• Healthcare Access
    Lack of access to health care—whether to basic services or specific medicines—is commonplace worldwide. While governments have an obligation to progressively realize the right to access health care, they must ensure that existing services are provided without discrimination, and that health care services respect a range of other rights, including the right to physical integrity, autonomy, confidentiality and informed consent.

  • Russia: Government Shuts HIV-Prevention Group’s Website
    Feb 8, 2012
    The Russian government’s anti-drugs agency has ordered the blocking of the website of a public health organization, the Andrey Rylkov Foundation, for discussing the addiction medicine methadone, human rights groups said today. The move is an assault on freedom of expression in the midst of pro-democracy protests, the groups said.
  • Syria: Security Forces Remove Wounded From Hospital
    Sep 8, 2011
    Syrian security forces forcibly removed 18 wounded people from al-Barr hospital in the central city of Homs on September 7, 2011, including five from the operating room. Security forces also prevented medical personnel from reaching the wounded in a number of the city’s neighborhoods on that day.
More news »

Reports

Health care access

  • The Paradox of Losing Life While Giving Life in Africa
    May 25, 2012
    Giving life is a leading cause of death of women and girls in Africa. And in the last 20 years, few African countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, have made enough progress in bringing down the number of maternal deaths.
  • Maternal mortality under scrutiny
    May 4, 2012
    Since the 1990s South Africa has not reduced the number of women who die needlessly each year from preventable and treatable causes linked to pregnancy and childbirth.
  • A sick system abuses its refugees
    Mar 18, 2012

    South Africa's tourism website describes the country as the "land of good times and friendly people". Sadly, Araya Y, a pregnant Somali refugee living in Port Elizabeth, did not experience this side of the country. Instead, when she went to a government district hospital in July 2010 to give birth, she was abused by medical staff and denied care. 

  • Russia: Government Shuts HIV-Prevention Group’s Website
    Feb 8, 2012
    The Russian government’s anti-drugs agency has ordered the blocking of the website of a public health organization, the Andrey Rylkov Foundation, for discussing the addiction medicine methadone, human rights groups said today. The move is an assault on freedom of expression in the midst of pro-democracy protests, the groups said.
  • Hope for BC at BC?
    Feb 8, 2012

    When I went to college, I chose a highly regarded university with a strong tradition as a Jesuit institution. I was pleased with my undergraduate education at Boston College, but I still lament that my alma mater denies students access to contraceptive services through its health system.  

  • Healthcare is failing women
    Dec 20, 2011

    South Africa has one of the world's highest incidences of violence, including rape and domestic violence, against women. A study by Interpol estimates that, in South Africa, a woman is raped every 17 seconds and one in four South African women suffers domestic violence.

      

  • Yemen Could Seize Moment to Ban Child Marriage
    Dec 20, 2011
    Yemen's version of the Arab Spring has eclipsed urgent social concerns both in debates within Yemen and with donor countries. One of these issues is the widespread forced marriage of girls; very young girls in some cases.Now that President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to cede power, there may be an opportunity to press for social reform as part of the transition process.
  • Denial of Pain Treatment and the Prohibition of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
    Nov 1, 2011
    According to the World Health Organization, 'most, if not all, pain due to cancer could be relieved if we implemented existing medical knowledge and treatments.' The failure of governments in many countries to ensure the adequate availability of pain treatment services clearly raises questions of whether these countries live up to their obligations under the right to health, which requires states to ensure the availability and accessibility of health services, including, of course, treatment for pain.
  • On Women’s Choices, South Africa Should Continue to Lead
    Oct 31, 2011
    The United Nations is not always known for clarity, but on October 24 it issued a report that is crystal clear. Women who need or choose to have abortions should not be punished by their governments. Women, the report affirmed, are entitled to information, family planning, and health services that constitute the human right to health.
  • One AIDS march that should end
    Oct 28, 2011
    “No prejudice against HIV/AIDS patients.” That’s a banner worth walking behind. To make it real in Vietnam will require those walking in Washington to ask tough questions of U.S. global AIDS policies.
more documents on this topic »