The week of December 6 illuminates the need to build better systems with a focus on human rights. The right to good health is recognized on International Universal Health Coverage Day on December 12, which calls for stronger and more resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners. The harsh realities of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have exposed the vulnerabilities of health care systems, and demand that countries build back better.
The United Nations (UN) asks for human rights to be at the center of a post-COVID world by ending discrimination, addressing inequalities, encouraging participation and solidarity, and promoting sustainable development. Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10, the day the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Vulnerable populations such as genocide victims shoulder the burden of violence and negligence of human rights, experiencing circumstances in which their health, human rights, and full potential cannot be realized. Although the international community adopted the Genocide Convention on December 9, 1948—a commitment to prevent and punish genocide—there is currently a genocide emergency in Xinjiang, Syria, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Myanmar. In addition to building back better and ameliorating health systems, communities will need to empower the victims of genocide, uplift their voices, and fulfill their commitment to take action to prevent and punish genocide in order to prevent future atrocity crimes.
To learn more about these topics, explore GHELI’s resource pack on health and human rights and resource pack on universal health coverage.