Globalisation and health inequalities: can a human rights paradigm create space for civil society action?

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dc.contributor.authorLondon, Leslie
dc.contributor.authorSchneider, Helen
dc.date.accessioned2012-11-26T13:42:13Z
dc.date.available2012-11-26T13:42:13Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractWhile neoliberal globalisation is associated with increasing inequalities, global integration has simultaneously strengthened the dissemination of human rights discourse across the world. This paper explores the seeming contradiction that globalisation is conceived as disempowering nations states' ability to act in their population's interests, yet implementation of human rights obligations requires effective states to deliver socio-economic entitlements, such as health. Central to the actions required of the state to build a health system based on a human rights approach is the notion of accountability. Two case studies are used to explore the constraints on states meeting their human rights obligations regarding health, the first drawing on data from interviews with parliamentarians responsible for health in East and Southern Africa, and the second reflecting on the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. The case studies illustrate the importance of a human rights paradigm in strengthening parliamentary oversight over the executive in ways that prioritise pro-poor protections and in increasing leverage for resources for the health sector within parliamentary processes. Further, a rights framework creates the space for civil society action to engage with the legislature to hold public officials accountable and confirms the importance of rights as enabling civil society mobilization, reinforcing community agency to advance health rights for poor communities. In this context, critical assessment of state incapacity to meet claims to health rights raises questions as to the diffusion of accountability rife under modern international aid systems. Such diffusion of accountability opens the door to 'cunning' states to deflect rights claims of their populations. We argue that human rights, as both a normative framework for legal challenges and as a means to create room for active civil society engagement provide a means to contest both the real and the purported constraints imposed by globalisation.en_US
dc.description.accreditationWeb of Scienceen_US
dc.identifier.citationLondon, L. & Schneider, H. (2012). Globalisation and health inequalities: can a human rights paradigm create space for civil society action? Social Science & Medicine, 74(1): 6-13en_US
dc.identifier.issn0277-9536
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/475
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.privacy.showsubmitterfalse
dc.publisherElsevier Ltden_US
dc.rightsThis is the author postprint version of an article by Elsevier. The file may be freely used, provided that acknowledgement of the source is given.
dc.status.ispeerreviewedtrue
dc.subjectHuman Rightsen_US
dc.subjectAgencyen_US
dc.subjectGlobalisationen_US
dc.subjectCivil societyen_US
dc.subjectStateen_US
dc.subjectAccountabilityen_US
dc.subjectHealth inequalitiesen_US
dc.subjectSouthern Africaen_US
dc.subjectNeoliberalismen_US
dc.titleGlobalisation and health inequalities: can a human rights paradigm create space for civil society action?en_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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Prof. Helen Schneider