>WHO Boss Sets Out Stance on Health and Human Rights
>
>Press Release - 8 December 1998
>
>Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization
>(WHO), today called on the international community to enshrine health as a
>basic human right. This was her first major policy speech on the subject
>since taking over as WHO Director-General in July 1998 and was delivered as
>she chaired a UNESCO-hosted Round Table in Paris, France to mark the 50th
>anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
>
>"Poverty leads to ill health and ill-health breeds poverty. Where there is
>structural poverty and ill-health, there will be poor development - and
>poor human rights," Dr Brundtland said.
>
>The Principle of Health for All, and of equal access to health services for
>all, is therefore as central to humankind's development, and the securing
>of basic human rights, as economic or any other type of social development,
>Dr Brundtland asserted.
>
>"Never have so many had such broad and advanced access to healthcare. But
>never have so many been denied access to health. The developing world
>carries 90% of the disease burden, yet poorer countries have access to only
>10% of the resources that go to health."
>
>Dr Brundtland stressed how girls and women are particularly vulnerable and
>how their right to equal health has to be especially protected. Female
>genital mutilation is already a major violation of human rights, as is
>violence against women, and by 2010 violence is estimated to take its place
>as one of the world's leading burdens of disease.
>
>Other health areas of prime importance to WHO, and which affect people's
>basic right to lead full, productive and healthy lives, are malaria,
>tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and the scourge of tobacco, and Dr Brundtland
>addressed each of these priorities.
>
>"WHO will step up its advice in health sector reform. In doing so, we will
>draw on the key values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human
>Rights. Health security is a challenge which encompasses many of the rights
>enlisted in the Declaration. It means universal access to adequate health
>care, access to education and information, the right to food in sufficient
>quantity and of good quality, but also the right to decent housing and to
>live and work in an environment where known health risks are controlled."
>
>Dr Brundtland also announced that she will start working with the UN High
>Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, to trigger closer cooperation
>between WHO and the High Commission.
>
>For further information, journalists can contact Gregory Hartl, WHO,
>Geneva. Telephone (41 22) 791 44 58. Fax (41 22) 791 48 58. E-Mail:
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>
>All WHO Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Features as well as other
>information on this subject can be obtained on Internet on the WHO home
>page http://www.who.ch/

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Associate Professor and Associate Director,
Masters of Health Science Program in Health Promotion
Department of Public Health Sciences
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