Reimagining human rights in global health: What will it take?

Abstract

The global health discourse continues to be dominated by biomedical sciences, and far too little attention is given to the contribution and role of other relevant sciences to health and well-being. The events of the last 2 years have demonstrated nothing, if not the importance of embedding political science, anthropology and social sciences into the core of health research, policymaking and programmingand yet, despite the rhetoric, funding streams largely continue to ignore all but the biomedical. One simple example, the former head of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Francis Collins in stepping down noted that the insights of social science to address vaccine hesitancy were badly needed, even as he recognised that the NIH had not prioritised funding for this area of research.4 Neglecting the role and contribution of sciences other than biomedical has created a paradox. On the one hand, global health institutions are increasing their rhetoric with regard to addressing human rights, inequities, gender inequalities and other determinants of health. On the other, programming and investments remain predominantly focused on biomedical interventions and programmes. Not only recognising but financing the critical role of diverse scholarship and epistemologies and ensuring integrated research, policymaking and programming are key to enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions for peoples health and well-being.