A/HRC/38/37
through primary health-care providers, the Programme facilitates the provision of vaccines
against 17 diseases, including measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, human papillomavirus
and meningococcal C, which children, families and older persons can access at no cost. 83 In
2012, reforms to the health system of Mexico improved access to health coverage, making
available the people’s health insurance scheme, offering universal access to a
comprehensive package of personal health services with financial protection. 84
52.
With regard to accessibility of health information, France has introduced the NutriScore nutrition-labelling scheme, which is aimed at improving nutritional information on
packaging, thus guiding consumers towards choosing foods with higher nutritional value.
Cultural acceptability of health facilities, goods and services
53.
In Mexico, health-care staff are trained to provide care that is culturally appropriate
care for all the different sections of the population. Health-care protocols paying particular
attention to indigenous women have been prepared, reclaiming traditional practices of
indigenous midwives.85 Australia has published the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Health Plan 2013–2023, which provides an overarching framework for the delivery,
by the health system, of primary, secondary and tertiary health care that is evidence-based,
culturally safe, of high quality, responsive and accessible for the relevant rights holders,
without discrimination or racism. Additionally, the Cultural Respect Framework for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2016–2026 embeds cultural respect principles
into the Australian health system by building the cultural competence of mainstream
primary health-care services and supporting the ongoing viability of indigenous-specific
health services.86
Monitoring and accountability for the right to health
54.
In Ecuador, the Office of the Ombudsman has a constitutional mandate to protect
and promote the human rights of all citizens, including by protecting the right to health. In
this regard, it has taken action, both at the national and regional levels, to protect rights
holders whose right to health has been violated.87
Community participation
55.
In their joint submission, Aidsfonds and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance
emphasize that community-led organizations of persons living with HIV, key populations
and other affected communities have played a critical role in overcoming many of the
major challenges in the HIV response, reaching persons most affected by HIV with critical
HIV-prevention services, providing support for adherence to treatment and other essential
health services and advocating for resources and the human rights of persons living with
and affected by HIV. Examples of community responses in this area include
mothers2mothers, a South African community-led initiative that has reached 1.2 million
women living with HIV in nine countries. One major element of the work of
mothers2mothers is the training of mothers living with HIV as mentors, supporting and
advising pregnant women, and assisting them with access to services to prevent mother-tochild transmission of HIV.88
VI. Conclusion
56.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is firmly anchored in human
rights principles and standards. Consequently, human rights provide the normative
context and international standards for the implementation of Sustainable
83
84
85
86
87
88
16
Submission by Australia.
Submission by Mexico, p. 2.
Ibid.
Submission by Australia, p. 4.
Submission by Office of the Ombudsman, Ecuador.
Joint submission by Aidsfonds and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, pp. 2–3.
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