority figure engagement?

I nd i v i s i b i l i t y and I n te r dependence : Are actions to realize the right to health undermining other

rights? How does work on health contribute to the overall development and poverty eradication

strategy, who is providing these other elements?

Work with human rights organizations and community groups to, for example:

Ensure that the legal framework for the protection and promotion of the right to health is in place

and respected.

Monitor progress of government and authority figures towards full realization of the right to

health standards. Monitor international structures to ensure that governments and authority figures have the

means and freedom to prioritize protecting, respecting, and fulfilling the right to health.

http://www.who.int/hhr/activities/en/25_questions_hhr.pdfhttp://www.who.int/hhr/activities/en/25_questions_hhr.pdfhttp://shr.aaas.org/Right_to_Health_Manual/index.shtmlhttp://shr.aaas.org/Right_to_Health_Manual/index.shtmlhttp://www.interaction.org/rbahttp://www.interaction.org/rbamailto:pmacwilliams@interaction.orgmailto:pmacwilliams@interaction.orgmailto:pmacwilliams@interaction.orghttp://www.interaction.org/rbahttp://shr.aaas.org/Right_to_Health_Manual/index.shtmlhttp://www.who.int/hhr/activities/en/25_questions_hhr.pdf