The world’s population is facing numerous threats to their right to health. Diseases, natural disasters, conflicts, and the climate crisis are all contributing factors to this global issue. People around the world face challenges such as death, disability, psychological distress, and environmental pollution in order to access quality health services.
According to a report by the Council on the Economics of Health for All, while many countries recognize health as a human right in their constitution, there are not enough laws and policies in place to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare. In fact, more than half of the world’s population – about 4.5 billion people – were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021.
For World Health Day 2024, the theme is ‘My health, my right’, which focuses on advocating for everyone’s right to quality health services, education, information, clean air and water, good nutrition, adequate housing conditions and freedom from discrimination. This theme highlights the importance of addressing these challenges and ensuring that everyone has equal access to healthcare and a healthy environment.
The Programme for Gender Equality, Human Rights and Health Equity plays an important role in promoting human rights in healthcare. Initiatives like the 2023 Human Rights Day poster emphasizing that health is a human right help raise awareness about the importance of ensuring that healthcare is accessible to all.
