Health and Human Rights - Case Studies Flashcards
Bolivia Development Strategy
- 68% population are mixed white and Amerindian ancestry.
- President Evo Morales (2006-) movement toward socialism party.
- 2012 Law of Mother Earth came into force
- Recognised that “Mother Earth is a living dynamic system made up of the undivided community of all living beings, who are interconnected, interdependent and complementary, sharing a common destiny.
- Response to climate change and mining operations
- Bolivia experienced a recent decline in agricultural growth, increase rural to urban migration, pests and diseases, water shortages.
- Average temp predicted to be 4C higher by end of century
- Resources described as a blessing from nature
- Such change requires large economic change, attracting FDI.
- 20% population lacks clean water 40% do not have sanitation.
- Requires a difficult transition, renewable and efficient energy, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, food and energy sovereignty.
Sharia Law
- Most Western Governments secularised.
- Muslim world doesn’t see secularisation necessary to developed world.
- Sharia Law covers all state law.
- Some countries have it implemented into their constitution such as Iraq
- Used it to justify authoritarian approach, some Muslims feel it is flexible and fully compatible with contempary human rights.
- In Egypt, Supreme Constitutional Court can override Sharia Law.
- Islamic financial businesses growing with products similar to Western world, International banks have created Islamic departments.
Polio
• Communicable disease causes lifelong paralysis.
• No cure but preventable through vaccine
• Since 1988 polio cases have fell by 99%.
• In 2013 WHO launched Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan
• In 2014 SE Asia certified free of Polio
• Obstacles to eradication include conflict in middle east, NE Africa and Pakistan
• Health workers are stretched and supplies of vaccines can be insufficient.
• Outbrewaks occur when polio is spread from source countries to others, such as from Nigeria to Somalia to Kenya
In 2015, 106 worldwide cases of Polio, mostly in Afghanistan and Pakistan where its endemic
Tuberculosis
- TB contagious infection associated with overcroweding and poverty.
- Since development of vaccines in 1950’s, TB mortality rates have declined
- 1193 WHO declared TB as a global emergency, and tackling TB was one of the MDG’s
- In 2014 , 9.86 million were ill with TB, with 1.5 million dying, largest cause of death among those who had HIV/AIDs.
- Between 200 and 2014 estimated 43 million lives saved through diagnosis and treatment.
- In 2016 StopTB called for a $64 billion global investment to solve issue, WHO report stated that there was a funding gap of us $2.7 billion.
- China and India largest number of infections with 1.4 million and 1.3 million respectively.
- TB mortality rates highest in Nigeria (9.7 PER 10,000)
Indigenous people in Australia
• Make up about 3% of Australia population, younger average than non-indigenous people.
• Life expectancy about 10 years shorter for males and females (69.1 and 73.7 years respectively)
• Main cause of death cardiovascular disease, twice as high as for non-indigenous.
• Infant mortality rates twice as high
• Type 2 diabetes is three times more prevalent
• Indigenous adults 3x more likely to suffer from psychological distress as a result of greater exposure to unemployment, alcohol, drugs etc.
• TB 12x more prevalent
• Smoking rates twice as high, accounting for 20% of all deaths.
Incomes 38% lower
UN Declaration on Human Rights
• Created in 1948, set out fundamentals of human rights.
• Contains 30 articles specifying these rights.
• International bill of Human rights for basis of International alw.
• Since start of 21st century, increase in number of authoritarian countries
• Not all countries have signed UDHR, E.G. Saudi Arabia doesn’t agree on religious freedom.
• Western countries undertake military operations where they have been violated.
The US and EU have condemned human rights violations in a number of countries, such as Syria. Russia and China.
European Convention on Human Rights
- Formulated by the council of Europe, based on the UDHR in 1950, ratified by UK in 1951.
- 47 signatory countries, purpose to achieve greater unity
- 59 articles and various protocols
- Some see it as undermining national sovereignty.
- Pending cases at the European Court of Human rights, as of May 2016 include Ukraine with highest percentage of 22%, Russia second with 13.23 AND Turkey Third with 12.1%.
Human Rights in Canada
- `Human rights promoted to a high level, although there are problems with Indigenous rights and women rights.
- All suspected abuses of human rights are investigated.
- Ongoing protests over indigenous land and living conditions.
- Govt. paid compensation to Nunavut Inuit people for failing to provide enough resources for education
- 2016 public inquiry investigated reports of violence toward indigenous women and girls.
- Canadian constitution allows freedom of speech and free press.
- Govt. may limit free speech if it helps stop discrimination, ensures social harmony or promotes gender inequality.
Human Rights in Indonesia
- Increased level of democracy between 2006 and 2015, with democratic elections in 2014
- Corruption still remains worse than world average.
- 2015 US government report suggested that the government hasn’t conducted transparent public investigations into violations of human rights.
- 2014, 4 shot dead in protest in Papua province and no investigation
- Separatist movement in Papua and West Papua seems to be a source of human rights violations.
- Aceh province now operates Sharia law and carries out public caning of those accused of gambling, alcohol consumption or adultery.
North American Indians
• American Indians and Alaskan natives comprise about 2% of US population. 78% of those living outside tribal territories.
• Health and education of recognised tribes is provided through IHS, provides care for about 2 million
• Found to be underfunded, problems with sterilisation equipment, errors in medical records and unqualified medical staff, less than half of indeginous people have medical insurance, thus access to healthcare is restricted.
• In terms of educational attainment 2012 performance at all levels was about 10% lower than US white population.
• The Obamas launched Generation Indigenous Initiative.
• Focuses on programmes in education, health and nutrition, housing and youth engagement.
• 2016 budget proposed $20.8 billion for indeginous programmes, 1.5 billion increase from previous year.
• $5 billion to HIS
2016 funding for BIE schools was US$904 million
Equality Movements within countries- Afghanistan
• Long period of political transition after decades of internal conflict and external intervention.
• Only 2.4% of full time workers are women,
• Only 14% enrol for secondary education.
• Legal protection foe women and girls remains fragile.
• Elimination of Violence against women hasn’t been enforced
• Humanitarian Assistance for Women and Children of Afghanistan
• Afghan Womens Network (established in 1995)
• Aim to enforce EVAW law, provide legal aid and encourage women to speak out and use the courts.
• 0.743 in 2005 to 0.693 in 2014
• Female HDI 0.328, Male HDI 0.546
Slowly growing proportion of female MPs (27.6 per cent)
Interventions in Yemen
- Houthi (Shia) 1/3RD of the population, armed rebellion against President Haddi (sunni).
- Further complicated by the presence of Al-Qaeda and IS within the country.
- First year of conflict 6,500 had been killed
- 2.5 million displaced
- President Hadi requested international help
- Several countries including the USA and UK supported Saudi Arabia’s belief military intervention was required on the grounds of collective self-defence’
- Saudi Led coalition carried out air-strikes on rebel positions and US supported coalition with weapons, intelligence sharing, co-ordination and planning.
- 2016 MSF 8 medical projects in Yemen, Red Cross has delivered aid supplies
- Pakistan helped enforce UN arms embargo against the rebels.
Christian Aid in Haiti
• 77% of population live on less than US$2 a day
• Recovery since major earthquakes in 2010 has been slow.
• In 2015, 85,000 people still living in emergency tents.
• Christian Aid in Haiti since 1980’s
• Post-earthquake, rural areas needed help due to displaced IDP’s.
• Many IGO’s and NGO’s concentrated on urban areas.
• CA reached 180,000 people through its appeal fund.
• Initially providing 237,000 hot meals, 10,000 hygiene kits.
• Helping 2,500 families with emergency shelter, 5600 with emergency cash and 7000 with clean water.
• Provided 32,000 farmers with seeds.
• Health spending in 2010 amounted to US$46 pp.
21% funded from the govt. 40% on households, foreign aid contributes 38%.
Development aid to eradicate Malaria
- Global Fund is a partnership between governments, private organisations.
- Aims to eradicateAIDS, TB and malaria
- Invests $4 billion p/y on projects run by local experts and communities.
- 2000-2014, 48% decline in deaths from malaria.
- 548 million insecticidal nets in 100 countries
- Ethiopia 3 million deaths p/y, in 2015 $611 million allocated for action.
- Haiti mosquito nets 380,000 in 2010 to 3.37 million in 2015.
Gender Equality and the Gender Gap
• Global Gender Gap Report 2015 by 2015, Gender parity was almost achieved in education and health, but not necessarily in economic and political terms.
• 2005-2015 0.25 billion women started earning.
• In the same time, earning gap grew from 5k to 10k
• Parlimentary rep. by women 19%
• Half of 145 countries surveyed had a female head of state.
• Global gender gap closed by 4%
• Least progress being made by MENA countries
• ODA grants to Yemen 150% between 2006-2014
• Mali increase of over 104%, Mali declined on the index
Sri Lanka had a decrease in gender aid of -32.5%, may account for it’s decline
