Human Rights and Neglected Tropical Diseases

Urges States to strengthen their efforts and commitment to address neglected tropical diseases, including by integrating neglected tropical disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care into universal health coverage and primary healthcare systems, strengthening resilient public health systems as a foundation for the prevention, early detection and treatment of, and care for, neglected tropical diseases, adopting human rights-based and people-centred approaches to health policy and service delivery and ensuring inclusive, available, accessible, acceptable and quality health services without discrimination, in order to achieve target 3.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals;

Calls upon States to strengthen the resilience of health systems and support the continuity of neglected tropical disease programmes during emergencies, including health emergencies, humanitarian crises and situations of armed conflict, consistent with their obligations under international human rights law, including the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, by integrating neglected tropical disease services into preparedness, prevention, response and recovery plans, safeguarding access to essential health services and medicines and mitigating the risk of service disruption;

Also calls upon States to ensure that neglected tropical disease-related impairments do not result in discrimination, exclusion or denial of human rights, including on grounds of disability, and to strengthen disability-inclusive approaches in responses to neglected tropical diseases, including the integration of rehabilitation, mental health and psychosocial support services into neglected tropical disease programmes, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

Further calls upon States to address the multiple forms of stigmatization and discrimination stemming from harmful stereotypes, misinformation and misunderstandings and the institutional, economic, social, cultural and environmental barriers that hinder universal access to health services and essential medicines and medical products for persons affected by neglected tropical diseases, to ensure the meaningful participation of persons and communities affected by neglected tropical diseases in the design, implementation and evaluation of health programmes and policies and to ensure accountability and access to remedy, as appropriate;

Calls upon the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, within their existing mandates, to consider and address the human rights implications of neglected tropical diseases and their impact on the enjoyment of human rights by affected populations;

Encourages States to adopt approaches to disaggregated data collection and analysis, as well as preparedness, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, for neglected tropical diseases, recognizing that women and girls may face disproportionate health, social and economic impacts from certain neglected tropical diseases and barriers to accessing health services;

Calls upon States, with the support of international partners, where appropriate, to address the underlying social determinants of neglected tropical diseases, including through improved access to safe drinking water, sanitation, adequate housing, health information and health education, including hygiene and hygiene awareness in affected communities;

Encourages States to consider the implications of climate change and environmental degradation as key risk factors for the transmission and geographical spread of vector-borne neglected tropical diseases and to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and prevention, while scaling up international cooperation for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts accordingly, with particular attention to protecting the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health by persons in vulnerable situations and communities disproportionately affected by neglected tropical diseases;

Also encourages States, particularly those sharing borders in regions where neglected tropical diseases are endemic, to strengthen cross-border cooperation in surveillance, preparedness and prevention, to ensure coordinated interventions to support the prevention, control, elimination and eradication of neglected tropical diseases and to promote equitable and inclusive access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for affected populations, including those living in remote, mobile or otherwise underserved communities;

Calls upon relevant United Nations entities, including the World Health Organization, international and regional financial institutions, development partners, philanthropic organizations, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to significantly scale up predictable, sustained and adequately resourced technical, financial and capacity-building support for neglected tropical disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, surveillance and research, in accordance with the priorities and needs of States;

Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a comprehensive report on the human rights dimensions of neglected tropical diseases, to be made available in accessible formats, in consultation with States, relevant United Nations entities, including the World Health Organization, other international organizations and other relevant stakeholders, including civil society, philanthropic foundations and the private sector, and to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-sixth session, and requests that the Office, in that study: