Title

Health and human rights

Code

SY01

Session Type

Symposium

Format

Hybrid

CME accreditation

Yes

ROOM/CHANNEL

Room 220 d/e/Channel 1

Date Time

30 July 10:30 - 11:30

Moderator

Sofia GRUSKIN, Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, University of Southern California, United States

What is the future of the health and human rights paradigm? How can the human rights framework be revitalized, reimagined, and reinvigorated such that it can improve health and development efforts? And which domains of the human rights framework are most relevant for health and other systems that might deliver on the ambitious promises the global community has made in the SDGs? This session aims to highlight these issues as examined by the IAS-Lancet Commission on Health and Human Rights.

10:30 5 min	Opening address Sofia GRUSKIN, Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, University of Southern California, United States

10:35 10 min	The IAS-Lancet Commission on Health and Human Rights Adeeba KAMARULZAMAN, University Malaya, Malaysia	Slides

10:45 10 min	A moment of truth for health and human rights Chris BEYRER, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States

10:55 10 min	HIV and SRHR Stefan BARAL, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Canada	Slides

11:05 10 min	Impact and cost-effectiveness of a police education programme on HIV and overdose among people who inject drugs in Tijuana, Mexico Javier CEPEDA, Johns Hopkins, United States	Slides

11:15 10 min	Recommendations from the IAS-Lancet Commission on Health and Human Rights Sandra Hsu Hnin MON, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States	Slides

11:25 5 min	Closing address Adeeba KAMARULZAMAN, University Malaya, Malaysia Chris BEYRER, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States

AUTHOR

Stefan Baral

SUMMARY

This symposium reported on work being done by the IAS-Lancet Commission on Health and Human Rights, including presentations of findings from the commission’s work and a set of draft recommendations released to ensure human rights are prioritized in public health research and practice. This session by Rapporteur Lillian Shipp

HIGHLIGHTS

Commission co-chairs Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman and Dr. Chris Beyrer opened the session by providing context on the purpose of the commission, which was formed in part due to the glaring inequities in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic amid the context of increasing threats to human rights more broadly. Dr. Stefan Baral presented on sexual and reproductive health and human rights, including successes and challenges within four key domains of action: Partnerships, technical, political, and legal. The need to coordinate efforts across these domains, draw on existing evidence, and engage with civil society to address challenges was emphasized. Dr. Javier Cepeda shared findings on the impact and cost-effectiveness of a police education program on HIV and overdose among people living in Tijuana, Mexico. Using mathematical modelling, Dr. Cepeda showed that ~2% of new HIV infections and ~10% of fatal overdoses were averted during the 2-year follow-up period after the education program, and performed an economic evaluation demonstrating cost-effectiveness of the program. Finally, doctoral scholar Sandra Mon presented the commission’s set of recommendations, which focused on re-centring human rights in global health and building on existing evidence and human rights principles to generate effective action, accountability mechanisms, and actionable policies.

CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

In this current moment when human rights are being diminished, fascist movements are surging, and disparities are growing, this Commission and the ongoing collective work of members, are leading calls for attention to the need for reinvigoration of a human rights centred approach to public health on a global scale. As we navigate these threats to human rights and to humanity as a whole, it is essential that we protect the progress already achieved while striving to address inequities and prevent future human rights violations.