Program on International Health and Human Rights

Program Resources and Databases

	Current Debates on Realizing Health and Human Rights Through systematic review and annotation of the peer-reviewed literature, this working paper aims to clarify and contextualize current debates on the roles and responsibilities of the pharmaceutical sector in advancing health-related human rights.
	Health and Human Rights Syllabi Database The database provides an up to date listing of syllabi from institutions and organizations providing health and human rights education in academic settings around the world.
	HIV and Gender-Based Violence Literature Review This publication highlights recent findings on the relationship between GBV and HIV/AIDS and is intended as a resource for all engaged in researching, designing, implementing or evaluating GBV or HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment approaches.
	Database on Health and Human Rights Actors A collaboration between WHO and PIHHR, this database contains information gathered from a survey of organizations related to their structures and programs.
	HIV/AIDS & Human Rights in a Nutshell [Spanish] [French] [Russian] PIHHR in collaboration with the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) present a quick and useful guide for action as well as a framework to carry HIV/AIDS and human rights actions forward.
	Sex, Lies & Stereotypes Based upon recommendations from an expert roundtable on How Abstinence-Only Programs Harm Women and Girls, organized by Legal Momentum's Sexuality and Family Rights program, in partnership with The Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School and PIHHR.
	Human Rights, Health and Development Technical Working Paper Under the auspices of the University of New South Wales Health and Human Rights Initiative, Daniel Tarantola, Andrew Byrnes, Michael Johnson, Lynn Kemp, Anthony Zwi and Sofia Gruskin offer a theoretical and practical framework for the analysis, application and assessment of health, justice and progress.
	Transforming Health Systems: Gender and Rights in Reproductive Health Produced by WHO's Department of Reproductive Health and Research, and involving strong collaboration with PIHHR and other institutions, this publication contains six core modules covering gender and ethical issues in research policy and how to influence chang in health systems.
	Perspectives on Health and Human Rights Edited by Sofia Gruskin, Michael A. Grodin, George J. Annas, Stephen P. Marks. Book illustrates the links between promoting human rights and public health.

News and Events

Meeting on Evaluating the Impact of Integrating Legal Support and Health Care in Kenya

In May 2009, Zyde Raad participated in a meeting of the Open Society Institute's Law and Health Initiative (OSI-LAHI) in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting focused in part on an ongoing PIHHR project evaluating the health and human rights impact of integrating legal and health care services. It brought together Kenyan organizations integrating law and health in innovative ways, researchers, and technical advisors to discuss approaches to documenting and assessing integration efforts from a health and human rights perspective.

Seminar on Maternal Mortality and Human Rights in Brazil

In May 2009, Sofia Gruskin participated in a seminar on "Maternal Mortality and Human Rights in Brazil" and delivered the opening address of the event held in São Paulo, Brazil. Convened by the Center for Citizenship and Reproduction and the Center for Reproductive Rights and supported by UNFPA, the two day seminar aimed to facilitate a debate among Brazilian and international experts in the public health and human rights fields and to generate proposals to improve maternal health in Brazil. For more information, click here.

Missing the Target Report on Vertical Transmission and Women's Health

The International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) released the latest Missing the Target report "Failing Women, Failing Children: HIV, Vertical Transmission and Women's Health" during the 62nd World Health Assembly in Geneva. Sofia Gruskin served as a member of the Advisory Committee for the report which presents the results of civil society research in six countries. For more information about the findings and recommendations, click here to access the complete report.

WHO Research Meeting on Advancing Sexual Health Through Human Rights

In May 2009, Sofia Gruskin chaired a three-day meeting of the Research Group on Advancing Sexual Health Through Human Rights at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Convened by WHO's Department of Reproductive Health and Research, the meeting brought together experts to discuss findings on legislative and juridical advances linking sexual health and human rights and to determine ways to use these findings going forward.

Vietnam AIDS Policy and Planning Project, Senior Level Trainings in Tam Dao

In April 2009, Sofia Gruskin participated in senior level trainings in Tam Dao, Vietnam as a part of the Vietnam AIDS Policy and Planning Project. Working with three provinces, Son La, Dien Bien and Lao Cai, the goal of the training was to develop the capacity of government officials, including those from inside and outside the health sector, to use a rights-based approach to respond successfully to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. For more information, click here.

International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society (IASSCS) VII Conference

In April 2009, Sofia Gruskin participated in the VII IASSCS International Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam. Amongst other activities, she presented results from the 2008 UNGASS reporting round on government recognition of the harms caused by regulating sexuality. Other presentations summarizing work she is involved in included: 'A tool for advancing sexual and reproductive health and human rights: strengthening laws, regulations, policies and their implementation' and 'Making AIDS policy sexy: Evaluation of AIDS policy training to engender a gendered and human rights response in Vietnam.' To access these abstracts, click here.

International Seminar on Monitoring and Evaluation in Brazil

In April 2009, Laura Ferguson presented at the ‘International Seminar on Monitoring and Evaluation for Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists’ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil organized by The Brazilian National School of Public Health (ENSP/Fiocruz), in partnership with the Brazilian National AIDS Program and with the support of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC-GAP Brazil). For more information, click here.

Supporting the Expansion of Health and Human Rights Teaching in Australia

Funded by the Fulbright Senior Specialists Program, Sofia Gruskin was involved in curriculum development, teaching and training sessions, as well as the development of evaluation mechanisms with the University of New South Wales Initiative on Health and Human Rights in Sydney, and in Melbourne at La Trobe University, and the MacFarlane Burnett Center and Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne. For more information, click here.

PIHHR Attends XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City

The Program on International Health and Human Rights actively participated in the XVII International AIDS Conference. This year's conference was held in Mexico City, Mexico from 3-8 August 2008.

To access copies of our posters, absracts, and presentations, click here.

Recent Articles and Publications

	Amy Nunn, Elize Da Fonseca, Sofia Gruskin. 'Changing Global Essential Medicines Norms to Improve Access to AIDS Treatment: Lessons from Brazil,' Global Public Health vol. 4, no. 2 (2009).
	Sofia Gruskin, Rebecca Firestone, Sarah MacCarthy, Laura Ferguson, ‘HIV and Pregnancy Intentions: Do Services Adequately Respond to Women’s Needs?,’ American Journal of Public Health vol. 98, no. 10 (2008).
	Sofia Gruskin, Jane Cottingham, Adriane Martin Hilber, Eszter Kismodi, Ornella Lincetto, and Mindy Jane Roseman, 'Using Human Rights to Improve Maternal and Neonatal Health: History, Connections, and a proposed practical approach,' Bulletin of the World Health Organization vol. 86, no. 8 (2008).
	Released in conjunction with the XVII International AIDS Conference, Sofia Gruskin, Daniel Tarantola and Steffanie Strathdee served as guest editors for a special supplement of AIDS with a focus on Leadership, Equity, Accountability and Partnerships (LEAP). Articles in this issue include: Sofia Gruskin and Daniel Tarantola, 'Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care: Assessing the inclusion of human rights in international and national strategic plans,' AIDS vol. 22, suppl. 2 (2008). For a full listing of articles, click here.
	Sofia Gruskin and Norm Daniels, 'Justice and Human Rights: Priority Setting and Fair Deliberative Process.' American Journal of Public Health vol. 98, no. 9 (2008).
	Sofia Gruskin, Laura Ferguson, and Shahira Ahmed, ‘Provider Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling in Health Facilities – What Does this Mean for the Human Rights of Pregnant Women?,’ Developing World Bioethics, vol. 8, no. 1 (2008).
	Pride Chigwedere, George Seage III, Sofia Gruskin, Tun-Hou Lee, and Max Essex, 'Estimating the Lost Benefits of Antiretroviral Drug Use in South Africa,' JAIDS vol. 49, no. 4 (2008). To read a New York Times article about this study, click here.
	Sofia Gruskin, Laura Ferguson and Dina Bogecho, 'Beyond the Numbers: Using Rights-Based Perspectives to Enhance Antiretroviral Treatment Scale-Up,' AIDS vol. 21, suppl. 5 (2007).
	Sofia Gruskin, Edward J Mills and Daniel Tarantola, 'History, Principles, and Practice of Health and Human rights,' The Lancet vol. 370, no. 9585 (2007).
	Sofia Gruskin, Laura Ferguson and Jeffrey O’Malley, 'Ensuring Sexual and Reproductive Health for People Living with HIV: An Overview of Key Human Rights, Policy and Health Systems Issues,' Reproductive Health Matters vol. 15, no. 29 (2007).
	Sofia Gruskin, Daniel Tarantola, 'What Does Bringing Human Rights into Public Health Work Actually Mean in Practice? and Daniel Tarantola, Sofia Gruskin, 'Human Rights Approach to Public Health Policy' in Kris Heggenhougen and Stella Quah, editors. International Encyclopedia of Public Health, vol. 3. San Diego: Academic Press, 2008.