The Right to Health and Sexuality
The politics of sex and sexuality combine with HIV/ AIDS epidemic and reproductive health, marginalize people, to preclude access and indeed, to engender violence against them, has, in other words, remained unspoken. For a large section of society, 'sexuality' is understood as homosexuality. The society is dominated by heterosexual norms which are considered normal, homosexuality and any other realities are treated as aberrations, and most often as a 'problem'. This is also reflected in the health policies in India Disability, Health and Human Rights In spite of several international and national pronouncements, rights of disabled have remained on paper. The Disabled are denied to basic facilities like health, education and employment. The state infrastructure [like public transport, public hospitals, public toilet (including hospital toilets), government offices and many more public places] is grossly inadequate and ill- functioning as far as the provision for the disabled are concerned.
Gendered Vulnerabilities: Women's health and Access to Health Care in India Indian society has remained deeply entrenched by the patriarchal norms and values. Needs of women emerge and progress through the life cycle; from childhood to adolescent to womanhood. Women's health and access to health care in background of such complexities, poses a challenge. This paper highlights the vulnerability of Indian women with respect to there health and healthcare. Any programme that aims to address women's health needs should be sensitive to such complexities in women's lives being staged on a social terrain of remarkable inequalities. Download full paper
Population Aging and Health in India The number of elderly in the developing countries has been growing at a phenomenal; the 2001 census has shown that the elderly population of India accounted for 77 million. Main focus of this paper is on the scenario of ageing population in India, their marital status, living arrangements and dependency. Based on evidences the paper argues that some definite measures are necessary to cater to specific diseases associated with old age. There is also a need for an appropriate insurance scheme as cost of treatment of elderly is always seen as a burden on the households. Download full paper
Tracing Human Rights in Health This paper is an endeavor to situate the evolution of right to health in a historical context. It highlights the debates within the newly emergent discipline of Health & Human Rights. Paper has sections on genesis of public health & human rights, justifiability of health rights from the International Law point of view, human rights issues affecting the enjoyment of health right, experience of developing countries and India in implementing the health right. The conclusion reflects on the aspect of operationalizing right to health Movement. Download full paper Identities in Motion; Migration and Health in India Human spatial mobility started about two decades ago for various systemic, economic and individual reasons, but there is a lack of systematic information and health risk assessment among the mobile population. This paper addresses the issue of migration and its public health implications within the human rights framework. Migrants have always been conceptualized as problematic in the context of policies both nationally and internationally. This mindset has led to complex public health issues posed by migration. Understanding migrants' health extends to capturing the underlying determinants including adequate nutrition, housing, healthy environment, and occupational conditions, access to health related education and information as well as access to health care and education. Healthcare of migrants has suffered due to the presence of divergent models of how and when nations are responsible for the health and safety of individuals. The most important factor that separates the rights from being realized is the gross underestimation of migrants both at origin and destination. Download full paper
This paper emphasizes the need to recognize the needs and concern of people who have other sexual preferences. Paper has sections on conceptualizing sexuality, the Bio-medical construction of sexuality, sexuality in public health policies, health right and exclusion on the basis of sexuality and construction of sexuality through Public Health Intervention. Download full paper
This paper presents the concerns and issues of disabled in India. There is detailed discussion on the demographic & socio- economic profile of disabled, the problem encountered, most vulnerable groups among them and their human right concerns, legal provisions, and what are the ways to prevent disability. The paper observes that the disabled have different problems which requires specific programmes. Download full paper