TM5579 - Health and Human Rights

Credit points:	03
Year:	2015
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences

This subject explores the inter-relationship between human rights and health. The subject has applicability for both health providers in both developing and developed settings. It will focus on the following areas: Human rights history and origins; Key human rights framework documents; The relationship between human rights and ethics; Ethical conduct by health workers; Human rights infringements and the role of health workers; Working with marginalised and subordinated populations, taboo issues and stigmatised conditions; Human rights and health in situations of social instability and conflict; Human rights as a core element of evidence-based practice; Health and human rights as a research priority; Human rights for preparation and improvement in practice; Human rights as a core qualification for working in international health.

Learning Outcomes

• Gain rich and detailed insights into the inter-relationship between health and human rights and indeed that health itself is a human right; Understand the social and historical context that has given rise to modern approaches to human rights;
• Gain a clear understanding why human rights knowledge is a pre-requisite for working effectively in international development, international health and indeed health in general;
• Become intimately familiar with the core international documents which lay the basis for ethical and legal protection of rights;
• Understand that human rights is both researchable and a core element of the evidence-base for health service provision;
• Gain greater insights into the special circumstances of individuals and communities who are either marginalised and/or who are affected by stigmatised conditions or social taboos that potentially compromise their health and health care.

Assumed Knowledge:	N/A
Prerequisites:	A PRIOR QUALIFICATION IN HEALTH, EDUCATION OR SOCIAL SCIENCES AT LEAST AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL

Availabilities
Townsville, Limited, Study Period 2
Census Date 27-Aug-2015
Face to face teaching (External materials plus attendance at a compulsory one week block)
Coord/Lect:	Dr Jenny Kelly, Professor David Plummer.
Contact hours:	30 hours lectures - 30 hours of face-to-face consisting of lectures, tutorials and workshops in a 1 week mini-block format. The remainder will be provided externally.
Assessment:	presentations (20%); assignments (40%); students will be required to design a research project on an aspect of health and human rights of their choice (40%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.