Health and Human Rights Course from January 18-27, 2010

An intensive course exploring linkages between health and human rights and building skills in rights based monitoring and use of international and national instruments, designed for health and human rights activists. The course is organised by CEHAT and TISS(Tata Institute of Social Sciences)

ABOUT THE COURSE

This intensive 10 days residential course focuses on the relationship between health and human rights. The course identifies and discusses the complex interactions between health and human rights. The key areas covered by the course are:

• The implications of human rights for public health theory and practice.
• The effect of health policies and programs on human rights
• Health consequences of human rights violations
• The linkage and synergies between promoting and protecting health and human rights
• Monitoring health and human rights

This course is designed to provide an overview of the nature and role of national and international norms, processes and institutions with respect to health and human rights issues. The course will include responses of the national and international political and legal order to some of the pressing issues of health and human rights. It will explore the dialectical relation between the pursuit of national interest by the governments and the rhetoric of global objectives by the agencies that include health or human rights within their mandates.

AIM

The overall aim of the course is to prepare participants to understand and interact with the local, national and international systems relating health and human rights and to impart them with knowledge to further these concerns in their respective areas of work by applying a right-based approach.

1. To understand that Health is not simply a medical issue based on natural and biological factors and medical interventions but is also a social issue.
2. To comprehend (a) human rights standards as expressed in nationally and internationally agreed texts; (b) the supervisory mechanisms which encourage compliance; and (c) the ways in which respect for human rights is fostered in practical terms.
3. To acquire knowledge of how health professionals can protect and respect human rights.

OUTCOMES

1. Participants will acquire a basic understanding of both the history and present status of human rights and law as they apply to public health practice.
2. They will be able analyze the human rights dimensions of public health policies and programme and access various mechanisms and procedures to further human rights of persons whose health status is threatened.

MODULE OF THE COURSE

Module 1 Introduction to human rights

1. Philosophy and theory of human rights
2. Historical perspective of human rights
3. International covenants on human rights
4. International Justice System and UN complaint mechanism

Module 2 Introduction to health

1. Political economy of health and health care
2. Public health
3. Health financing
4. Health care-universal access and equity
5. Concept of the Right to Health and Health care

Module 3 Exploring health and human rights - vulnerable groups

1. Gender and reproductive rights
2. Sexual minorities and human rights
3. Health impact on persons with psychological disabilities
4. Right to essential drugs
5. Physical disability and violation of rights
6. Children and human rights violations
7. Health consequences of conflict situations and violation of rights
8. Health impacts of human rights violations on dalits and adivasis
9. Medical ethics and human rights
10. Torture and human rights

Module 4 Monitoring right to health and health care

1. Basic Elements of Human Rights Monitoring and Fact-finding
2. Monitoring right to health care
3. Overview of budgets and monitoring
4. Indian Judicial Monitoring Mechanism

Medium of the course: English

Eligibility: Graduation in any discipline

REGISTRATION FEES

Registration Fee Rs.5000/-.The cost of food and accommodation will be borne by us.(Traveling expenses have to be borne by the participants.)

On basis of need registration fees for few participants may be waived.

VENUE

FIAMC Bio-Medical Ethics Centre,St’ Pius College,Aarey Road,Goregaon East,Mumbai -400063.

ACCOMMODATION

FIAMC Bio-Medical Ethics Centre,St’ Pius College,Aarey Road,Goregaon East,Mumbai -400063.

METHODOLOGY

The teaching methods will be a combination of lectures,group work, self/-group study, case studies, presentations and discussions in plenary. The main emphasis will be on participatory approaches.

ABOUT ORGANISERS

Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT) CEHAT, the research center of Anusandhan Trust, stands for research, training, service and advocacy in health and allied themes. Socially relevant and rigorous academic health research and action at CEHAT is for the well being of the disadvantaged masses, for strengthening people’s health movements and realizing right to health care.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). TISS Tata Institute of Social Sciences was established in 1936. It is recognized as a deemed University. Since then the institute has been expanding programme and infrastructure while responding to the changing need of the social and educational system in the country. It offers courses in social work and health administration. TISS actively engages in academic research and community level interventions.

CONTACT PERSONS

Rashmi Divekar, rashmid80@gmail.com

Nidhi Sharma, treasuresharma@yahoo.com