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An Anthropological View on the Synergy Between Health and Human Rights

The synergy of health and human rights is a long and ongoing process involving many institutions world wide. Although the link increasingly acknowledged for fifty years, only recently have the two begin to converge as being equally and desperately needed. In a detailed description of the state of this convergence and its urgency Brundtland called for an effort of all parties to create conditions favourable to health even in the situations of collapsing public finance in the resource-poor countries. Past decades have resulted in a growing number of countries with such conditions, as well as a growing number of us “insiders” that became conscious of our strive in the described direction. We uphold that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”, and at the same time learn of (or belong to) the rapidly growing number of populations that are not even close to enjoying the very first Article of the Universal Declaration. This leaves us greatly thankful to the late Jonathan Mann and his sensitive observation that the concept of dignity is difficult to define, but recognised immediately when ones own dignity is violated. There are many other “concepts” that are hard to define when treated through the human rights optometry of our human condition and its timing, detached from on-ground experience. Can the pressures aimed at instant-reconciliation and sustainable development be re-directed towards accelerating the tempo with which justice is being served or the financing of favourable health conditions are being conducted? Anthropological studies of many populations teach us that regardless of whether justice and truth have been reached or the health mechanisms have been well understood, the capacity for fairness, integrity, equality and dignity is intact within the wisdom of survivors, enabling healthy transformations from psychic traumas. Whether or not the pressure exists for peace accomplishments in the halls of law, communities of reconciliation and countries of social reconstruction - time needed can not be bought nor donated nor accelerated. However, its significance should be implemented into the equations of our synergy efforts and possible violations of dignity.

Medical anthropology; human rights; health

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