Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights

Important links between health and human rights are increasingly recognised and human rights can be viewed as one of the social determinants of health. Furthermore, a human rights framework provides an excellent foundation for advocacy on health inequalities, a value-based alternative to views of health as a commodity, and the opportunity to move away from public health action being based on charity.
This text demystifies systems set up for the protection and promotion of human rights globally, regionally and nationally. It explores the use and usefulness of rights-based approaches as an important part of the tool-box available to health and welfare professionals and community members working in a variety of settings to improve health and reduce health inequities. Global in its scope, Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights presents examples from all regions of the world to illustrate the successful use of human rights approaches in fields such as HIV/AIDS, improving accessibility to essential drugs, reproductive health, women’s health, and improving the health of marginalised and disadvantaged groups.
Understanding human rights and their interrelationships with health and health equity is essential for public health and health promotion practitioners, as well as being important for a wide range of other health and social welfare professionals. This text is valuable reading for students, practitioners and researchers concerned with combating health inequalities and promoting social justice.

Ann Taket is Professor of Health and Social Exclusion in the School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Australia, and Director of the Centre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE).

1. Health Equity, Social Justice And Human Rights 2. The Global Human Rights System 3. Regional Human Rights Systems 4. National And Sub-National Human Rights Systems 5. Human Rights And Health Equity 6. Evaluating The Human Rights Effects Of Health And Social Policy 7. Addressing The Sexual And Reproductive Health Needs Of Adolescents In South Africa – A Human Rights Analysis Of The GOLD Peer Education Program / Melika Chiswell 8. Mid-Day Meal Scheme In Madhya Pradesh: The ‘Ruchikar’ Or Relishing Mid-Day Meal Scheme (RMDMS) / Arjun Singh 9. Tobacco Prevention Strategy In Styria, Austria: A Human Rights Analysis / Michaela Adamowitsch 10. National Mindmatters Project: A Retrospective Human Rights Analysis / Carmel Treacy 11. The Instrumental Value Of Human Rights In Health / Brad Crammond 12. Success Or Failure – How Useful Are Rights-Based Approaches In Public Health?