Mshengu and Others v. Msunduzi Local Municipality and Others
Country: South AfricaYear: 2019
Court: HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA KWAZULU-NATAL DIVISION, PIETERMARITZBURG
Citation: [2019] 4 All SA 469 (KZP)
The applicants’ claim was based on s. 27(1)(b) of the Constitution – the right to sufficient food and water, which they submitted found further expression in the provisions of the Water Services Act 108 of 1997 (“WSA”). Their complaint argued that farm occupiers and labour tenants, especially the applicants, lacked “access to sufficient water, basic …Read more
Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) & 3 Others v. Attorney General
Country: UgandaYear: 2015
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: Constitutional Appeal No. 1 of 2013
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
This case was filed by the families of two women who died during childbirth and the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD). They argued that inadequate resources for maternal health violated the right to health under Objectives XIV (b) XX, XV and Article 8A of the Ugandan Constitution, the right to life under …Read more
D.G. v The Netherlands
Country: NetherlandsYear: 2015
Court: Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Citation: Communication No. 52/2013; UN Doc. CEDAW/C/61/D/52/2013
Health Topics: Poverty, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to housing, Right to social security
DG, arrived in the Netherlands from Bulgaria in 2007. She worked at a restaurant and then as a prostitute. She stated in her complaint that she left prostitution after a client held her hostage at gunpoint. Unable to pay her rent, DG became homeless in December 2008. DG applied for shelter under the Social Support …Read more
Millicent Awuor Omuya& 1 Or. v. Attorney General & 4 Ors.
Country: KenyaYear: 2015
Court: High Court at Nairobi
Citation: Petition No. 562 of 2012
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to family life, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
The petitioners were two women who gave birth and were detained by Pumwani Hospital when they could not pay maternity fees in full upon discharge. The first petitioner was referred to the hospital with a potential breech birth and was detained for 24 days after discharge when she was unable to pay her hospital bill. …Read more
Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest v. Streur, et al.
Country: United StatesYear: 2015
Court: Superior Court for the State of Alaska
Citation: No. 3AN-14-04711 CI (Alaska Super. 2015)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
The case concerned an Alaskan regulation that restricted low-income women from accessing medically necessary abortion care under Medicaid, in particular over the definition of “medically necessary” abortions. The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) had funded such abortions after a 2001ruling from the Supreme Court of Alaska struck down a regulation that restricted state-funded …Read more
Mohd Ahmed (Minor) v. Union of India, et al.
Country: IndiaYear: 2014
Court: High Court of Delhi
Citation: W.P.(C) 7279/2013
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Poverty
Petitioner was a 7-year-old boy suffering from a rare genetic disease called Gaucher Disease (a type of Lysosomal Storage Disorder) which, if left untreated, would render him unlikely to survive. Although Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT), a monthly, lifelong treatment, would afford him a normal life, the drug, due to low demand arising from the rarity …Read more
Canada (Attorney General) v. Bedford
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 2013 SCC 72
Health Topics: Occupational health, Poverty, Violence
Human Rights: Right to favorable working conditions, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to work
Three applicants, who were all current or former prostitutes, challenged the constitutionality of three provisions of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985. The three provisions outlawed “bawdy-houses” (also referred to as brothels), “living on the avails” (living off of a prostitutes profits), and public communication with prostitutes. Prostitution was legal in Canada, however, Parliament was allowed …Read more
Inglis v. British Columbia (Minister of Public Safety)
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: British Columbia Supreme Court
Citation: 2013 BCSC 2309
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Poverty, Prisons, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to family life, Right to liberty and security of person
The plaintiffs brought a case before the British Columbia Supreme Court following the 2006-2007 decision by the Ministry of Public Safety to cancel the Mother Baby Program at the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women, a women’s prison. This program had allowed incarcerated mothers and their babies to live at the institution together, subject to the …Read more
Okwanda v. Minister of Health and Medical Services, et al.
Country: KenyaYear: 2013
Court: High Court - Nairobi
Citation: Petition No. 94 of 2012
Health Topics: Aging, Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to housing, Right to social security, Right to water and sanitation
Petitioner, an elderly retired person, was diagnosed with diabetes and Benign Hypertrophy (a life-threatening terminal disease). Petitioner claimed that that the cost of the medication was prohibitive and that he was in need of urgent medical attention. Petitioner sought assistance of the court to enforce his fundamental rights to the highest attainable standard of health …Read more
Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) v. Attorney General
Country: UgandaYear: 2012
Court: Constitutional Court
Citation: Constitutional Petition No. 16 of 2011
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Medical malpractice, Medicines, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to health, Right to life
The petitioners claimed that the lack of provision of basic health maternal commodities in Government Health Facilities and the negligent, unethical behavior of health workers toward expectant mothers in those facilities resulted in violations of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (the “Constitution”). Specifically, the petitioners claimed violations of the right to health and …Read more