RIGHT TO HEALTH: UN Annual Day on the Rights of the Child (2013)

Summary: The Annual Day on the Rights of the Child - this year focusing on the right to health - will take place on 7 March, during the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council. CRIN will be reporting on the discussions live from Geneva.

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UN Report

Ahead of the day, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was asked to carry out a study on the right to health. The study culminated in a report which informs the annual discussion.

The report describes the main health issues that affect children, contains an analysis of the obligations of States and other duty-bearers with regard to childrenā€™s right to health, and outlines recommendations to ensure the realization of that right.

Submissions

A total of 112 contributions were received for the study from States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions and academia.

  • Read their submissions here
  • Read CRIN's submission here

You can also read the concept paper in the attached document above.


Schedule

Two panel sessions will run as follows:

Morning Panel
(9:00 -12:00)

"Challenges in achieving the full realization of the right of the child to health"

OpeningStatements:

  • Madame Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (tbc)
  • H.E. Ambassador RemigiuszĀ  A. Henczel,Ā  President of the Human Rights Council
  • Moderator: Dr. Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet
  • Childrenā€™s voices video: ā€œOur health , our right, our voicesā€

Panelists:

  • Dr. Flavi Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General for Family, Womenā€™s and Childrenā€™s Health
  • Dr. Gustavo Giachetto, Director, Children Program, Ministry of Public Health, Uruguay
  • Dr. Abimbola Lnagunju, Regional Health Advisor, Terre des Hommes, Nigeria
  • Child Representatives from Bolivia and Haiti
  • Dr. Najat Maalla Mā€™jid, Special Rapporteur on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
  • Ms. Selina Amin, Country Project Manager, Plan International, Bangladesh

Afternoon Panel (15:00 -18:00)

"Implementation of the right of the child to health and accountability mechanisms"

  • Moderator: Dr. Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet
  • Childrenā€™s voices video: ā€œTaking action: our right to healthā€

Panelists:

  • Mr. Paul Hunt, Professor of Law, University of Essex
  • Ms. Maria Herzog, Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Ms. Isabel dela Mata, Principal Advisor with Special Interest in Public Health, Directorate-General Health and Consumers, European Commission
  • Ms. Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children
  • Mr. Thomas Chandy, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children, India
  • Mr. Oscar Parra, Senior Staff Attorney, Inter-American Court on Human Rights


Outcome

The annual day meeting will gather ideas on how to adequately implement the right of the child to health. It will identify the concrete challenges and ways to overcome them.

It is expected that the discussion leads to concrete recommendations for member states for the promotion and protection of the right of the child to health and that it leads to strengthening coordination between different initiatives and processes related to the right of the child to health (Human Rights Council, Special Procedures mechanisms, treaty bodies, post MDGā€™s, Commission on Information and Accountability for Women and Childrenā€™s Health, Independent Expert Review Group on the implementation of the Global Strategy for Womenā€™s and Childrenā€™s Health) .

A summary report of the annual day of discussion will be presented to the Council.

Further Information

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pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/ConceptNoteRightToChild.doc

Countries

    Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.