PHM-Exch> The demand for Human Rights

Tue May 19 00:35:33 PDT 2009

The world in which we live unfortunately does not allow the poor and the powerless to “offer” anything with which to bargain. That is the reason for various human grievances and the raison d’être of the struggle. It is the meaning of “rapport de force” or class conflict, which, under neoliberal single ideology, are banned concepts. 

The poor have offered everything, their lives, their labour, the resources of their country, and of course their health and wellbeing. But under the imperative of infinite accumulation, it can never be enough.

They are demanding their rights (and we in rich countries, are supporting that demand) and these are not amenable to bargaining chips of any kind. 

Neoliberalism (probably deliberately) ignores any distinction between means and ends - both are subsumed under “cost efficiency” (itself very narrowly defined). We are appealing unashamedly to fairness and justice as absolute values. That “appeal” is being translated into political action through demands. 

We could possibly use the argument that the powerful countries have signed up to various human rights treaties and conventions but as we know, these are not enforceable (but could be made so overnight, bearing in mind that the WTO agreements are enforceable). But again, this is confusing values which are absolute with means which are not. 

So just a comment on Ted’s point which of course is valid within a certain framework.  I think it is useful to explicitly refuse the bargaining paradigm altogether. Operating within it, is accepting the current system, and accepting failure again. 

Martin Luther (I think) said “Here I stand. I can do no other”. Without any belief in the supernatural, it seems to me that statement captures the essence of the struggle.

The poor stand with empty pockets and no weapons but with incontestably legitimate demands. Again, they could threaten revolution, (within the bargaining paradigm). But why should any more poor people die in the struggle for universally recognized human rights? 

Sadly, the confrontation with a deeply violent order, which is not amenable to peaceful appeal, is likely to produce a violent rather than a peaceful revolution. Avoiding that outcome must be central to our strategies, as set out in the People’s Health Charter for example and of course in the UN Charter. 

In friendship, Alison

ement.org; phm-exchange at phm.phmovement.org; 'Marjorie Mbilinyi'
Subject: Re: PHM-Exch> PHM press statement (WHA 2009, May 18): "Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!"

Hi David (and all other PHM colleagues),

I did not mean in any way to minimize the urgency of the issues, and in particular did not mean in any way to suggest that the current economic crisis does not constitute a health emergency.  It does. 

However, if I “demand” a salary increase from the University of Ottawa, I will be far more credible if I have more on my side than appeals to fairness, such as the option of leaving the institution and taking students and grant money with me – or, conversely, if I can offer the institution something that it wants but can make the offer contingent on its giving me what I want.

In situations that do not fit this template, speaking in terms of “demands” is, unfortunately, an indication of weakness rather than of strength, especially when the language is used in conjunction with appeals to fairness or justice.  Sadly, that is the world in which we live. 

Now, back to drafting talking points for my introduction to a workshop on the health case for human rights against the global marketplace at the International Society for Equity in Health conference next month, which I hope many PHM colleagues will attend. 

In solidarity,

Ted Schrecker 

From: david sanders [mailto:sandersdav at yahoo.com.au] 
Sent: May 18, 2009 1:19 PM
To: jmukherjee at pih.org; tschrecker at sympatico.ca; cschuftan at phmovement.org; phm-exchange at phm.phmovement.org; Marjorie Mbilinyi
Subject: Re: PHM-Exch> PHM press statement (WHA 2009, May 18): "Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!"

Dear All,

What would Ted suggest? Should we replace 'demand' by 'humbly request'?

PHM IS attempting to mobilise in the countries where it has affiliates and supporters around the Right to Health. The global economic crisis should be included in our campaigning. I would  encourage those not active in developing a Right to Health Campaign in their countries to do so.

In solidarity,

David Sanders.
--- On Mon, 18/5/09, Marjorie Mbilinyi <marjorie.mbilinyi at tgnp.org> wrote:

From: Marjorie Mbilinyi <marjorie.mbilinyi at tgnp.org>
Subject: Re: PHM-Exch> PHM press statement (WHA 2009, May 18): "Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!"
To: jmukherjee at pih.org, tschrecker at sympatico.ca, cschuftan at phmovement.org, phm-exchange at phm.phmovement.org
Received: Monday, 18 May, 2009, 3:20 PM

I agree, we need to speak as loudly and clearly as possible.

In Tanzania, government statements on the planned response to the global financial crisis have emphasised that resource allocations to infrastructure will not be reduced -- with the clear implication that resource allocations to social services will be reduced. In contrast, feminist and health activists and others are using every opportunity to argue that resources need to be increased to social services and social protection, while taking direct action to protect as well as enhance the sustainable livelihoods of women and men in both rural and urban areas.

Marjorie Mbilinyi

Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP)

----- Original Message ----- 

From:  <http://au.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jmukherjee@pih.org> jmukherjee at pih.org 

To:  <http://au.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=tschrecker@sympatico.ca> tschrecker at sympatico.ca ;  <http://au.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cschuftan@phmovement.org> cschuftan at phmovement.org ;  <http://au.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=phm-exchange@phm.phmovement.org> phm-exchange at phm.phmovement.org 

Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 1:42 AM

Subject: Re: PHM-Exch> PHM press statement (WHA 2009,May 18): "Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!"

So, let’s move thousands of people into the streets…we ( a group of PHM , HIV and MHC activists and others) are going to start working on this…18 months from now, we want 100,000 people on the mall…

Joia S. Mukherjee, MD, MPH

Medical Director, Partners In Health

Director, Institute for Health and Social Justice

Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

Division of Global Health Equity

Brigham and Women's Hospital

800 Boylston St.

Boston, MA 02199

phone:  +1 617-432-3735 

fax: +1 617-432-6045

 <http://www.pih.org/> www.pih.org

From: phm-exchange-bounces at phm.phmovement.org [mailto:phm-exchange-bounces at phm.phmovement.org] On Behalf Of Ted Schrecker
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 6:32 PM
To: 'Claudio Schuftan'; 'pha-exchange'
Subject: Re: PHM-Exch>PHM press statement (WHA 2009, May 18): "Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!"

Dear Colleagues,

Although I could not agree more strongly with the substance of the communiqué below, might I add a note of caution about the language of “demands”?

Social movements are most effective in articulating their objectives as “demands” when they can bring tens/hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, or can exercise some analogously strong influence within the more rarefied context of multilateral fora such as WHA.  Can PHM realistically claim to be able to do this?  If not, then I suggest moderating the language, although not of course the underlying ethical argument.

In solidarity,

Ted Schrecker

From: phm-exchange-bounces at phm.phmovement.org [mailto:phm-exchange-bounces at phm.phmovement.org] On Behalf Of Claudio Schuftan
Sent: May 17, 2009 1:50 PM
To: pha-exchange
Subject: PHM-Exch> PHM press statement (WHA 2009, May 18): “Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!”

From: < <http://au.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=unnikru@yahoo.com> unnikru at yahoo.com>
and:  <http://au.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=secretariat@phmovement.org> secretariat at phmovement.org, 

For immediate circulation:

Press Release: Geneva , 18 May, 2009                         

“Declare Global economic downturn a health emergency!” 

“Economic Recession is a threat to the world’s health” 

The People’s Health Movement urges the World Health Organization and member governments to “declare the economic recession currently gripping the globe as a health emergency”. 

Health activists gathered here in Geneva for the World Health Assembly (18-22 May) are expected to lobby the UN health body and governments to declare global downturn a health emergency. 

People’s Health Movement (PHM) is a global coalition of grass root health workers, health professionals, human rights, peace and social activists.   

“Recession is hitting the poor people hard and their health and survival” said a PHM spokesperson. 

“While it is too early to make a rigorous assessment, recession’s potential impact on health is much greater than that of ‘Swine flu’, through impacts on poverty and social spending”. 

“The current paradigm of ‘development’ has aggravated poverty and ill-health for the poor, especially in the global south”, said Prof. David Sanders, a public health expert from South Africa . “The current financial crisis will worsen this”, he said. 

“Donors need to place health needs of poor people at the centre of their response strategies” said Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury from Bangladesh .. Dr. Chowdhury, a leading advocate for affordable health care for poor people from Bangladesh , urged donors to do a ’reality check’ and shred what he alleged was their ‘imperial attitude’. 

PHM warns that the financial crisis is likely to result in greater dependence of southern countries on donor assistance. 

Previous precedents indicate that the effects of the global crisis will be quickly felt by the poor, across the globe. Focussing on a few priority diseases will further amplify the health challenges for the poor people. 

Consider the facts: 

?         50 million workers may lose jobs if the economic crisis worsens, warns the International Labour Organization. 

?         The UN and all its agencies and funds spend about $20 billion each year or about $3 for each person in the world. In contrast, Global military expenditure in 2007 was US $ 1339 billion or about US $202 for each person in the world. 

?         Over 1 billion people across the globe go hungry every day. One in five people in developing countries is chronically undernourished 

?         Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes - one child every five seconds. 

?         The crisis undermines human rights. UN Human Rights Council expressed “grave concern” that the crises threatens to undermine the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals including the Millennium Development Goals. 

“The loss of livelihoods, impending cutbacks in welfare spending and intensified food crisis for the world’s poor is going to result in a significant increase in avoidable deaths around the world” said Dr. Amit Sengupta, a leading health analyst from India . In India , 80 percent of expenditure on healthcare is through out-of-pocket payments. 

Loss of jobs or income could leave a vast majority of these unable to pay for their treatment. 

“It is time to shift gears. The current situation demonstrates the need for a new world health order and a new approach to development”, said David Woodward, a development economist from the United Kingdom . It is essential that poor people are put at the centre of this new order, he said.. Typically those in poor, developing countries are likely to suffer the most. 

The PHM demands immediate measures by the international community and individual governments: 

a)      To ensure adequate resources made available to revitalise public health systems. Pay urgent attention to the needs of the poor rather than the revival of failed big commercial banks. 

b)      To allocate funds for the restoration of jobs and livelihood opportunities in low income communities. 

c)      To strengthen social welfare programs in developing countries and for homeless and unemployed people in developed countries, and not to use the economic crisis downturn as an excuse to cut funds of welfare related programmes. 

Bridget Lloyd, Global co-ordinator: People’s Health Movement. 

For media enquiries: E-mail:  <http://uk.mc506.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=secretariat@phmovement.org> secretariat at phmovement.org /   <http://uk.mc506.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=media@phmovement.org> media at phmovement.org  Mobile :  +41 ....

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