Making health an imperative of foreign policy: The value of a human rights approach

Health and Human Rights

Volumn 12, Issue 1, 2010, Pages 47-59

  Bustreo, Flavia ^a   Doebbler, Curtis F J ^b  

^a WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION   (Switzerland)

^b AN NAJAH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY   (Palestine)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

FOREIGN POLICY; HEALTH POLICY; HUMAN RIGHTS; POLICY MAKING; RESOURCE ALLOCATION;

EID: 77957065839     PISSN: 10790969     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (78)

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8. Fidler (see note 6), p. 52.
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11. Ibid.
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14. See, generally, H. Feldbaum, US global health and national security policy: A report of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center (Washington, DC: Center for Strategic & International Studies, 2009). Available at http://www.voltairenet.org/IMG/pdf/Global_Health_National_Security.pdf; US National Intelligence Council, Strategic implications of global health (Washington, DC: US Government, 2008). Available at http://www.dni.gov/nic/PDF_GIF_otherprod/ICA_Global_Health_2008.pdf; US Central Intelligence Agency, The global infectious disease threat and its implications for the United States (Washington, DC: US Government, 2000). Available at http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cia/nie99-17d/index.htm; and D. E. Rennack and R. D. Shuey, "Economic sanctions to achieve US foreign policy goals: Discussion and guide to current law, CRS Report for Congress," in E. Simone (ed), Foreign policy of the United States (New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2000), vol. 1, pp. 109-147. Available at http://www.fas.org/man/crs/crssanction.htm.
15. See, for example, E. Bashkirova, Democracy, foreign policy & the media in Russian Federation (Moscow: NATIP, 1998). Available at http://www.nato.int/acad/fellow/96-98/bashkiro.pdf; L. Huaqiu, "Liu Huaqiu on China's foreign policy" (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States, August 16, 2004). Available at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/zmgx/zgwjzc/t35078.htm; G. Kennan, US State Department policy planning study no. 23 (Washington, DC: US State Department, 1948). Available at http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/movable_type/archives/000567.html; S. Barraclough and K.L. Phua, "Health imperatives in foreign policy: The case of Malaysia" Bulletin of the World Health Organization 85/3 (2007), pp. 225-229. Available at http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/3/06-037119.pdf.
16. C. J. McInnes, "Looking beyond the national interest: Reconstructing the debate on health and foreign policy," Medical Journal of Australia 180 (2004), p. 168.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. See World Health Organization, "Transcript of statement by Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization" (June 11, 2009). Available at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/influenzaAH1N1_presstranscript_20090611.p df.
20. See the webpage of Control Risks at http://www.controlrisks.com.
21. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Measuring aid to health (Paris: OECD, October 2008). Available at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/35/42242018.pdf.
22. J. Kates, E. Lief, and J. Pearson, "Donor funding for health in low- and middle-income countries, 2001-2006" (Menlo Park, CA: The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008), p. 2. Available at http://www.stimson.org/pdf/Donor_Funding_For_Health.pdf.
23. See M. Chan, "The impact of global crises on health: Money, weather and microbes" (Address to the 23rd Forum on Global Issues, Berlin, Germany, March 18, 2009). Available at http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2009/financial_crisis_20090318/en/index.h tml; see also D. W. te Velde and I. Massa, Global financial crisis discussion series: Paper 11: Donor responses to the global financial crisis - a stock take (London: Overseas Development Institute, 2009).
24. See, for example, Outcome of the Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development, G.A. Res. 63/303 (2009), para. 3 and para. 8. Available at http://www.ipu.org/splz-e/finance09/unga-63-303.pdf.
25. M. Chan, "Health diplomacy in the 21st century" (address to Directorate for Health and Social Affairs, Norway, February 13, 2007). Available at http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2007/130207_norway/en/index.html.
26. J. W. Sapsin, T. M. Thompson, L. Stone, and K. E. DeLand, "International trade, law and public health advocacy," The Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics 31 (2003), pp. 546, 547-548; and S. Zarrilli, "The case of Brazil," in World Health Organization and Pan-American Health Organization, Trade in health services: Global, regional, and country perspectives (Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization, 2002), pp. 143-153.
27. R. Smith, R. Beaglehole, D. Woodward, and N. Drager (eds), Global public goods for health: Health economics and public health perspectives (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003); and S. Sexton, Trading health care away? GATS, public services and privatization (London: Conor House Briefing Paper No. 23, July 2001). Available at http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/item.shtml?x=51985.
28. S. Harris, "Marrying foreign policy and health: Feasible or doomed to fail?" The Medical Journal of Australia 180/4 (2004), pp. 171-173.
29. A. L. Owen and S. Wu, "Is trade good for health?" Review of International Economics 15/4 (2007), pp. 660-682.
30. Ibid., p. 676.
31. Ibid.
32. J. Ellis and A. FitzGerald, "The precautionary principle in international law: Lessons from Fuller's internal morality," McGill Law Journal 49 (2004), p. 779.
33. G. H. Brundtland, "Health as foreign policy" (lecture at Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire, UK, April 26, 2002). Available at http://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/2002/english/20020426_Ditch leyParkOxfordshire.html.
34. United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report (New York: UNDP, 2005), p. 87, note 77.
35. Brundtland (see note 33).
36. See, for example, T. S. Axworthy, "Public health as an instrument of Canada's foreign policy" (paper for Global Impact: Celebrating Manitoba's contributions to infectious diseases excellence, St. Boniface Hospital and Research Foundation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, November 30, 2005). Available at http://www.yellowdocuments.com/5355530-publichealthasaninstrument-ofcana dasforeignpolicy.
37. World Health Organization, Effective aid, better health: Report prepared for the Accra high level forum on aid effectiveness 2-4 September 2008 (Geneva: WHO, 2008). Available at http://www.who.int/hdp/publications/effectiveaid_betterhealth_en.pdf.
38. Constitution of World Health Organization (1946). Available at http://www.who.int/governance/eb/who_constitution_en.pdf.
39. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI) (1966). Available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cescr.htm.
40. Ibid.
41. Optional Protocol to the ICESCR, G.A. Res. 63/117 (2008). Available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/docs/A.RES.63.117_en.pdf.
42. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 14, The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health, UN Doc. E/C.12/2000/4 (2000), para. 1. Available at http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/40d009901358b0e2c1256915005090be?Open document.
43. Ibid.
44. Ibid., para. 30.
45. United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, Res. No. 2002/31, The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (April 22, 2002). Available at http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/0/5f07e25ce34edd01c1256ba600 56deff?Opendocument.
46. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, G.A. Res. 2106 (XX) (1965). Available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cerd.htm; Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, G.A. Res. 34/180 (1981). Available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/; Convention on the Rights of the Child, G.A. Res. 44/25 (1989). Available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm; ILO Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, ILO No. 169 (1991). Available at http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C169; International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, G.A Res. 45/158 (1990). Available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cmw.htm; Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, G.A. Res, 61/106 (2006). Available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/ratification/15.htm.
47. African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, OAU Doc. No. CAB/LEG/67/3 rev. 5 (1981), reprinted in International Legal Materials 21 (1982), p. 58. Available at http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/z1afchar.htm; Protocol to The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, AU Doc. CAB/LEG/66.6 (2003), Art. 14. Available at http://www.achpr.org/english/_info/women_en; African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, OAU Doc. CAB/LEG/24.9/49 (1990), arts. 14 and 11(2)(h). Available at http://www.africa-union.org/official_documents/Treaties_%20Conventions_% 20Protocols/A.%20C.%20ON%20THE%20RIGHT%20AND%20WELF%20OF%20CHILD.pdf; Additional Protocol of the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, "Protocol of San Salvador," (1988), Art. 10. Available at http://www.oas.org/juridico/English/treaties/a-52.html; European Social Charter of the Council of Europe ETS No. 163 (1999), Art. 11 and 13. Available at http://www.coe.int/T/DGHL/Monitoring/SocialCharter/; The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, EU Doc.2000/C 364/01 (2000). Available at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/default_en.htm; Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam Adopted at the 14th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, Res. No. 49/19-P (1990), Art. 17. Available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,ARAB,,,3ae6b3822c,0.html; Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam, OIC Doc. OIC/9-IGGE/HRI/2004/Rep. (2004), Art. 15. Available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/category,LEGAL,OIC,,,44eaf0e4a,0.html; League of Arab States, Arab Charter on Human Rights (September 15, 1994). Available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3ae6b38540.html; and Charter of the Association of South East Asian Nations (2009), para. 1.4. Available at http://www.deplu.go.id/Documents/ASEAN-Charter.pdf.
48. United Nations Human Rights Council Res. No. 11/8 (2009), pp. 64-68. Available at http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/E/HRC/resolutions/A_HRC_RES_11_8.pdf.
49. Charter of the United Nations (1945). Available at http://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CTC/uncharter.pdf.
50. Ibid., Art. 103.
51. Ibid., Art. 56.
52. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (see note 39).
53. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 3, The Nature of States Parties' Obligations UN Doc. No. E/C.2/1991/23 (1990) at para. 10. Available at http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/%28Symbol%29/94bdbaf59b43a424c12563ed00 52b664?Opendocument.
54. ICESCR (see note 39), Art. 2(1). Emphasis added.
55. Ibid.
56. R. Labonte and T. Schrecker, "Foreign policy matters: A normative view of the G8 and population health," Bulletin of the World Health Organization 85/3 (2007), p. 185. Available at http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/3/06-037242.pdf.
57. United Nations European Commission, Commission's report on FfD (Monterrey), summary, UN Doc. EC02-021EN (February 13, 2002). Available at http://www.europa-eu-un.org/articles/en/article_1144_en.htm.
58. Only five donor countries - Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden - achieved the 0.7% GNI for ODA. United Nations, The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 (New York: United Nations, 2007), p. 28. Available at http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/mdg2007.pdf.
59. Bruntland (see note 33).
60. On the Norwegian pledge and the new financing measures, see Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, "Leaders commit new finance to tackle women's and children's health in the developing world" [Press release] (September 23, 2009). Available at http://www.norad.no/en/Thematic+areas/Health+and+aids/Maternal,+ child+and+women%27s+health/New+finance. On the shortcomings of these efforts, see Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, "Statement at the United Nations 62nd General Assembly" (New York, September 27, 2007). Available at http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/smk/Whats-new/Speeches-and-articles/sta tsministeren/statsminister_jens_stoltenberg/Speech-at-Trafalgar-Square-L ondon/statement-at-the-united-nations-general-html?id=481787&epslang uage=en-GB.
61. Commission on Macroeconomics and Health of the World Health Organization, Macroeconomics and health: Investing in health for economic development (Geneva: World Health Organization, 2001), p. 6.
62. I. Kickbusch and C. Erk, "Global health diplomacy: The new recognition of health in foreign policy," in A. Clapham and M. Robinson (eds), Realizing the right to health, Swiss Human Rights Book 3 (Zurich: Rüffer and Rub, 2009), pp. 517, 520. Available at http://www.swisshumanrightsbook.com/SHRB/shrb_03_files/36_453_Kickbusch_ Erk.pdf.
63. Donaldson (see note 12), p. 7.
64. Feldbaum (see note 14), p. 2.
65. Wellcome Trust (see note 12).
66. The Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World (2005). Available at http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/6gchp/bangkok_charter/en/ .
67. Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs (see note 12), pp. 3, 5.
68. Barraclough and Phua (see note 15), p. 228.
69. C. Lee and M. Kaufman, "Bush aide blocked report: Global health draft in 2006 rejected for not being political," International Journal of Health Services. 38/1 (2008), pp 195-199.
70. World Health Organization, The World Health Report 2007: A safer future; global public health security in the 21st century (Geneva: WHO, 2007).
71. M. Robinson, "The value of a human rights perspective in health and foreign policy," Bulletin of the World Health Organization 85/3 (2007), pp. 241-242.
72. As cited in J. D. Sachs, Macroeconomics and health: Investing in health for economic development. Report of the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (Geneva: World Health Organization, 2001), p. 21.
73. See P. Piot, M. Kazatchkine, M. Dybul, and J. Lob-Levyt, "AIDS: Lessons learnt and myths dispelled," Lancet 374 (2009), pp. 260-263.
74. For example, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which consists of parliamentarians from 150 plus countries, and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, a collaboration of more than 300 governmental and nongovernmental actors who aim to achieve the MDGs related to maternal and child health. See F. Bustreo and A. B. Johnsson, "Parliamentarians: Leading the change for maternal, newborn, and child survival?" Lancet 371/9620 (2008), pp. 1221-1222.
75. ICESCR (see note 39), Art. 2(1).
76. Ibid.
77. Ibid., Art. 2(3).
78. I. Kickbusch, T. E. Novotny, N. Drager, et al., "Global health diplomacy: Training across disciplines," World Hospitals and Health Services 43/4 (2007), pp. 20-22.