Abstract

The right to health and well-being was outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and adopted by the United Nations in 1948. However, inequalities across social, cultural and economic factors continue to impact the daily lives of people across the world and are drivers of poor respiratory health. In this chapter, we review how systemic inequalities result in inequities in respiratory health, and how these infringe upon the right to life and health. Themes of women's and children's rights, environmental rights and the right to life are used to illustrate why a human rights-based approach is relevant. The right to live a dignified and healthy life cannot be realised without addressing the fundamental rights and needs of all human beings to food, housing, healthcare, education, work and culture. Infringements of these rights begin early, affecting fetal and childhood lung development, and persist through environmental and social exposures. Using a human rights-based approach to consider respiratory health throughout the life course provides an opportunity to address inequity; the goal should be to empower the respiratory health community to ensure that all human beings are achieving the highest attainable standard of respiratory health.

Cite as: Mayell SJ, Jones CL, Sinha IP. A human rights-based approach to equity in respiratory health. In: Sinha IP, Lee A, Katikireddi SV, et al., eds. Inequalities in Respiratory Health (ERS Monograph). Sheffield, European Respiratory Society, 2023; pp. 228–235 [https://doi.org/10.1183/2312508X.10005422].