Health is a in fact a human right. Internationally, it was first articulated in the 1946 Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO), whose preamble states that “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”[i]
The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights also mentioned health as part of the right to an adequate standard of living (art. 25). The right to health was again recognized as a human right in the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Since then, other international human rights treaties have recognized or referred to the right to health or to elements of it, such as the right to medical care. The right to health is relevant to all States: every State has ratified at least one international human rights treaty recognizing the right to health. Moreover, States have committed themselves to protecting this right through international declarations, domestic legislation and policies, and at international conferences.[ii]
Despite the fact that health is a human right, there are many worldwide that do not have access to adequate health care due to fragile health systems.
The volunteering force may bring the needed strength to fragile health systems. But how exactly do we ensure that we volunteer in a way that supports the heath system in the best way possible?
The volunteering force may bring the needed strength to fragile health systems. But how exactly do we ensure that we volunteer in a way that supports the heath system in the best way possible?
 |
| Photo: Health Aid Plus |
Volunteering can be defined as any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives. Central to this definition is the fact that volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual. This can include formal activity undertaken through public, private and voluntary organisations as well as informal community participation.[iii]
The United Nations describes the three key defining characteristics of volunteering as:
First the activity should not be undertaken primarily for financial reward, although the reimbursement of expenses and some token payment may be allowed.
Second, the activity should be undertaken voluntarily, according to an individual’s own free-will, although there are grey areas here too, such as school community service schemes which encourage, and sometimes require, students to get involved in voluntary work and Food for Work programmes, where there is an explicit exchange between community involvement and food assistance.
Third, the activity should be of benefit to someone other than the volunteer, or to society at large, although it is recognised that volunteering brings significant benefit to the volunteer as well.[iv]
There is no doubt that we ourselves benefit from volunteering. Volunteering is the perfect vehicle to discover something you like doing and developing a new skill. It is never too late to learn new skills and no reason why you should stop adding to your knowledge just because you are in employment or have finished education. However, how can we be sure that our volunteering is actually beneficial to those we seek to help? And how do we ensure that our volunteering promotes health care whilst promoting the human rights of those we seek to help?
[i] WHO (1945) 'WHO
Constitution.' (Geneva: WHO Press)
[ii] WHO (2001) 'The Right to Health.' (Geneva: WHO Press)
[iii] Hawkins, S. Restall, M.
(2006)'Volunteers across the NHS.' (London: Volunteering England Press)
[iv] United
Nations Volunteers Report, prepared for the UN General Assembly Special Session
on Social Development, Geneva, February 2001