An extract from the attached press release (attached, see below) and URL to
a WHO cartoon on the right to health which was launched December 10 on Human
Rights Day. Thank you,

 <http://www.who.int/hhr/news/cartoon_health.pdf>


Note for the press WHO/

6 December 2002

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 the general public



¯ especially poor, vulnerable and
marginalized population groups ¯ are aware of their entitlement to the
enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. They need to know
that their government has certain obligations and is accountable. Awareness
is the first step in mobilizing action in favour of being able to claim this
right.


"Human rights are a way for the disadvantaged to mobilize and empower
themselves. The language of rights makes people conscious of both their
oppression and the possibility of change," said Helena Nygren-Krug, Health
and Human Rights Advisor, WHO, .World Health Organization


The goal of the cartoon is to reach out to adolescents and children and
demystify the right to health. 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 .....(please complete with a few
activities.)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
atrich countries to should help poor countries in making this right a
reality.

The cartoon illustrates how a lack of awareness of health-related human
rights can contribute to poor treatment of individuals by peers and health
professionals in the context of mental health problems and H.I.V. infection.


In one exchange a boy says that his community learned from the health worker
that a neighbour was infected with H.I.V. The neighbour then lost his job
and he and his family were excluded from village life. "The doctor should
have respected his right to privacy, and he should not have been
discriminated against because he is living with H.I.V.," instructs the
teacher.


Soon available in all UN working languages, 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/>
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.


The right to the highest attainable standard of health was first enshrined
in the WHO Constitution ( <http://www.who.int/....>
http://www.who.int/governance/en/). Subsequently, it has been firmly
endorsed in a wide range of international and regional human rights
instruments.


The most authoritative interpretation of the right to health is outlined in
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which
has been ratified by 145 countries. In May 2000, the Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, which monitors the Covenant, adopted a General
Comment on the right to health. The Comment clarifies the nature and content
of this right, including individual entitlements and government obligations.


Traditionally, the global human rights movement concerned itself almost
exclusively with civil and political rights violations. The notion that the
international community must treat all human rights ¯ civil, cultural,
economic, political, and social ¯ "in a fair and equal manner, on the same
footing, and with the same emphasis" (Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights, 1993) has been
stressed since the end of the Cold War. This trend, alongside recent efforts
to address poverty through human rights, is changing the landscape of the
human rights movement. Leading human rights NGOs, such as Amnesty
International, are now carefully expanding their mandates to incorporate the
right to health alongside the more "mature" civil and political rights.

______________________________________________________________

For copies of  "The Right to Health" cartoon, please contact A. Peters
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]


This message from the Division of Health and Human Development, PAHO/WHO, is
part of an effort to disseminate
information related to Equity, Health inequality; socioeconomic inequality
in health; socioeconomic health differentials.
Gender, Violence, Poverty, Health Economics, Health Legislation, Ethnicity,
Ethics, Information Technology and Virtual
Libraries, Research & Science issues.
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