A/HRC/37/74
all-party group on HIV in collaboration with civil society, health-care workers and health
industries had become the backbone of health policy on HIV in Portugal. In the same spirit
of consensus among stakeholders, Portugal had been able to secure a financially sustainable
strategy on hepatitis medication, ensuring access for all patients. The quality of life of
people living with HIV should be as important an objective as biomedical targets relating to
treatment. Parliamentarians could play an active role in responding to epidemics by
approving national budgets, changing policies and building bridges between people and
Government. He called for support for the work of “Unite”, a global network of
parliamentarians that focused on combating AIDS, hepatitis and tuberculosis.
15.
The Vice-President of Helen Keller International, Joseph Amon, emphasized that
rigorous and routine monitoring was a means of accountability, which was a key human
rights principle. While specific indicators and regular reporting constituted an important
tool to promote the right to health for all, indicators did not always tell the whole story.
National averages could hide significant inequalities between regions, age groups and
among most at risk populations. Data could also be inaccurate. True accountability required
both disaggregation of data and broad participation with communities to validate what was
presented. The Sustainable Development Goals called for an end to the epidemic of
neglected tropical diseases, which mainly affected people living in poverty, in sub-standard
housing and without adequate water and sanitation. The success of health programmes
stemmed not only from scientific advances but also from the promotion and protection of
human rights, including the right to health, education, non-discrimination, freedom from
violence, access to justice, gender equality and participation. The health sector had an
important role to play, but could not address human rights abuses and social determinants
of vulnerability alone.
16.
A representative of the World Social Forum, Armando de Negri, said that the Forum
facilitated discussion of alternative proposals for inclusive globalization that fostered the
people’s well-being and radical democracy based on social justice. It had established a
thematic forum on social rights related to health and social security, which was aimed at
promoting health systems based on the universality, integrity and equality of all human
rights, including the right to development. A new balance of power was needed
internationally, which could be achieved only through correlations of power in national
Governments, parliaments, the judiciary and the media that favoured solidarity instead of
individualistic and fragmented political thinking. To reverse the concentration of wealth,
democracy should be strengthened and political power distributed fairly. Otherwise, the
Sustainable Development Goals would be overcome by the wealth-concentrating dynamics
of capitalism, impeding the realization of economic and social rights and a life of dignity
for all.
17.
During the interactive dialogue, representatives of Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Portugal,
the Global Forum on MSM & HIV, the Institute for Planetary Synthesis and the People’s
Health Movement took the floor. Participants considered that the Sustainable Development
Goals and human rights, including the right to health, were mutually reinforcing
endeavours, and recalled the importance of accountability, participation, non-discrimination
and international solidarity in order to implement the Goals. Some speakers recalled the
importance of disaggregating data when reporting, welcoming indicator 3.3.1 of the Goals.
Participants also called for a multi-stakeholder approach to the implementation of the Goals
and for the preservation and promotion of civil society space in relation to health
programmes. Some speakers recommended preventive approaches to health that addressed
the social determinants of health and better accountability mechanisms to address
discrimination in health systems. The panellists were asked about the meaning and
operationalization of universal health coverage (target 3.8 of the Goals) from a human
rights perspective and about the roles of stakeholders, including parliamentarians and treaty
bodies.
18.
In response, Mr. Baptista Leite acknowledged the importance of disaggregating data,
but stressed that Governments should not be excused from acting due to the absence of
data. He argued that data related to the Sustainable Development Goals should be produced
at the local level for a central registry. He underscored that universal health coverage could
ensure better health outcomes and lower costs by preventing more serious health problems.
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