The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the right to health: is Australia meeting its obligations to Aboriginal peoples?

Couzos, Sophie, and Delaney Thiele, Dea (2007) The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the right to health: is Australia meeting its obligations to Aboriginal peoples? Medical Journal of Australia, 186 (10). pp. 522-524.

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Abstract

There is evidence that Australia is not meeting its obligations to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for their right to the "highest attainable standard" of health, required under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Poor access to primary health care for Aboriginal peoples and substantial shortfalls in government spending to address this are in violation of the ICESCR.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' share of the universal health coverage expenditure offered to all Australians is less per person than for other Australians.

The failure to monitor the provision of mainstream health services to Aboriginal peoples and inequitable distribution of health facilities and services compound these violations.

Equality in health between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is achievable, but not until the shortfall in health services expenditure for Indigenous Australians is addressed.

Item ID: 30365
Item Type: Article (Commentary)
ISSN: 1326-5377
Date Deposited: 17 Mar 2014 05:20
FoR Codes: 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111717 Primary Health Care @ 100%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920303 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Health System Performance (incl. Effectiveness of Interventions) @ 100%
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