The Right to Health, Women and Climate Change: Ross Barrantes

Ross Barrantes, lawyer specializing in environmental law

In the complex web of global problems, the intersection right to health, status of women and consequences changing of the climate becomes a critical issue requiring detailed assessment. From a policy and human rights perspective, this article seeks to take a comprehensive look at the intersections between health, mental health, gender and climate change, highlighting how these elements converge to disproportionately affect women. The right to health, enshrined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is an important pillar for building a fair and equitable society. Its effective implementation requires ongoing efforts at the global level to improve the health and well-being of populations.

This week I spoke with Ana Maria Guevara Leon, Industrial Engineering with experience working in government organizations Peru over 28 years ago, confirming that women are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change as their role in situations of drought or natural disasters puts them in a critical position to seek resources, highlighting women’s particular vulnerability to these events.

Medical care for illness, as well as the prevention, treatment and control of diseases, largely depend on timely access to quality medicines.

Despite the progress made, after COVID-19 pandemicit is assumed that about 5 billion people still do not have access to medicines It is significant that an inextricable link still exists between poverty and the realization of the rights to health, women and climate; Little is said about the responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies, the impact of intellectual property laws and free trade agreements, and the implications and elements of a right to health approach to access to medicines from a women’s rights and rights perspective. against climate change.

I always repeat in my classes: we must learn from past and present experiences that show us that prioritizing human rights, or giving priority to one or more rights over others, has harmful consequences and leads to systematic violations of human rights. Genuine participation and empowerment are a prerequisite for public policies to produce positive results based on special attention paid to people in vulnerable situations. Sometimes I feel like feminism has been misrepresentedI’ve spent moments when I’m not there I heard that you are a womanor me became invisible because he was a woman And to other women, because I’m brown or very smart (sometimes I think), I always tell them that it’s important to consider race and gender (that includes everything).

Universal health coverage remains a dream for many people, and I wonder if a pharmacist can find a formula that can create a pill for extreme heat or extreme cold and prevent death from that cause? As a legal professional, I try to make the issue of health and climate change visible.we as citizens must demand that more research be done on deforestation and health impacts, illegal activities that undermine forests such as illegal mining, and how it affects health due to the excessive spread of severe metals, including mercury, and not counting rising temperatures, which continue to increase the mortality rate of premature babies, but Is this being talked about in debates, in the Senate, in the plenary session of Congress, on national channels? NO !!

In the 21st century, there are still barriers to accessing services such as; mental health, which is often overlooked in political discussions, becomes a vital component in the well-being equation. The climate crisis has a direct impact on mental health, and addressing this issue is essential to building sustainable and equitable societies. gender violence. Discrimination and stigma are social determinants that increase the burden of disease among vulnerable groups. Addressing violence in a comprehensive and proactive manner is critical. recognition of its intrinsic connection with deprivation and discrimination.

In my political experience, it is more than necessary in these times to impose legal obligations on politicians to ensure accountability. adequate funding for health, mental health and climate change, especially for vulnerable groups, should be an unwavering commitment in all states, but commitments made responsibly, recognizing cultural differences, investment in education becomes a fundamental basis for changing attitudes and promoting equality. Ana Maria’s experience highlights the need to include women’s voices in decision-making and policy implementation that reflect the realities of communities, especially in rural areas.

The historical exclusion of mental health in policy and practice needs to be overcome. Investing in mental health from childhood promotes sustainable development and addresses the root causes of intolerance and social exclusion.

promoting healthy human relationships, emotional and social well-being is essential build sustainable societies in the face of the climate crisis.

Gender-based violence, lack of access to healthcare and the climate crisis are inextricably linked and require global attention. Promoting health, mental health and women’s rights is essential to building a just and equal society. Accountability, education, and investment in the health of all people are critical steps toward overcoming current and future challenges. Without health there is no life, without the planet! there is no life!