PHA-Exchange> HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: 10 DECEMBER 2002

[Aviva]

> >HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: 10 DECEMBER 2002
> >
> >NEW CARTOON HOPES TO CATALYZE ACTIVISM ON THE RIGHT TO HEALTH
> >
> >
> >To raise awareness of health as a human right among the general public,
the
> >World Health Organization (WHO) is today launching, "The Right to Health"
a
> >colourful, interactive cartoon booklet.
> >
> >It is essential that people ? especially poor, vulnerable and
marginalized
> >population groups ? become aware of their right to the highest attainable
> >standard of health. They should also be aware that their government has
> >certain obligations and should be accountable. Awareness is the first
step
> >in mobilizing action in favour of being able to claim this right.
> >
> >"Awareness of human rights means that the disadvantaged can mobilize and
> >empower themselves. The language of rights makes people conscious of the
> >possibility of change," said Helena Nygren-Krug, Health and Human Rights
> >Advisor, WHO.
> >
> >The goal of the cartoon is to reach out to adolescents and children. It
is
> >just one of several tools WHO is using to raise awareness of the right to
> >health amongst people, including health practitioners and government
> >officials. In addition to various publications on health and human
rights,
> >WHO is developing health and human rights training both at its
headquarters
> >and regional offices.
> >
> >The cartoon's story takes place in a classroom where a teacher interacts
> >with children from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe, emphasizing the
> >universality of human rights. They talk about children's rights, women's
> >rights, discrimination, freedom to make personal life choices and the
right
> >to healthy living conditions and education. They also discuss access to
> >affordable health services, how governments must strive to increase their
> >ability to promote and protect the right to health and the responsibility
of
> >rich countries to help poor countries in making this right a reality.
> >
> >The cartoon gives the general public, including adolescents and children,
an
> >opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned by playing a game in
which
> >they mark boxes containing statements true or false.
> >
> >A resource pack is being prepared for teachers, health professionals and
> >human rights organizations; in addition to the cartoon, it will contain a
> >teaching guide, a poster and the recently published "25 Questions and
> >Answers on Health and Human Rights" which is available online at:
> >http://www.who.int/hhr/activities/publications/en/. The cartoon itself
will
> >be published on this same web site on 10 December, Human Rights Day.
> >
> >On this day, WHO is bringing together a broad range of health and human
> >rights organizations, including Amnesty International, for a meeting
titled
> >"Advancing the dialogue on health and human rights."
> >
> >The aim of the meeting is to assess how the trend of linking health with
> >human rights is playing out in different parts of world. Non-governmental
> >organization (NGO) representatives from Brazil, India, Nigeria and Uganda
> >will report on their experiences. Participants will also discuss how to
> >strengthen the agenda to advance health as a human right and to further
> >integrate human rights principles in health policies and programmes.