A legal resource to advocate for policy change

What is the Right to Health Policy Hub?

Right to Health Policy Hub is a repository of human rights documents from international human rights treaty bodies and UN mechanisms that support the advancement of public health policies related to food & nutrition and tobacco control. Human rights are essential to advocate for effective policy change, and Right to Health Policy Hub aims to support organizations, movements, and advocates around the world in doing so. 

This resource highlights the growing connections between these health policies and human rights obligations, as presented by official documents issued by human rights bodies.


The Right to Health Policy Hub is a joint effort of the
Campaign for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Global Health Advocacy Incubator

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) is the leading advocacy organization working to reduce tobacco use and its deadly consequences in the United States and around the world.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)

The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) supports civil society organizations who advocate for public health policies that reduce death and disease.

297 Documents

analyzed and extracted specific recommendations from documents issued by official human rights monitoring bodies.

59 Countries

search documents by jurisdiction to find relevant resources by countries around the globe.

168 Filters

make targeted searches with our advanced filters to find relevant policy information.

Last updated on September 2023

Human rights documents issued by international human rights treaty bodies, and United Nations Special Rapporteurs on the rights to health, adequate food and nutrition, and cultural rights dated from 2005 onwards.

General Recommendations

Globally relevant, and contain official interpretations of the treaty provisions, thematic areas, government obligations, specific rights and other issues. These have authoritative status and provide valuable guidance on harmonizing public health policies with human rights standards.

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Country Recommendations

These recommendations are issued by treaty bodies following a state reporting cycle. Under the international human rights treaties, State Parties are obligated to submit initial and periodic reports every two to five years.

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Special Reports

These documents are issued by these UN Special Procedure on particular issues under their mandate. They have global relevancy and play a key role in standard setting, influencing the interpretation of international human rights law.

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Download Fact Sheets

These Fact Sheets discus the intersection of human rights and tobacco control, highlighting the WHO FCTC's connections with human rights obligations. They stress the tobacco epidemic's health impacts, advocating for policies like tobacco marketing bans and taxation to combat tobacco use, and emphasize the importance of integrating human rights frameworks in these efforts.

2023 - Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Recommendation for Cambodia, par. 41 (2023) - 2348

https://righttohealthpolicyhub.org/database/committee-on-economic-social-and-cultural-rights-recommendation-for-cambodia-par-41-2023

Food policy Cambodia CESCR Fiscal measures Nutritional surveillance Education and information Food and nutrition security Trade and investment

41. The Committee recommends that the State party redouble its efforts to protect the right to adequate food and make an assessment of the implementation of its Second National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition 2019–2023, in order to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition in an effective and comprehensive manner, including by establishing programmes to increase the level of minimum...

Text of the recommendation

41. The Committee recommends that the State party redouble its efforts to protect the right to adequate food and make an assessment of the implementation of its Second National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition 2019–2023, in order to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition in an effective and comprehensive manner, including by establishing programmes to increase the level of minimum income support, promote healthier diets, incorporate trade, land management, education and fiscal policy elements, set clear, time-bound targets and establish appropriate mechanisms for assessing the progress made.

Citation

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Concluding observations on the second periodic report of Cambodia, E/C.12/KHM/CO/2 (2023). Par. 41. Available at: 2BYe62Ss7WypmsG01gopbAbYW6kF7OpSpHEjxFdG5jreehCXS9QjQsdIKpGnNXsi4HlA67pqsTmLZW

2022 - Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Recommendation for Italy par. 56 (2022) - 2315

https://righttohealthpolicyhub.org/database/committee-on-economic-social-and-cultural-rights-recommendation-for-italy-par-56-2022

Food policy Italy CESCR Fiscal measures

56. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation that the State party introduce higher taxes on junk foods and sweet beverages, and further recommends that it lower taxes on healthy food products, ensure mandatory physical exercise in the primary school system and increase earmarked funding for anti-obesity programmes for children in the southern regions....

Text of the recommendation

56. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation that the State party introduce higher taxes on junk foods and sweet beverages, and further recommends that it lower taxes on healthy food products, ensure mandatory physical exercise in the primary school system and increase earmarked funding for anti-obesity programmes for children in the southern regions.

Citation

Committee on the Rights of the Child, CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION, E/C.12/ITA/CO/6 (2022). Par. 56. Available at: https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=6QkG1d%2FPPRiCAqhKb7yhsgnXZ0ChBsrwmcy8%2F%2BFNoDH8GClHpAoPyEj3crT%2FKNnC4q%2B0e62r%2BoDZNpxk4glocfPHJ596z0pRvdl4egqxq4jbNPZ9yE5Kdl%2F3DocA6gM9

2022 - Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Recommendation for Gambia par. 38 (a) (2022) - 2464

https://righttohealthpolicyhub.org/database/committee-on-the-elimination-of-discrimination-against-women-recommendation-for-gambia-par-38-a-2022

Food policy Gambia CEDAW Food and nutrition security

38. In line with general recommendation No. 34 (2016) on the rights of rural women, the Committee recommends that the State party, in view of the importance of the agricultural sector for its economic development and food and nutrition security: (a) Ensure implementation of the gender mainstreaming component of the agriculture and natural resources policy for the period 2017–2026 by...

Text of the recommendation

38. In line with general recommendation No. 34 (2016) on the rights of rural women, the Committee recommends that the State party, in view of the importance of the agricultural sector for its economic development and food and nutrition security: (a) Ensure implementation of the gender mainstreaming component of the agriculture and natural resources policy for the period 2017–2026 by conducting an evaluation of the progress achieved at its midpoint and at completion, including the responsiveness of agricultural policies, programmes and projects, such as national food security and nutritional investment programmes, to effectively address the needs of rural women;

Citation

Comittee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of the Gambia, CEDAW/C/GMB/CO/6 (2022). Par. 38 (a). Available at: https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=6QkG1d%2FPPRiCAqhKb7yhsldCrOlUTvLRFDjh6%2Fx1pWD0uGukuof9i2kF7aKFiu%2BwjurAMFNWJhw7pu7yM5Qb8zzt60poPCEa%2FkZAZH%2BT0O33FWfcgnRioeTCxn5YqFXs