Right to Health

The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is a human right. References to the right to health are found in international and regional law, treaties, United Nations declarations, and national laws and constitutions across the globe. The right to health guarantees everyone a system of health protection and the freedom to make decisions about their health regardless of who they are, where they live, what they believe or what they do. Elements of the right to health include access to health services, including access to sexual and reproductive health services. Fulfilling the right to health is inter-related with and interdependent upon other rights including the right to adequate sanitation, food, decent housing, healthy working conditions and a clean environment.

The new report from UNAIDS, Right to Health, highlights that the people most marginalized in society and most affected by HIV are still facing major challenges in accessing the health and social services they urgently need. However, the report also gives innovative examples of how marginalized communities are responding.