M4: Inequalities in Health - Assignment Example

2. Every individual has the right to access adequate health care and associated services, irrespective of their age, sex, race, marital or other status (USAID, n.d.). 3. Every individual has the right to unbiased distribution of food (USAID, n.d.). 4. Every individual has the right to access safe drinking water and sanitation (USAID, n.d.). 5. Every individual has the right to information and education pertaining to health. This includes reproductive health and family planning (USAID, n.d.). 6.

Every individual has the right to reasonable standard of living, housing and access to a safe and healthy environment (USAID, n.d.). 7. Every individual has the right to a safe and healthy workplace. This includes sufficient workplace safety practices for pregnant women who work in areas that have been proven to be harmful to them (USAID, n.d.). 8. Every individual has the right to freedom from discrimination and discriminatory practices. This includes practices like female genital mutilation, prenatal gender selection, and female infanticide (USAID, n.d.).

Although every individual is entitled to these human rights to health, there are several factors, external to the health sector, which determine an individuals’ health. . However, we can achieve these human rights standards by several means (Musoba & Kalloch, n.d.): 1. Mobilize support through networking and outreach programs. 2. Conduct health, human rights and advocacy campaigns and targeted outreach programs to bring health rights to all individuals. 3. Bring human rights awareness to key health and policy making bodies. 4. Tap into the power of healthcare professionals in human rights advocacy. 5. Improve the funding towards health rights and healthcare.

An example of how these strategies have helped to achieve real progress in human rights is the Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) in Uganda. This group was started in July 2003 by four Ugandan health professionals and today has become a nationwide movement that brings together doctors, nurses, lawyers, social workers and other professionals throughout Uganda (Musoba & Kalloch, n.d.). Since its inception, AGHA has mobilized hundreds of members and has conducted more than 15 health, human rights, and advocacy trainings (Musoba & Kalloch, n.d.).

It has also been successful in bringing human rights awareness to key health and policy making bodies and has started a nationwide movement of health workers for human rights. AGHA partnered with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), an NGO from the United States to build a network of healthcare professionals dedicated to human rights (Musoba & Kalloch, n.d.). Together, they had the leadership and vision to provide outreach training and workshops on AIDS and health advocacy. This partnership helped to tap into its knowledge and resources to support this cause and build a platform from which to build the movement. The AGHA