- What constitutional protections of health exist across different countries?
- What preventive measures do countries employ to protect early childhood health?
- What preventive measures do countries employ to protect youth health?
- How much access is there to public health and medical services across countries?
One of the most fundamental conditions for children’s chances in life is the protection of their health and prevention of avoidable illness and disability throughout their lives. Public health measures play an essential role in reducing leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Lives of children are also shaped by their families’ ability to access medical services, regardless of their socioeconomic status or place of residence.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (created in 1989 and ratified by all but three UN member states) establishes children’s right to health by stipulating that “States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.”
In this section we have mapped out data that provides valuable insight into public health policies, access to health services, and constitutional protections which shape children’s ability to achieve the right to health.