Suo Moto v. State of Rajasthan
Country: IndiaYear: 2004
Court: High Court - Rajasthan
Citation: AIR 2005 Raj 82; RLW 2005 (2) Raj 1437
Health Topics: Environmental health, Health information, Health systems and financing, Infectious diseases, Poverty, Public safety, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to food, Right to health, Right to life, Right to water and sanitation
The case was regarding multiple suo moto orders issued by the Rajasthan High Court to the municipal authorities of the city of Jaipur to clean-up, restore and maintain the city which was plagued with trash, open sewage and polluted water bodies. Specific orders were issued to remove and dispose of the plastic and polyethylene bags …Read more
Adviento v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)
Country: CanadaYear: 2003
Court: Federal Court
Citation: 2003 FC 1430
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health information, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health
The applicant was a citizen of the Philippines who entered Canada in 1990 under the Foreign Domestic Program, later renamed the Live-In Caregiver Program. She remained legally employed as a caregiver until her employment authorization expired in 1998. Nonetheless, she continued to stay and work in Canada. In 1994, the applicant was diagnosed with kidney …Read more
Díaz, Brígida v. Provincia de Buenos Aires et al.
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2003
Court: Supreme Court of Justice [Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación]
Citation: D.2031.XXXVIII
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health
Brigida Díaz was told by her doctors that she urgently needed surgical intervention to replace her pacemaker. Her original pacemaker had been covered by a social welfare scheme, and she had used these funds to replace it once. However, by the time she was told that her pacemaker needed to be replaced a second time, …Read more
Benedict Jacob v. Grenada
Country: GrenadaYear: 2002
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: "Report No. 56/02, Case 12.158, Inter-Am. C.H.R., Doc. 5 rev.1 at 601, OEA/Ser.L/V/II.117 Doc. 1 rev. 1, 7 March 2003"
Health Topics: Mental health, Poverty, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Jacob was convicted of murder by the State and a mandatory death sentence by hanging was imposed on him in accordance with the domestic law of Grenada. Jacob and the deceased had been in a relationship and had lived together previously, ending their cohabitation a few months before the deceased’s death. A psychiatrist testified on …Read more
Gosselin v. Quebec (Attorney General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2002
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: [2002] 4 S.C.R. 429, 2002 S.C.C. 84
Health Topics: Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life, Right to social security
In 1984 the Quebec government created a new social assistance scheme. Section 29(a) of the Regulation Respecting Social Aid (the Regulation), made under the 1984 Social Aid Act, set the base amount of welfare payable to persons under the age of 30 at roughly one third of the base amount payable to those 30 and …Read more
Nitecki v. Poland
Country: PolandYear: 2002
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 65653/01
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
Applicant Mr. Zdzislaw Nitecki was a Polish national diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 1976. In June 1999, he was prescribed the drug Rilutek to treat his ALS. He appealed to the Kujawsko-Pomorski Health Insurance Fund (“Fund”) to reimburse his out-of-pocket costs, noting that, as a pensioner, he …Read more
Orlando, Susana Beatriz v. Provincia de Buenos Aires et al.
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2002
Court: Supreme Court of Justice [Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina]
Citation: O. 59. XXXVIII
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Disabilities, Health care and health services, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health
A 55-year-old woman suffering from multiple sclerosis brought case against the Government of Argentina and the Province of Buenos Aires for acts and omissions that prevented the provision of the medications necessary for her condition that she could not afford. The petitioner’s illness did not fall within the provincial government’s jurisdiction for coverage. Therefore, the …Read more
Yakye Axa Indigenous Community of the Enxet-Lengua People v. Paraguay
Country: ParaguayYear: 2002
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Yakye Axa Indigenous Cmty. of the Enxet-Lengua People v. Para., Case 12.313, Inter-Am. Comm’n H.R., Report No. 2/02, OEA/Ser.L./V/II.117, doc. 1 rev. 1 (2003).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to property
This case was heard by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Their opinion is available here. Leaders of the Yakye Axa indigenous community of the Enxet-Lengua people filed suit against the Republic of Paraguay claiming that the Paraguayan State violated Articles 4 (right to life) and 25 (judicial protection), in conjunction with Article 1(1) (obligation …Read more
Álvarez, Oscar Juan v. Province of Buenos Aires et al.
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2001
Court: Supreme Court of Justice [Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina]
Citation: A.304.XXXVII
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health
Oscar Álvarez, a 46 year old man who was disabled, unable to work and facing economic difficulties, filed an guarantee of protection of individual constitutional rights (amparo protection) against the Province of Buenos Aires and the National State. The plaintiff stated that he suffered from paralysis, both for congenital reasons and as a result of an accident. …Read more
Arcila Henao v. Netherlands
Country: NetherlandsYear: 2001
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 13669/03
Health Topics: Health care and health services, HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to health
The applicant was a Columbian national residing in the Netherlands. He complained that his expulsion to Columbia would violate Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the “Convention”) which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading punishment, as he would be unable to continue treatment for his HIV and Hepatitis B and would therefore …Read more